Cellulose

[ˈsel-yə-lōs]

Categories: Emulsifiers, Plant Extracts, Slip Agents, Humectants

Cellulose Skincare Benefits:
Moisturizing
Product Stabilizer

Cellulose is an organic compound derived from plant cell walls. Similar to its structural support function in plants, cellulose is used in skincare as a versatile emulsifier to help stabilize solutions with different solubility. In cosmetics, cellulose is essential for enhancing the product application experience for the consumer. It can be used as a slip agent to increase the smooth texture of creams, a film former for thin layer nail polish application, or an anti-caking agent for cosmetic foundations. 1 2 In addition, cellulose is also known to possess strong humectant properties, which helps to increase the amount of moisture in the skin. For this reason, cellulose is often implemented into moisturizing products such as lotions, creams, and masks.3

  1. Hasan, N. Application of bacterial cellulose (BC) in natural facial scrub. International Journal on Advanced Science, Engineering and Information Technology 2.4, 272-275 (2012)
  2. Czaja, W. et al. Microbial cellulose—the natural power to heal wounds. Biomaterials 27.2, 145-151 (2006)
  3. Amnuaikit, T. et al. Effects of a cellulose mask synthesized by a bacterium on facial skin characteristics and user satisfaction. Medical Devices: Evidence and Research 4, 77-81 (2011)