Urea
Urea is a cosmetic ingredient used as an antistatic, buffering agent. It appears in about 1% of cosmetic products in our 90,000+ product dataset. It is regulated in the EU (listed in a Cosmetics Regulation annex). PubMed carries 6,451 studies of its skin or topical use.
| INCI name | UREA |
| Function | ANTISTATIC, BUFFERING, HUMECTANT, SKIN CONDITIONING |
| CAS number | 57-13-6 |
| EC number | 200-315-5 |
| Prevalence | 1,318 products (1.42% of dataset) |
| Most used in | Skincare |
| EU status | Restricted (annex ) |
| Scientific studies | 6,451 on PubMed (skin/cosmetic/topical) |
| Monthly searches | 49,500 |
Used in
General Moisturizers 19.3%Serums 10.5%Body Lotions 9.3%Toners 8.4%Face Cleansers 6.8%Foot Cream 5.6%
Frequently asked
- What does Urea do in skincare?
- Urea functions as an antistatic, buffering agent in cosmetic formulas.
- Is Urea allowed in cosmetics?
- Yes, but it is regulated in the EU — it appears in a Cosmetics Regulation annex with usage conditions.
- What products contain Urea?
- It is most commonly found in Skincare products, especially general moisturizers (19.3% of its uses).
Manufacturers with experience using Urea
Match with vetted US contract manufacturers that have hands-on experience formulating with this ingredient.