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 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Suspending Agent, Viscosity Controlling, Pigment Stabilizer
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT
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.
Additional Ingredient Properties
1 property record from structured ingredient metadata.
rheology
{"cas_number": "12627-53-1", "rheology_modifier_type": "Inorganic - Modified Clay", "thickening_mechanism": "Particle swelling and network formation", "viscosity_increase_factor": "1500-6000x", "brookfield_viscosity_typical_cps": "4000-22000", "shear_thinning_behavior": "Moderate", "thixotropic": "Low", "yield_stress_pa": "4-12", "flow_curve_type": "Pseudoplastic", "optimal_ph_range": "4.0-8.0", "…
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Dispersing agent
Thickening agent
Viscosity modifier
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Quaternium-18 Hectorite.
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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