Hydroxyethyl Urea ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a water-binding humectant used to increase hydration and improve skin feel in lotions, serums, creams, cleansers, and hair care. It helps reduce tack compared with some classic humectants while supporting a smoother finish.
What does Hydroxyethyl Urea do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a water-binding humectant used to increase hydration and improve skin feel in lotions, serums, creams, cleansers, and hair care. It helps reduce tack compared with some classic humectants while supporting a smoother finish.
Is Hydroxyethyl Urea clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is generally low-irritation and not a common allergen or sensitizer. The main friction is its synthetic manufacture rather than a notable restricted-list profile.
Is Hydroxyethyl Urea sustainable?
This material is typically synthetic and commonly tied to petrochemical or industrial feedstocks rather than direct plant sourcing. It is water-soluble and expected to biodegrade, with lower persistence concerns than silicones or fluorinated film-formers.
Is Hydroxyethyl Urea COSMOS-approved?
It is not typically aligned with COSMOS-organic or COSMOS-natural certification because its manufacture falls outside the standard’s preferred natural-origin chemistry. Its Green Chemistry profile is mixed, with useful low-dose performance and water solubility, but limited renewable-feedstock alignment.
How does Hydroxyethyl Urea work chemically?
The molecule is a small, nonionic, highly water-soluble humectant with hydroxyl and carbonyl-amide functionality that binds water through hydrogen bonding. It is commonly used around 0.5% to 10%, is compatible with many surfactant and emulsion systems, and is generally stable across typical cosmetic pH ranges.
Last updated 2026-05-13