PG-Hydroxyethylcellulose Cocodimonium Chloride

INCI: PG-Hydroxyethylcellulose Cocodimonium Chloride | Function: Cationic Polymer, Conditioning Agent, Antistatic | Type: Synthetic cationic cellulose polymer (quaternized PG-hydroxyethylcellulose)

What Is PG-Hydroxyethylcellulose Cocodimonium Chloride?

A quaternized hydroxyethylcellulose modified with propylene glycol and coconut-derived (coco) dimonium groups. Functions as a cationic conditioning polymer that deposits on hair and skin for conditioning, detangling, and antistatic benefits. Based on cellulose (plant-derived) but chemically modified — providing natural origin with enhanced functionality.

Key Skin Benefits

+ Superior conditioning — cationic groups bind to negatively charged hair/skin
+ Detangling — significantly improves wet combability
+ Antistatic — reduces flyaway and static electricity
+ Coconut-derived quat — renewable source for quaternary ammonium group

Pros

+ Excellent conditioning polymer for rinse-off and leave-on products
+ Cellulose backbone is plant-derived and biodegradable
+ Good compatibility with nonionic and amphoteric surfactants
+ Effective at low concentrations (0.1–1%)

Cons

− Cationic — incompatible with anionic surfactants at high levels
− Not fully natural — chemically modified cellulose
− May build up on hair with excessive use
− Quat group may cause eye irritation at high concentrations

Specifications

Property	Value
Usage Areas	Body, Hair
Product Type	Leave-On, Rinse-Off
Source	Plant
Natural Level	Semi-synthetic

Safety Ratings

Metric	Rating
Skin Sensitivity	1-2/5 (low-moderate)
Comedogenic Rating	0/5
EWG Score	2/10

Regional Regulatory Limits

Region	Leave-on %	Rinse-off %	Status
EU (CosIng)	No limit	No limit	Allowed
US (CIR/FDA)	No limit	No limit	Allowed — CIR safe as used
Japan (MHLW)	No limit	No limit	Allowed
ASEAN	No limit	No limit	Allowed — follows EU
China (NMPA)	No limit	No limit	Allowed — listed in IECIC

Typical Usage % by Product Type

Product Type	Typical %
Hair conditioner	0.1–1%
Body wash (conditioning)	0.1–0.5%

References

CIR Safety Assessment. https://www.cir-safety.org/
EU CosIng Database. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/
EWG Skin Deep Database. https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
SpecialChem Cosmetic Ingredients. https://cosmetics.specialchem.com/

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