Ethylcellulose
Agente filmogeno
No known benefits
Ethylcellulose at a glance
- Naturally derived from wood pulp or cotton
- Used in cosmetics to enhance texture, create films, and work as a solvent
- Allows the creation of clear fluid or gel formulas
- Considered safe as used in food and cosmetics
Ethylcellulose description
Ethylcellulose is a plant-derived (from cotton or wood pulp) carbohydrate polymer that’s used in cosmetics for its solvent, texture-enhancing and film-forming properties. Used in makeup, it can help brighten and improve the shine quality of cosmetic pigments. Adding ethylcellulose to skin care formulas can help create clear gels in a range of viscosities (thicknesses). It’s supplied as a colorless powder that plays well with other solvents when added to the oil phase of a formula. It also works well with various glycerides and UV filters, including octinoxate and homosalate. This ingredient is also known as ethyl ether cellulose. It’s a food-grade ingredient used to help oils gel. As such, it’s considered safe as used in cosmetics. Usage levels of ethylcellulose in cosmetics range from 0.5–10%.