CETRIMONIUM BROMIDE
Cetrimonium Bromide, also known as cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, is a quaternary ammonium salt. Its structure combines a long fatty chain with a positively charged end, which is why it behaves as a cationic surfactant when water and oily materials meet in a formula.
CETRIMONIUM BROMIDE: what it is
Cetrimonium Bromide, also known as cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, is a quaternary ammonium salt. Its structure combines a long fatty chain with a positively charged end, which is why it behaves as a cationic surfactant when water and oily materials meet in a formula.
It is not the same ingredient as Cetrimonium Chloride. Both belong to the family of long-chain quaternary ammonium compounds, but they use different counterions. That distinction matters on an ingredient list because each substance has its own identification and use limits, even when both can occur in products designed for formula stability and hair care.
CETRIMONIUM BROMIDE: what it does in cosmetics
In cosmetics, Cetrimonium Bromide can help keep water and oily components evenly dispersed, contributing to the consistency of an emulsion. Its antistatic role is especially relevant in hair products, where it can help reduce the static that leaves strands flying apart and harder to arrange.
When used as a preservative, it is part of the approach used to limit microbial growth in the product during use. That does not make it a treatment for the scalp, dandruff, or hair loss: a formula function explains stability and product feel, not a therapeutic result from the ingredient on its own.
CETRIMONIUM BROMIDE: conditions and care
In the European Union, Cetrimonium Bromide is limited to 0.1% in the ready-for-use product when used as a preservative. This limit applies to its cosmetic use for that purpose.
Restrictions and conditions of use
Products containing this ingredient
See which products include it and the name used in each composition.
