Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.
EWG Home EWG’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning EWG’s Food Scores Healthy Living App Open menu

EWG's Skin Deep®
Find products and ingredients Learn how Skin Deep® works Meet our experts Discover EWG VERIFIED®
GET UPDATES DONATE
Score legend
HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES Learn more About EWG VERIFIED®

Data: Fair

Microcrystalline Cellulose

SEARCH PRODUCTS

Other Concerns

SYNONYMS

● MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE

This ingredient is not currently on EWG's Skin Deep Restricted or Unacceptable Lists.

Microcrystalline Cellulose is an isolated, colloidal crystalline portion of cellulose fibers.

Common concerns

See how this product scores for common concerns.

  • LOW
    Cancer
  • MODERATE
    Allergies & Immunotoxicity
  • LOW
    Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity
  • LOW
    Use Restrictions

Ingredient concerns

  • CONCERNS
  • DATA SOURCES

Products with this Ingredient

Expand content Collapse content
facial cleanser41 products
exfoliant/scrub80 products
facial moisturizer/treatment77 products
oil controller1 products
anti-aging10 products
moisturizer28 products
mascara29 products
eye liner10 products
mask62 products
Exfoliants5 products
body firming lotion4 products
body oil1 products
eye makeup remover1 products
body wash/cleanser21 products
bronzer/highlighter29 products
makeup remover1 products
eye shadow49 products
daily use with SPF28 products
antiperspirant/deodorant (men's)2 products
recreational sunscreen115 products
baby sunscreen21 products
baby wipes8 products
serums & essences30 products
makeup primer6 products
blush22 products
detangler1 products
toothpaste73 products
antiperspirant/deodorant11 products
foundation54 products
hair treatment/serum8 products
conditioner2 products
after shave2 products
lip balm4 products
foot cleansing1 products
Facial Sun Care4 products
shampoo9 products
styling gel/lotion3 products
glitter4 products
lip gloss3 products
hand sanitizer2 products
around-eye cream13 products
setting powder/spray1 products
lipstick16 products
BB cream11 products
foot moisturizer1 products
bar soap2 products
diaper cream1 products
liquid hand soap8 products
hand cream4 products
baby lotion6 products
mouthwash2 products
tooth whitening2 products
beard cleanser1 products
bubble bath1 products
brow liner14 products
sunless tanning1 products
body powder1 products
nail treatment1 products
skin fading/lightener1 products
lip plumper1 products
damaged skin treatment1 products
concealer3 products
exfoliant/scrub - large particle1 products
dandruff/scalp treatment 1 products
shaving cream3 products
baby shampoo1 products
baby soap1 products

Multiple, additive exposure sources

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in foodUS Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Data gaps

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Risk assessment method deficiencies and data gaps - Maximum reported 'as used' concentration is basis of safety assessment by industry safety panel (Cosmetic Ingredient Review, CIR) - implicit safe concentration limit in productCosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)

Informational

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - anyCosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmfulEnvironment Canada
Classified as a low human health priorityEnvironment Canada

Ecotoxicology

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Not suspected to be an environmental toxinEnvironment Canada

Allergies/immunotoxicity

Expand content Collapse content
CONCERN REFERENCE
Human [[system]] toxicant or allergen - strong evidencePeer Reviewed Literature
  • US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  • Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR)
  • Environment Canada
  • Peer Reviewed Literature

Understanding scores

Cosmetics and personal care products are not required to be tested for safety before being allowed on the market. The Skin Deep® scoring system was designed to help the public understand whether a product is safe to use or whether it contains ingredients of concern.

Every product and ingredient in Skin Deep gets a two-part score – one for hazard and one for data availability. The safest products score well by both measures, with a low hazard rating and a fair or better data availability rating.


HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES

Hazard score

The Skin Deep ingredient hazard score, from 1 to 10, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. The EWG Verified® mark means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.

Score legend
WEIGHT-OF-EVIDENCE APPROACH

A product’s hazard score is not an average of the ingredients’ hazard scores. It is calculated using a weight-of-evidence approach that factors in all of the hazards or health impacts associated with the ingredients.

Data availability

The Skin Deep data availability rating reflects the number of scientific studies about the product or ingredient in the published scientific literature.

NONE LIMITED FAIR GOOD ROBUST
Low Availability
Moderate Availability
High Availability
NONE

Ingredients have not been assessed.

LIMITED-FAIR

There is only a modest volume of research.

GOOD-ROBUST

Ingredients have been studied extensively.

Can’t find your product?

Enter the ingredients in EWG’s Build Your Own Report tool to get an approximate score for that product.

BUILD YOUR OWN REPORT

News & updates

Big Market for Black Cosmetics, but Less-Hazardous Choices Limited
RESEARCH
Big Market for Black Cosmetics, but Less-Hazardous Choices Limited
K-Beauty Trends: Serums, Essences and EWG’s Best Bets
RESEARCH
K-Beauty Trends: Serums, Essences and EWG’s Best Bets
FDA Asks Women To Protect Themselves From Products The Agency Refused To Ban
NEWS RELEASE
FDA Asks Women To Protect Themselves From Products The Agency Refused To Ban
Study Highlights Importance of Cosmetics Ingredient Safety Tests
NEWS RELEASE
Study Highlights Importance of Cosmetics Ingredient Safety Tests
READ ALL ARTICLES
Skindeep Healthy Living App

EWG research
on the go

Find personal care, cleaning, and food products on the EWG Healthy Living app.

DOWNLOAD THE APP