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Microcrystalline Cellulose

What Microcrystalline Cellulose is & what it does

A plant fiber used to thicken, stabilize, and give a soft, smooth texture. It helps suspend particles and adds a natural body to formulas.

What is Microcrystalline Cellulose and what does it do in sunscreen?

Microcrystalline Cellulose is a purified plant fiber, refined from wood pulp or cotton, that works as a thickener and texture agent. In a sunscreen it helps give the formula body, suspends pigments and mineral filters so they do not settle, and lends a soft, smooth feel on application. It is a structural helper rather than an active, so it does not contribute to UV protection itself.

Is Microcrystalline Cellulose safe?

Yes. It is a well-established cosmetic ingredient and is also widely used as a food additive (E460), where it has a long record of safe use. On skin it is inert and non-irritating for the vast majority of people, which is why it appears across hundreds of sunscreens. It sits on the surface and gives texture rather than penetrating or reacting with the skin.

Does Microcrystalline Cellulose clog pores?

Generally no. It is a dry plant fiber rather than an oil or wax, so it is not considered a pore-clogging ingredient. If a product is breaking you out, the richer emollients or oils elsewhere in the formula are far more likely the cause than the cellulose.

Is Microcrystalline Cellulose natural or synthetic?

It is plant-derived and minimally processed. Manufacturers take cellulose from wood pulp or cotton and purify it down to fine crystalline particles, so it counts as a natural-origin ingredient rather than a lab-built synthetic. It is also vegan, since the source is plant fiber.

What is Microcrystalline Cellulose on an ingredient list (INCI)?

"Microcrystalline Cellulose" is the INCI name you will see on the label. It is sometimes abbreviated MCC in technical contexts, and on food labels it carries the code E460. It usually sits in the middle of a sunscreen ingredient list, alongside the other texture and stabilizing agents.

Sunscreens with Microcrystalline Cellulose

We rate 344 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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