Polyquatenium-10 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a cationic conditioning polymer used mainly to improve wet combing, reduce static, add slip, and leave a light film on hair. It can also support viscosity and foam feel in shampoos and body washes.
What does Polyquatenium-10 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a cationic conditioning polymer used mainly to improve wet combing, reduce static, add slip, and leave a light film on hair. It can also support viscosity and foam feel in shampoos and body washes.
Is Polyquatenium-10 clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is generally well tolerated at typical cosmetic use levels and is not a common allergen. The main friction points are its synthetic cationic modification and the need for good supplier controls on trace manufacturing residues.
Is Polyquatenium-10 sustainable?
This material usually starts with plant-derived cellulose, then is chemically modified using synthetic reagents. It is water soluble and not expected to bioaccumulate, but its biodegradation profile is less straightforward than unmodified plant polysaccharides.
Is Polyquatenium-10 COSMOS-approved?
It can be permitted in COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic products when the specific commercial grade meets chemically processed agro-ingredient rules and impurity limits. Its Green Chemistry profile is mixed, with a renewable backbone and low-dose performance balanced by synthetic modification and moderate biodegradability questions.
How does Polyquatenium-10 work chemically?
The molecule is a high-molecular-weight, water-soluble, positively charged cellulose ether that adsorbs onto negatively charged hair and skin surfaces. Typical use is about 0.1% to 0.5% in rinse-off hair care and cleansing products, and it is generally stable across mildly acidic to neutral cosmetic pH ranges.
Last updated 2026-05-16