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CETRIMONIUM CHLORIDE

Last update on May 1, 2026

Cetrimonium Chloride is a yellowish liquid ingredient that is widely used in cosmetic and personal care products. It can also appear in the form of a solid or a paste. It offers benefits of being a preservative or an antiseptic. It is also commonly used to reduce static in the hair. Cetrimonium Chloride works well with almost all the other ingredients and can most commonly be found in products like shampoos and conditioners.

CAS Number: 112-02-7Chem/IUPAC Name: 1-Hexadecanaminium, N,N,N-trimethyl-, chlorideEINECS/ELINCS No: 203-928-6COSING REF No: 32590

Products with CETRIMONIUM CHLORIDE

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BELSIL® ADM 6057 E

by Wacker

INCI: AMODIMETHICONE | CETRIMONIUM CHLORIDE | TRIDECETH-10

Sustainable option
Original documents

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EXO FDS FolliXield

by INdermal by Nanovex Biotechnologies

Sustainable option
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EXO FDS Azelaic Fusion

by INdermal by Nanovex Biotechnologies

Sustainable option
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What is CETRIMONIUM CHLORIDE used for?

Cetrimonium Chloride is a wonderful ingredient imparting its benefits to both hair and skin. This ingredient can mainly be spotted in hair care products such as hair sprays and shampoos.

Hair care: It is an anti-static ingredient that greatly reduces frizz and flyaways. It also smoothens the shafts out, adding shine to them
Skin care: It acts as an antiseptic and prevents the growth of microorganisms on the surface of the skin. It also helps the water mix well with oil so that the dirt and dust can be washed away thoroughly

Origin

Cetrimonium Chloride can be natural or synthetic depending on the way that it is made. Naturally, it is derived from vegetable oils. Cetrimonium Chloride is basically a quaternary ammonium compound that acts well as a preservative. It can appear in the form of a yellowish liquid or a waxy solid.

What does CETRIMONIUM CHLORIDE do in a formulation?

ANTIMICROBIAL|

ANTISTATIC|

PRESERVATIVE

Safety Profile

Cetrimonium Chloride is safe for hair and skin. In leave-on products, the use level for Cetrimonium Chloride is recommended to be no more than 0.25%. Any higher than this percentage could lead to side effects such as skin irritation. Other than this, it works well on all skin types. It has a moderate hazard rating from EWG (typically 3-4) due to potential irritation at higher concentrations. However, a patch test is recommended prior to full application to avoid any negative effects of the product.