Food use
Food-use source coverage is present in the current record.
The ingredient appears in food-oriented source coverage or allowed-use references, which makes food use easier to support than a context with no domain signal at all.
- beauty
- cleaning
- industrial
Hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride
CAS 112-02-7 · 70/100 · High conf.
Also registered as 7 other CAS numbers
53023-95-3 · 79728-63-5 · 129290-73-9 · 139272-33-6 · 146909-27-5 · 217468-43-4 · 2124222-94-0
Concern score
70/100High concern based on regulatory listings.
High confidence
Hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride in plain language
On cosmetic ingredient lists it appears as “Cetrimonium chloride (1)”.
Also known as Cetrimonium chloride (1) · Strartrimonium chloride (1) · Cetrimonium chloride · Trimethylhexadecylammonium chloride · Hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride · N,N,N-Trimethylhexadecan-1-aminium chloride
Show all 40 names
hexadecyl(trimethyl)azanium chloride · 1-Hexadecaminium, N,N,N-trimethyl-, chloride · 1-Hexadecanaminium, N,N,N-trimethyl-, chloride · 1-Hexadecanaminium, N,N,N-trimethyl-, chloride (1:1) · Arquad pc 16-29W · Adogen 444 · Adogen 444-29 · Aliquat 6 · Ammonium, hexadecyltrimethyl-, chloride · Ammonyx Cetac · Ammonyx Cetac 30 · Arquad 16 · Arquad 16-29 · Arquad 16-50 · Cetac · Cetyltrimethyl ammonium chloride · Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Chloride · Dehyquart A · Genamin ctac · Htac · Intexsan CTC 29 · Intexsan CTC 50 · Jeequat CT-29 · Morpan CHA · N-hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride · Nikkol CA-2350 · Palmityltrimethylammonium chloride · Quartamin 60W · Surfroyal CTAC · Trimethylcetylammonium chloride · Varisoft 300 · cetrimonium chloride/hexadecyl-trimethylammoniumchloride · cetyltrimethylammonium chloride · hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium chloride
Used in consumer products as a preservative, an emulsifier and a surfactant.
- Preservative
- Emulsifier
- Surfactant
- Thickener
- Conditioner
- Antistatic
- High concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is restricted in EU cosmetics.
Why it's flagged
C16-alkyltrimethylammonium chloride C18-alkyltrimethyammonium chloride is restricted in cosmetic products under Annex III of the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009.
RestrictedEU EC — restricted
The score describes this ingredient's chemical identity — its hazard profile from published classifications and regulatory status — not the safety of any product it appears in.
Regulation
Restrictions first, then routine listings from published regulatory sources.
- EU Annex III — restricted
- EU restricted in cosmetics
- Found in consumer products
- Beauty
- Cleaning
- Industrial
- View source →restricted
EUEC
Annex III of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: substances which cosmetic products must not contain except subject to the restrictions laid down. Product types: (a) Rinse-off hair products (b) Leave-on hair products (c) Leave-on face products Maximum concentration: (a) 2,5% for the individual concentrarions or the sum of the individual concentrations of cetrimonium chloride and streartrimonium chloride (b) 1,0% for the individual concentrarions or the sum of the individual concentrations of cetrimonium chloride and streartrimonium chloride (c) 0,5% for the individual concentrarions or the sum of the individual concentrations of cetrimonium chloride and… Other conditions: For purposes other than inhibiting the development of microorganisms in the product. The purpose has to be apparent from the presentation of the product.
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 2633 composition records across product categories including Personal care, Cleaning products and household care, Home maintenance. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Surfactant (surface active agent), Softener and conditioner, Anti-caking agent.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 2633 composition records across product categories including Personal care, Cleaning products and household care, Home maintenance. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Surfactant (surface active agent), Softener and conditioner, Anti-caking agent.Source →
USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
- openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.Source →
Expert safety opinions
No expert opinion on file for Hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride. These are the independent scientific bodies that assess ingredients like this one; we show an opinion only when a record we hold cites it.
SCCS
EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety
No SCCS opinion on file.
CIR
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US expert panel)
No CIR safety assessment on file.
Evidence & sources
No graded research studies for Hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.
Where this comes from
- Open →
EU CosIng Cosmetics Regulation Annexes
regulatory · updated 2015-06-22
- Open →
EPA Chemical and Products Database
exposure · updated september 5, 2012
- Open →
EPA DSSTox Identifiers
chemistry · updated 2025-12-29
- Open →
FDA GSRS UNII
registry · updated 2026-02-26
- Open →
openFDA Substance
registry · updated 2026-05-24
- Open →
PubChem Live Enrichment
chemistry · updated 2026-05-17
Suitability
Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.
Good fit
Fragrance avoidance
No fragrance-linked caution surfaced in the current profile.
This ingredient does not currently read as a fragrance-linked driver in the published evidence and hazard profile.
Where it has been recorded
How often EPA CPDat has listed Hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.
Source records
2,633
Named organisations
6
Personal careCleaning products and household careHome maintenanceCleaning and safetyRaw materials
Typical roles
PreservativeEmulsifierSurfactantThickenerConditionerAntistatic
Found in these products
Their ingredient lists include Hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.
- garnierGarnier
- Tratamiento Mais CachosSkala Expert, Skala · Haarmasker
- ogx arganOGX · Hair
- 3600542370196
- Shampooing violet déjaunisseurL'Oréal, Elseve · Hair
- Haar masterHaar master
- Batiste Original DroogshampooBatiste · Hair
- OGX Brazilian Keratin Smooth & Sleek ShampooOGX · Hair
- OriginalBatiste
- Protector térmico cabelloDeliplus
- Nutri-extrême richesseDessange · Hair
- Batiste Cherry DroogshampooBatiste · Hair
- Coconut milkOGX · Non Food Products
- Aunt Jackie's Curl La La Defining Curl CustardHair
- Shampoing Argan DivinEvoluderm
- cien shampoocien · Shampoo For Dry Hair
- Spray ultra démêlantCorinne de Farme · Hair En Hair Care
- Oil Replacement Nutrition Extrême - Olive MythiqueGarnier, Ultra Doux
- Mascarilla Curl PerfectDeliplus
- lorialElseve
- Soin démêlant Nutri-Extrême RichesseDessange · Hair
- Colour dry shampoo brunettesBatiste · Hair
- Creme de pentearSkala
- Crema ricciAdorn
Often appears with
Ingredients that frequently appear alongside Hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride in the catalog.