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HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES Learn more About EWG VERIFIED®

Data: Fair

Hydroxypropylcellulose

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Other Concerns

SYNONYMS

● HYDROXYPROPYLCELLULOSE
● PM 50 (POLYMER)
● PM 50
● OXYPROPYLATED CELLULOSE
● KLUCEL
● HYDROXYPROPYL ETHER OF CELLULOSE
● CELLULOSE HYDROXYPROPYL ETHER
● CELLULOSE, 2-HYDROXYPROPYL ETHER
● 2-HYDROXYPROPYL ETHER CELLULOSE

Restricted

Restricted: EWG VERIFIED products cannot contain this ingredient without adequate substantiation

Hydroxypropylcellulose is a propylene glycol ether of cellulose.

Common concerns

See how this product scores for common concerns.

  • LOW
    Cancer
  • LOW
    Allergies & Immunotoxicity
  • LOW
    Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity
  • LOW
    Use Restrictions

Ingredient concerns

  • CONCERNS
  • DATA SOURCES

Products with this Ingredient

Expand content Collapse content
styling gel/lotion6 products
Putties, Puddings & Clays1 products
hair styling aid2 products
body powder1 products
mask9 products
shaving cream13 products
hand sanitizer13 products
foot odor control3 products
body wash/cleanser1 products
mouthwash3 products
foot moisturizer1 products
shaving cream (men's)6 products
bath oil/salts/soak4 products
facial moisturizer/treatment2 products
lip gloss3 products
tooth whitening9 products
eyelash glue10 products
foot cleansing2 products
toothpaste2 products
facial cleanser2 products
shampoo7 products
serums & essences5 products
polish remover2 products
Dry Shampoo and Hair Powders1 products
recreational sunscreen3 products
antiperspirant/deodorant1 products
lip balm2 products
hair treatment/serum1 products
after shave3 products
exfoliant/scrub3 products
around-eye cream1 products
sunless tanning1 products
baby sunscreen1 products

Multiple, additive exposure sources

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in foodUS. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Data gaps

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported 'as used' concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in productCosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)

Informational

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - anyCosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmfulEnvironment Canada
Classified as a low human health priorityEnvironment Canada

Ecotoxicology

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Not suspected to be an environmental toxinEnvironment Canada
  • US. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  • Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
  • Environment Canada

Understanding scores

Cosmetics and personal care products are not required to be tested for safety before being allowed on the market. The Skin Deep® scoring system was designed to help the public understand whether a product is safe to use or whether it contains ingredients of concern.

Every product and ingredient in Skin Deep gets a two-part score – one for hazard and one for data availability. The safest products score well by both measures, with a low hazard rating and a fair or better data availability rating.


HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES

Hazard score

The Skin Deep ingredient hazard score, from 1 to 10, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. The EWG Verified® mark means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.

Score legend
WEIGHT-OF-EVIDENCE APPROACH

A product’s hazard score is not an average of the ingredients’ hazard scores. It is calculated using a weight-of-evidence approach that factors in all of the hazards or health impacts associated with the ingredients.

Data availability

The Skin Deep data availability rating reflects the number of scientific studies about the product or ingredient in the published scientific literature.

NONE LIMITED FAIR GOOD ROBUST
Low Availability
Moderate Availability
High Availability
NONE

Ingredients have not been assessed.

LIMITED-FAIR

There is only a modest volume of research.

GOOD-ROBUST

Ingredients have been studied extensively.

Can’t find your product?

Enter the ingredients in EWG’s Build Your Own Report tool to get an approximate score for that product.

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