Is Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin natural? NOI 0.89

Q: Is Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin natural?

Laurdimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Keratin has a Natural Origin Index (NOI) of 0.89 (scale 0–1) per ISO 16128. The keratin hydrolysate backbone from wool or feathers and the coconut-derived lauryl chain are natural, and the chloride is a mineral counter-ion. Only the epichlorohydrin-deri… An NOI of 0.89 means 89% of its molecular mass is traceable to a natural, renewable source.

How we scored it

Assuming a 770 Da keratin peptide with one quaternary site: natural origin is the peptide (770 Da) plus the dodecyl chain and chloride counter-ion (205 Da) = 975 Da, against a petrochemical hydroxypropyl and dimethylamino linker (118 Da). Total 1093 Da, so 975/1093 = 0.89.

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

Hydrolysed keratin from wool or feathers is reacted with a lauryl dimethyl quaternary ammonium epoxide. The degree of substitution is not published, so roughly one cationic group per eight residues was assumed.

In plain English

A hair-conditioning ingredient made by attaching a lab-made, positively-charged group carrying a coconut/lauric-derived chain onto natural keratin protein from wool or feathers. Used in shampoos and conditioners to reduce static and smooth hair.

CosIng definition: Keratin hydrolysates, 2-hydroxy-3-(N-dodecyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)propyl derivatives, chlorides

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References

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