SPF Scout · Ingredient

Hydroxyethylcellulose

Binder (holds the formula together)Emulsion stabilizer (keeps oil and water mixed)Film forming (leaves a thin coating)Light stabilizer (protects the formula from light)Viscosity control (thickens or thins the formula)

What this ingredient generally does

Hydroxyethylcellulose is a thickener that adjusts how thick or fluid the product is and helps keep it from separating. It forms a thin film on skin, helps hold the formula together, and works as a light stabilizer to keep it steady.

Reviewed before publication. This note describes function in a formulation, and nothing else.

Published formulations that list this ingredient

These are the formulations currently published in the SPF Scout catalog whose stored ingredient declaration includes this ingredient. It is not a list of every product on the market, and the order carries no meaning.

Checking this against your own list

You can select this ingredient in the SPF Scout app as one to flag. The app compares your selections against a product's stored declaration on your device; your list never reaches this website.

This comparison does not predict whether your skin will react.

Where this information comes from

Ingredient names, CAS numbers and recorded functions come from SPF Scout’s curated ingredient dictionary, grounded in CosIng, the European Commission’s Cosmetic Ingredient Database. Content © European Union, reused with acknowledgement.

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