Database/Antistatic/Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Casein
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Casein natural?

Mostly. The hydrolysed milk casein backbone is natural and the chloride is a mineral counter-ion. Only the hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium cap, built from epichlorohydrin and trimethylamine, is petrochemical.

INCI nameHydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Casein
FunctionAntistatic · Hair Conditioning
FeedstockMilk casein is hydrolysed into peptides, then reacted…

How we scored it

Assuming an 1100 Da casein peptide with one quaternary site: natural origin is the peptide (1100 Da) plus the chloride counter-ion (35.45 Da) = 1135.45 Da, against a petrochemical hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium cap (130 Da). Total 1265.45 Da, so 1135.45/1265.45 = 0.90.
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

Milk casein is hydrolysed into peptides, then reacted with glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride to add a permanent positive charge. The degree of substitution is not published, so one cap per 1100 Da of peptide was assumed.

In plain English

A hair- and skin-conditioning ingredient made from milk protein broken into smaller pieces and given a mild positive charge with a lab-made chemical group, helping it bind to hair.

CosIng definition: Caseins, hydrolyzed, N-(3-trimethylammonio-2-hydroxypropyl)-, chlorides

Natural alternatives with the same function

Acronychia Acidula Fruit Extract 100% natural origin

An extract of lemon aspen, an Australian native fruit, used to condition skin and hair and help hold…

 Alanine 100% natural origin

An amino acid used for skin and hair conditioning, part of skin's natural moisturising factor. Made by fermenting…

 Arginine 100% natural origin

An amino acid found in skin and hair proteins, used for conditioning and moisture-binding. Made by fermenting plant…

 Asparagine 100% natural origin

An amino acid made by fermenting plant sugars, similar to other food-fermentation processes. Helps condition hair and skin…

 Aspartic Acid 100% natural origin

An amino acid used for skin conditioning and moisture retention. Usually produced by fermentation or by an enzyme…

 Capryloyl Hydrolyzed Collagen 100% natural origin

Collagen broken into small protein fragments and attached to caprylic acid, an eight-carbon fatty acid from coconut or…

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. 2HYDROXYPROPYLTRIMONIUM HYDROLYZED CASEIN. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3HYDROXYPROPYLTRIMONIUM HYDROLYZED CASEIN. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=HYDROXYPROPYLTRIMONIUM%20HYDROLYZED%20CASEIN