Shampoos and conditioners are essential items that we rely on to keep our hair healthy and shining but rarely do we stop to think about how these products are created.

From active ingredients to surfactants and emollients, hair care products often require an assortment of different high-quality ingredients in order to come together. Hydroxyethylcellulose, a natural thickening agent, is one such ingredient.

Is this plant-based polymer a good choice for your hair care products? For those of you who are interested in crafting your own shampoos and other personal care products, the following information will definitely be of use to you.

A Versatile and All-Natural Thickener

Most liquid soaps, body washes, shampoos, and lotions require some kind of thickener. These ingredients are used to help create the proper consistency and also mix and bind ingredients together. In other words, they work in the background, helping formulas to come together in order to enhance the look and feel of the end product.

This is more notable with hair care products, as you wouldn’t want your shampoos and conditioners to be thin and runny. In fact, these products are typically crafted to be thick, creamy, and luscious. Not only does this add to the overall value of the product from a visual standpoint, it actually aids in using the product as well.

Hydroxyethylcellulose is used to thicken shampoos and other cosmetic and personal care products effectively. What’s great about this ingredient is that it is generally considered to be completely safe and sports a wide variety of uses.

If you are a bit put off by this ingredient’s difficult-to-pronounce name, it’s worth taking a closer look and break down the word piece by piece.

●Hydro: Referring to water or water-based in some way.

●“Hydroxy”: An oxygen atom that is bonded to a hydrogen atom

●Ethyl: Used to signify a group of two saturated carbon atoms in a molecule

●Cellulose: A natural substance appearing in plant cells that is insoluble.

Essentially, this plant-based substance is a thickener derived from cellulose that is in fact water-soluble, so it can be used in skincare and hair care products. It is an efficient suspending agent that can easily be dispersed within a formula, for effective adjustments to the thickness and behavior of the end product.

As a water-soluble polymer, this ingredient has widespread applications. It’s also incredibly easy to use, so it works well for industrial purposes or at-home recipes just the same. You don’t need to take up organic chemistry just to get a handle on how to utilize this ingredient in your own formulas, just a working knowledge of which thickening agents work best with other ingredients.

In general, this substance works well alongside most other ingredients, which is another reason why it is so often used.

Hair Care Applications For Hydroxyethylcellulose

This natural substance seems to have its place in the hair care world for a good reason. Naturally moisturizing and great for thickening shampoos and conditioners, it works to give formulas an extra degree of quality in terms of improving the appearance and health of your hair.

If you are wondering if it’s worth using this ingredient over others and if it is truly good for hair care formulations, the answer is definitely yes. More and more companies are seeing the value in hydroxyethyl cellulose and are incorporating it into their product lines. It helps that it is gentle on the skin and is also vegan as well. Since it is widely found in nature, mostly coming from wood, it’s also highly affordable compared to many other thickening agents out there. Given the fact that it not only thickens but actually enhances the quality of products in general, it makes sense why it is finding its way into more products.

The Secret to Crafting Great Shampoos, Conditioners, and Other Hair Products

Creating high-quality or spa-quality hair care products isn’t difficult if you know this one important bit of information: you have to start with beneficial ingredients that provide real benefit to the end formula. One of the reasons why natural hair care is taking off the way it is because plant-based ingredients do tend to provide a more comprehensive benefit based on all of their various qualities. Compare this to artificial substances that tend to have one singular focus.

Either way, making sure you have only the best quality ingredients on hand for your concoctions is critical. This is why you should take a look through our online ingredient store to find everything you need. We carry top-grade hydroxyethylcellulose along with everything else you might need in order to create enriching products for hair and skin.

If you need some additional information regarding the ingredients we carry or ordering in bulk, you can also reach out to us at (888) 583-7738.