Database/Antistatic/Polyquaternium-44
100% petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Polyquaternium-44 natural?

No. Both vinyl monomers and the methosulfate counter-ion are synthesised entirely from petrochemical feedstocks.

INCI namePolyquaternium-44
FunctionAntistatic · Film Forming
FeedstockMade by free-radical copolymerisation of petrochemical N-vinylpyrrolidone with…

How we scored it

Copolymer of petrochemical N-vinylpyrrolidone and vinylmethylimidazolium methosulfate; methosulfate is an organic sulfate ester, not mineral sulfate = 0.00
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

Made by free-radical copolymerisation of petrochemical N-vinylpyrrolidone with 1-vinyl-3-methylimidazolium methosulfate, itself formed by quaternising vinylimidazole with dimethyl sulfate. No natural route exists.

In plain English

A synthetic, film-forming conditioning polymer used in shampoos and styling products to reduce static and help hair hold its shape. It is built entirely from lab-made petrochemical building blocks.

CosIng definition: Poly(2-oxopyrrolidin-1-ylethylene, 3-methylimidazolium-1-ylethylene methyl sulfate)

Natural alternatives with the same function

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. 2POLYQUATERNIUM-44. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3POLYQUATERNIUM-44. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=POLYQUATERNIUM-44