Quaternium-60 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient functions mainly as a cationic conditioning and antistatic agent, depositing on hair fibers to improve combing, softness, and flyaway control.
What does Quaternium-60 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient functions mainly as a cationic conditioning and antistatic agent, depositing on hair fibers to improve combing, softness, and flyaway control.
Is Quaternium-60 clean?
From a clean beauty perspective, it has notable friction because this chemical family can be irritating at higher levels and is often scrutinized for its aquatic profile. It is not a simple, low-concern conditioning material like fatty alcohols, plant oils, or simple humectants.
Is Quaternium-60 sustainable?
This material is typically synthetic, with petrochemical inputs and sometimes fatty-chain feedstocks depending on the supplier. Its sustainability profile is limited by biodegradability and wastewater-fate questions, since cationic surfactants can bind to sludge and affect aquatic organisms at low levels.
Is Quaternium-60 COSMOS-approved?
It is not typically permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards as a standard synthetic cationic conditioner. Its Green Chemistry fit is weak because of limited renewable sourcing, imperfect biodegradability, and a less favorable aquatic profile.
How does Quaternium-60 work chemically?
The molecule is a permanently charged nitrogen-centered salt with hydrophobic segments, which gives strong adsorption to negatively charged keratin. It is generally used at low conditioning levels, remains charged across normal cosmetic pH ranges, and can be incompatible with anionic surfactants or anionic polymers.
Last updated 2026-08-17