Polyquaternium-11 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a synthetic cationic film-former and conditioning polymer used mainly in hair care and styling products. It improves combability, reduces static, adds light hold, and can leave a smoother feel on hair.
What does Polyquaternium-11 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a synthetic cationic film-former and conditioning polymer used mainly in hair care and styling products. It improves combability, reduces static, adds light hold, and can leave a smoother feel on hair.
Is Polyquaternium-11 clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it has friction because it is a synthetic quaternary polymer rather than a readily biodegradable simple conditioning agent. It is generally well tolerated at typical use levels, but brands may scrutinize residual monomers, buildup, and restricted-standard alignment.
Is Polyquaternium-11 sustainable?
This material is petrochemical-derived and is not readily biodegradable, so its environmental profile is weaker than that of plant-derived or easily degradable conditioners. Its cationic polymer structure can bind to surfaces and wastewater solids, which raises persistence concerns.
Is Polyquaternium-11 COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS-organic or COSMOS-natural standards because it is a synthetic quaternary polymer outside the standard’s allowed material categories. Its fit with Green Chemistry is limited by fossil feedstocks, polymer persistence, and end-of-life biodegradability concerns.
How does Polyquaternium-11 work chemically?
The molecule is a water-soluble cationic copolymer with quaternary ammonium groups that adsorb strongly to negatively charged hair and skin surfaces. Typical use is often around 0.1 to 2% active polymer for conditioning and higher in styling systems, with compatibility checks needed in anionic formulas because electrostatic complexes can affect clarity, viscosity, and deposition.
Last updated 2026-05-13