Imidazolidinyl Urea is a specialty cosmetic ingredient widely used as a preservative in personal-care and cosmetic formulations. It is identified by the INCI name IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA, CAS Number 39236-46-9, and EC Number 254-372-6. It is also known as Imidurea and is a formaldehyde-releasing preservative used to help control microbial growth in suitable cosmetic formulations. The European Union lists Imidazolidinyl Urea in Annex V as a permitted preservative with a maximum concentration of 0.6% in the finished cosmetic product.
As a cosmetic raw material, Imidazolidinyl Urea is relevant to manufacturers developing water-based skin-care, hair-care and personal-care products. Its preservative function, water solubility and compatibility with different formulation systems make it useful in a variety of cosmetic applications.
Imidazolidinyl Urea is chemically described as N,N''-Methylenebis[N'-[3-(hydroxymethyl)-2,5-dioxoimidazolidin-4-yl]urea]. It has the molecular formula C11H16N8O8 and molecular weight 388.29 g/mol. USP-NF identifies Imidurea under CAS 39236-46-9 and specifies 26.0–28.0% nitrogen on the dried basis as its principal monograph requirement.
Commercial technical information describes Imidazolidinyl Urea as a white or almost-white powder/crystalline solid that is soluble in water. Current supplier specifications vary by grade; for example, one cosmetic-grade specification reports nitrogen content of 26.0–28.0%, pH 6.0–7.5 in a 1% aqueous solution, loss on drying up to 3.0%, and residue on ignition up to 3.0%.
The main function of Imidazolidinyl Urea is preservation. It belongs to the group of formaldehyde-releasing preservatives and can provide antimicrobial protection in suitable cosmetic formulations. In aqueous systems, Imidazolidinyl Urea can decompose and release formaldehyde; the rate of release can be influenced by factors such as pH, temperature and storage time.
This functionality makes Imidazolidinyl Urea useful where a formulation requires protection against microbial contamination during storage and normal consumer use. The preservative should, however, be evaluated as part of the complete formulation because preservation performance depends on the formulation matrix, water phase, pH, packaging and other ingredients.
In the EU, Imidazolidinyl Urea is permitted as a cosmetic preservative up to 0.6% in the finished product. This is a finished-cosmetic concentration limit, not a raw-material assay specification.
Imidazolidinyl Urea can be considered for a range of cosmetic and personal-care formulations, including creams, lotions, shampoos, conditioners, cleansing products, deodorants, wet wipes and other water-containing formulations where its preservative function is appropriate. Commercial cosmetic ingredient suppliers also describe its use across both rinse-off and leave-on product categories.
For cosmetic manufacturers, the actual use level should be determined according to the formulation, microbiological requirements and regulations of the target market. The EU maximum concentration of 0.6% should not be treated as a universal global limit.
Imidazolidinyl Urea is water-soluble, making incorporation into aqueous cosmetic systems relatively straightforward. Formulators should nevertheless evaluate the ingredient in the complete formulation, considering pH, temperature, processing conditions, packaging and compatibility with other preservative components.
Because Imidazolidinyl Urea is a formaldehyde releaser, free-formaldehyde management is an important formulation and regulatory consideration. Scientific literature confirms that Imidazolidinyl Urea can contribute to measurable formaldehyde in cosmetic formulations, and analytical methods are used to assess formaldehyde in products containing formaldehyde-releasing preservatives.
Quality control should be based on the actual commercial specification and validated analytical method. Importantly, the USP monograph specifies nitrogen content rather than an HPLC assay percentage, so 26.0–28.0% nitrogen should not be incorrectly entered into the CMS field “Assay (HPLC).”
For companies looking for an Imidazolidinyl Urea cosmetic ingredient manufacturer in India, important purchasing considerations include chemical identity, nitrogen content, appearance, pH, loss on drying, residue on ignition, heavy-metal control, packaging and batch-specific Certificate of Analysis documentation.
A professional Imidazolidinyl Urea cosmetic ingredient supplier in India should provide technical information suitable for cosmetic and personal-care manufacturing. For Imidazolidinyl Urea manufacturing in India and bulk ingredient supply, buyers can evaluate the material according to their required quality specification, application, packaging and regulatory destination.
Businesses sourcing Imidazolidinyl Urea bulk cosmetic ingredient in India can use product-specific technical documentation to assess suitability for creams, lotions, shampoos, conditioners and other cosmetic formulations. The final commercial specification should always be confirmed against the actual supplied batch and COA.
Swapnroop provides B2B-focused Imidazolidinyl Urea cosmetic ingredient supply for businesses evaluating specialty cosmetic preservatives. The ingredient can be assessed according to its chemical identity, preservation function, physical characteristics, formulation suitability and required quality documentation.
For buyers looking for an Imidazolidinyl Urea manufacturer and supplier in India, Swapnroop can support evaluation of the material for cosmetic and personal-care applications, including bulk sourcing requirements, product specifications and technical documentation.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White or colourless crystals / white powder |