What it is
- EU register name (INCI)
- CELLULOSE
- CAS number
- 9004-34-6
- EC number
- 232-674-9
What the register lists it for
These are the uses the European Commission’s CosIng register lists for Cellulose in any cosmetic, hair roles first. They say why a maker might add it, not what it does in one formula, and they aren’t a safety rating.
- Viscosity controlling
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Makes a product thicker or thinner, so a gel holds its shape or a shampoo pours. Gums, cellulose and some salts carry this role.
Register definition: “Increasing or decreasing the viscosity (thickness) of cosmetics.”
- Absorbent
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Takes up water or oil. Clays and starches carry this role.
Register definition: “Taking up water- and/or oil-soluble (dissolved or finely dispersed) substances.”
- Bulking
-
Adds volume to a product without reacting with anything.
Register definition: “Non-reactive (chemically inert), solid ingredients that dilute other solids and/or increase the volume of cosmetic products.”
- Opacifying
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Makes a product less see-through, which is why some shampoos and conditioners look creamy.
Register definition: “Reducing transparency or translucency of cosmetics.”
Where it sits on each label
US labels list ingredients from most to least, except that those at 1% or less may follow in any order. A name near the top is a large part of the formula. A label doesn’t mark where the 1% point falls, so further down, the order says little about how much is in it.
- Shampoos 1 label First five names: 0 of 1 Shampoos without it
- Clarifying shampoos 1 label First five names: 1 of 1 Clarifying shampoos without it
- Rinse-out conditioners 1 label First five names: 0 of 1 Rinse-out conditioners without it
- Protein treatments 1 label First five names: 0 of 1 Protein treatments without it
Every label, product by product (4)
- Kristin Ess Moisture Rich Curl Shampoo Shampoo 38th of 41 names
- Curlsmith Curl Reset Detox Shampoo Clarifying shampoo 3rd of 27 names
- Camille Rose Curl Love Conditioner Rinse-out conditioner 10th of 16 names
- Cécred Reconstructing Treatment Mask Protein treatment 35th of 37 names
Each line runs from the first name on a label to the last; a dot is where this ingredient sits. Makers change formulas now and then; if the list on your bottle differs, go by your bottle.
Your next step
Other viscosity controlling ingredients on these labels
- Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter 57 labels
- Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate 5 labels
- Hydrolyzed Wheat Starch 4 labels
- Sodium Sulfate 4 labels
- Tapioca Starch 4 labels
- Potassium Chloride 2 labels
Updated · The name, numbers and uses come from the European Commission’s CosIng entry (CC BY 4.0); we write the uses in US spelling and put the hair ones first. The labels are each maker’s own. The order rule is the FDA’s Cosmetics Labeling Guide. All our sources are on the Sources page.