Is Quaternium-18 Hectorite safe in cosmetics?
Quaternium-18 Hectorite has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
EXCELLENT
Cosmetic Ingredient
Quaternium-18 Hectorite
Also known as: Dimethyl dihydrogenated tallow ammonium chloride, reaction product with hectorite, EINECS 275-128-5, bis(Hydrogenated tallow alkyl)dimethyl ammonium salts with hectorite
INCI: QUATERNIUM-18 HECTORITE
Quaternium-18 Hectorite (CAS 71011-27-3) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Suspending Agent, Viscosity Controlling, Pigment Stabilizer. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 71011-27-3 →
Function
Suspending Agent, Viscosity Controlling, Pigment Stabilizer
Editorial assessment
EXCELLENT
Preliminary editorial note — not a computed safety verdict.
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
CIR 1982 (amended 2013, 2023) safe at up to 5% in leave-on and rinse-off formulations.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Quaternium-18 Hectorite.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Dispersing agent
Thickening agent
Viscosity modifier
Editorial summary
Preliminary editorial summary for Quaternium-18 Hectorite — not a computed safety verdict. See the sourced toxicological data above.
Known Synonyms
Dimethyl dihydrogenated tallow ammonium chloride, reaction product with hectorite
EINECS 275-128-5
bis(Hydrogenated tallow alkyl)dimethyl ammonium salts with hectorite
Chemical Function
Viscosity modifier
Dispersing agent
Thickening agent
Regulatory Lists
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quaternium-18 Hectorite allowed in the EU?
Quaternium-18 Hectorite EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Quaternium-18 Hectorite do in cosmetics?
Quaternium-18 Hectorite functions as: Suspending Agent, Viscosity Controlling, Pigment Stabilizer. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 71011-27-3.
Compliance Tools
Check Quaternium-18 Hectorite compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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82 Allergen Checker
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Substance Compliance
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MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
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