Database/Antistatic/Dihydrogenated Tallow Benzylmonium Hectorite
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Dihydrogenated Tallow Benzylmonium Hectorite natural?

Mostly. Hectorite clay is mineral and the hydrogenated tallow chains are animal fat; the quaternary nitrogen (ammonia), methyl and benzyl groups come from petrochemicals.

INCI nameDihydrogenated Tallow Benzylmonium Hectorite
CAS97952-68-6
FunctionAntistatic · Gel Forming
FeedstockPurified hectorite clay is cation-exchanged with benzylmethyl-di(hydrogenated tallow)ammonium…

How we scored it

Cation 608 Da (tallow chains 488 natural; N, CH3, benzyl 120 petrochemical) at 95 meq/100 g clay: natural 97.8 g clay + 46.4 g chains of 155.6 g total = 0.93.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Purified hectorite clay is cation-exchanged with benzylmethyl-di(hydrogenated tallow)ammonium chloride made from tallow fatty amines, methyl chloride and benzyl chloride. Quat loading is assumed from typical organoclay exchange levels.

In plain English

A modified clay used to thicken and gel oils in products such as makeup and nail polish. Hectorite clay is mined, then treated with a quaternary ammonium compound carrying two hydrogenated tallow (animal fat) chains, which lets the clay disperse in oils.

CosIng definition: Quaternary ammonium compounds, benzylbis(hydrogenated tallow alkyl)methyl, salts with montmorillonite

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References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 2DIHYDROGENATED TALLOW BENZYLMONIUM HECTORITE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3DIHYDROGENATED TALLOW BENZYLMONIUM HECTORITE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=DIHYDROGENATED%20TALLOW%20BENZYLMONIUM%20HECTORITE