Calcium thioglycolate

Calcium thioglycolate (CAS 814-71-1) is an inorganic calcium salt of thioglycolic acid, commercially known under trade names including Depil, Vikor, Jully, and Surgex. It carries no assigned E-code and is classified within the salts and minerals category. It is not assigned an HS code in standard trade classifications.

In personal care formulations, calcium thioglycolate functions as a depilatory agent by cleaving the disulfide bonds in keratin, the structural protein in hair, causing the hair shaft to break down and detach at skin level. It is also used in surface modification applications where controlled reduction of keratin-containing substrates is required, such as in wool treatment processes.

Calcium thioglycolate is supplied as a white to off-white solid and must comply with REACH registration requirements for supply within the European Economic Area. Procurement professionals should confirm grade specifications and purity certificates with the supplier, as cosmetic-grade material requires documentation aligned with EU Cosmetics Regulation 1223/2009.