Cetrimonium Bromide ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is primarily a cationic surfactant and conditioning agent, used to reduce static, improve combability, and add slip in hair-care formulas. It can also contribute antimicrobial preservation at low levels.
What does Cetrimonium Bromide do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is primarily a cationic surfactant and conditioning agent, used to reduce static, improve combability, and add slip in hair-care formulas. It can also contribute antimicrobial preservation at low levels.
Is Cetrimonium Bromide clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, this ingredient has friction because it is a synthetic quat with irritation potential at higher concentrations and regulatory concentration limits in some markets. It is often treated more cautiously than milder conditioning alternatives.
Is Cetrimonium Bromide sustainable?
This material is typically made from petrochemical and oleochemical feedstocks, so sourcing can vary by supplier. It has environmental-profile concerns because cationic quats can bind strongly to sludge, sediment, and aquatic surfaces rather than breaking down quickly in water.
Is Cetrimonium Bromide COSMOS-approved?
This ingredient is generally not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards. Its Green Chemistry fit is weak because it is a highly processed synthetic quat with limited biodegradability alignment and aquatic-impact concerns.
How does Cetrimonium Bromide work chemically?
The molecule is a long-chain quaternary ammonium salt with a permanent positive charge, which helps it adsorb to negatively charged hair and skin surfaces. In cosmetics it is usually used at low levels, often below a few percent in rinse-off hair products, with preservative use regulated around 0.1% in the EU.
Last updated 2026-05-13