What it is
In the register’s words: “Starch, hydrogen phosphate, 2-hydroxypropyl ether.”
- EU register name (INCI)
- HYDROXYPROPYL STARCH PHOSPHATE
- CAS number
- 53124-00-8 / 39346-84-4 / 113894-92-1
What the register lists it for
These are the uses the European Commission’s CosIng register lists for Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate 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.”
- 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.”
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.
- Rinse-out conditioners 2 labels First five names: 2 of 2 Rinse-out conditioners without it
- Deep conditioners 1 label First five names: 1 of 1 Deep conditioners without it
- Stylers 1 label First five names: 0 of 1 Stylers without it
- Curl refreshers 1 label First five names: 0 of 1 Curl refreshers without it
Every label, product by product (5)
- Curlsmith Essential Moisture Conditioner Rinse-out conditioner 3rd of 33 names
- Curlsmith Fragrance-Free Conditioner Rinse-out conditioner 3rd of 29 names
- Curlsmith Double Cream Deep Quencher Deep conditioner 5th of 36 names
- Rizos Curls Curl Defining Cream Styler 10th of 21 names
- Rizos Curls Refresh & Detangle Spray Curl refresher 14th of 25 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
- Cellulose 4 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.