Behentrimonium Methosulphate

TL;DR. This ingredient is a cationic conditioning agent and emulsifying aid used mainly in conditioners, masks, and leave-in creams. It helps reduce static, improve comb-through, and give slip to hair.

What does Behentrimonium Methosulphate do in a cosmetic formula?

This ingredient is a cationic conditioning agent and emulsifying aid used mainly in conditioners, masks, and leave-in creams. It helps reduce static, improve comb-through, and give slip to hair.

Is Behentrimonium Methosulphate clean?

From a clean-beauty perspective, it is well known for low scalp irritation in use, but it has friction because it belongs to the quaternary ammonium family. Some clean standards limit or exclude this class because of aquatic profile and synthetic processing.

Is Behentrimonium Methosulphate sustainable?

This material is commonly made with a long-chain C22 fatty feedstock that may come from rapeseed or other vegetable oils. Its sustainability profile is weakened by limited biodegradability data for the final cationic material and concern for aquatic organisms at higher environmental concentrations.

Is Behentrimonium Methosulphate COSMOS-approved?

It is generally not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards because conventional quaternary ammonium conditioning agents fall outside the allowed chemistry. Green Chemistry alignment is mixed, since part of the molecule can be renewable, but the synthesis route, permanent charge, and aquatic profile are drawbacks.

How does Behentrimonium Methosulphate work chemically?

The molecule is a permanently charged cationic surfactant with a long C22 fatty chain, which adsorbs strongly to the negatively charged surface of hair fibers. It is typically used in rinse-off conditioners at about 1 to 5 percent active material, usually with fatty alcohols, and performs best in mildly acidic formulas around pH 4 to 6.

Last updated 2026-08-15