Polyquarternium 10 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a cationic conditioning polymer used mainly in shampoos, conditioners, and washes. It improves wet combing, reduces static, adds slip, and can help thicken water-based formulas.
What does Polyquarternium 10 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a cationic conditioning polymer used mainly in shampoos, conditioners, and washes. It improves wet combing, reduces static, adds slip, and can help thicken water-based formulas.
Is Polyquarternium 10 clean?
It is generally well tolerated on skin and scalp at cosmetic use levels, with low sensitization concern. Clean-beauty friction comes from its synthetic cationic polymer chemistry and the need to control residual quaternizing reagents from processing.
Is Polyquarternium 10 sustainable?
This material starts from cellulose but is chemically modified with petrochemical-derived reagents. It is water-soluble, but cationic polymers can have limited ready biodegradability and aquatic-impact scrutiny because they bind strongly to negatively charged surfaces.
Is Polyquarternium 10 COSMOS-approved?
This ingredient is generally not aligned with COSMOS natural or organic certification because it is a synthetic cationic polymer. Its partial cellulose origin is a plus, but the quaternizing chemistry and biodegradability profile are weaker fits with Green Chemistry priorities.
How does Polyquarternium 10 work chemically?
The molecule is a high-molecular-weight, water-soluble cellulose ether carrying permanent positive charges, which makes it strongly substantive to negatively charged hair and skin. It is commonly used at low levels in rinse-off hair products, often around 0.1% to 0.5%, and it works best when dispersed carefully before hydration to prevent clumping.
Last updated 2026-08-18