| What is it? |
A water soluble thickening agent that creates beautiful crystal clear gels without the tacky skin feel of other gums. |
| INCI |
Hydroxyethylcellulose |
| Appearance |
Fine off-white powder |
| Usage rate |
0.1–3% (you could use more, but it would be very thick!) |
| Texture |
A soft powder |
| Scent |
Nothing noticeable |
| pH |
6.7 (1% solution) |
| Charge |
Non-ionic |
| Solubility |
Water |
| Why do we use it in formulations? |
It provides fantastic gel-like thickening without the snottiness of gums like xanthan and guar. It also boosts surfactant performance noticeably. |
| Do you need it? |
It’s easily my favourite plant-derived thickening gum; I’d recommend it over xanthan and guar. |
| Strengths |
Creates beautiful, clear, carbomer-like gels and noticeably boosts surfactant performance. Has a much better leave-on skin feel than gums like xanthan and guar. |
| Weaknesses |
Harder to find than gums like xanthan and guar. |
| Alternatives & Substitutions |
I haven’t come across anything that works quite like HEC does. Xanthan gum will offer similar thickening, but gives a far less pleasant end consistency and does not boost lather the way HEC does. |
| How to Work with It |
Whisk the hydroxyethylcellulose into some glycerin to break up any lumps before adding the rest of the water phase. It will thicken over the course of several hours without heating; the thickening process can be sped up by gently heating the mixture in a water bath. |
| Storage & Shelf Life |
Stored somewhere cool, dark, and dry, hydroxyethylcellulose should last at least three years. |
| Tips, Tricks, and Quirks |
Make sure it has time to fully hydrate before continuing with your formulation to ensure a uniform end product. |
| Recommended starter amount |
30g (1oz) |
| Where to Buy it |
Buy it from an online DIY ingredient supplier or Amazon. Mine is from Essential Wholesale. |
