Moderate Surfactant Dermal Penetration

Cetrimonium Chloride

INCI: CETRIMONIUM CHLORIDE

CAS Number
112-02-7
Function
Conditioning agent; antistatic; detangling agent; cationic surfactant
Safety Rating
MODERATE

Regulatory Status

🇪🇺 EU Status permitted
EU Max Conc. 0.5–3%
🇺🇸 US Status permitted
US Notes CIR assessed safe as used in rinse-off formulations at up to 0.25% in leave-on and higher in rinse-off. Cationic quaternary ammonium compound incompatible with anionic surfactants; must be formulated in separate conditioning systems.

For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.

Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
adequate
Dermal Absorption
high
Sensitization
moderate

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Dermal Penetration Profile

Skin absorption and penetration characteristics of Cetrimonium Chloride, relevant to systemic exposure and MoS calculations.

Absorption %
0.5-2%
Penetration Level
surface
Penetration Depth
surface only
Molecular Weight
320.0 Da
Log P
5.2
Systemic Absorption
minimal
Topical Bioavailability
0.2-1%
Safety Margin Factor
low
Vehicle Dependent
Yes — absorption varies by formulation

Source: CIR

Expert Verdict

Standard cationic conditioning agent for hair care with moderate irritation potential (Zein score ~2,320 mg/g). Safe as used in rinse-off formulations at 0.5–3% concentrations where dilution reduces exposure. Critical constraint: incompatible with anionic surfactants and must be formulated in dedicated conditioning systems.

⚠️
Concern Level: Moderate

Regulatory Flags

cationic quat conditioning anionic-incompatible rinse-off moderate-irritant eu_children_restricted eu_cosing_listed

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cetrimonium Chloride safe in cosmetics?

Standard cationic conditioning agent for hair care with moderate irritation potential (Zein score ~2,320 mg/g). Safe as used in rinse-off formulations at 0.5–3% concentrations where dilution reduces exposure. Critical constraint: incompatible with anionic surfactants and must be formulated in dedicated conditioning systems. The EU classifies Cetrimonium Chloride as "permitted". Safety rating: MODERATE.

Is Cetrimonium Chloride allowed in the EU?

Cetrimonium Chloride EU regulatory status: permitted. Maximum allowed concentration: 0.5–3%. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Cetrimonium Chloride do in cosmetics?

Cetrimonium Chloride functions as: Conditioning agent; antistatic; detangling agent; cationic surfactant. It is classified as a Surfactant in our database. CAS number: 112-02-7.

What is the Margin of Safety for Cetrimonium Chloride?

adequate The Margin of Safety (MoS) is calculated using SCCS methodology. A MoS above 100 is generally considered safe. Use the MoS Calculator tool to calculate MoS for your specific formulation and product category.

Compliance Tools

Check Cetrimonium Chloride compliance across multiple jurisdictions:

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Ingredient Decoder
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82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
 🧪
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across 55 jurisdictions
 🧮
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
 ⚗️
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions

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