Behentrimonium Chloride ND ●
TL;DR. It is a cationic conditioning agent and antistatic surfactant, used mainly in hair conditioners, masks, and leave-in products to improve wet combing, slip, and frizz control.
What does Behentrimonium Chloride ND do in a cosmetic formula?
It is a cationic conditioning agent and antistatic surfactant, used mainly in hair conditioners, masks, and leave-in products to improve wet combing, slip, and frizz control.
Is Behentrimonium Chloride ND clean?
Clean frameworks often scrutinize it because it is a synthetic cationic conditioning agent with eye-irritation potential at higher concentrations and aquatic-toxicity labeling in raw-material form. In finished rinse-off hair products it is widely used at controlled levels, but it has more restricted-list friction than simpler fatty alcohols or plant oils.
Is Behentrimonium Chloride ND sustainable?
This material is commonly made from a long-chain fatty feedstock, often vegetable-derived, combined with industrial amine chemistry. It can adsorb strongly to sludge and sediment, so its aquatic release profile is the main environmental concern.
Is Behentrimonium Chloride ND COSMOS-approved?
It is not generally permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic as a conventional cationic surfactant. Its Green Chemistry profile is mixed: partly vegetable-derived long-chain content, but quaternization chemistry, aquatic-toxicity classification, and biodegradation caveats keep it from strong alignment.
How does Behentrimonium Chloride ND work chemically?
The molecule is a permanently charged cationic surfactant with a C22 hydrophobic tail, which binds strongly to the negatively charged surface of hair to improve combing and reduce static. It is typically used around 0.5; 3% active in conditioners and masks, works across the mildly acidic pH range common in hair care, and is commonly paired with fatty alcohols to build lamellar gel networks.
Last updated 2026-08-16