Database/Antistatic/Polyquaternium-54
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Polyquaternium-54 natural?

Mostly not. Amino-acid backbone and fatty alkylamine pendant are natural; DMAPA and chloroacetate quaternising groups are petrochemical; exact ratios are not given in the CosIng name.

INCI namePolyquaternium-54
FunctionAntistatic · Hair Conditioning
FeedstockBuilt from aspartic acid (a fermentation-derived amino acid)…

How we scored it

Backbone polyaspartic acid (natural, amino-acid derived) grafted with C6-18 alkylamine (natural) and DMAPA + sodium chloroacetate (petrochemical); grafting ratio unspecified, estimated ~0.40 natural mass
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

Built from aspartic acid (a fermentation-derived amino acid) reacted with a fatty C6-18 alkylamine, then further modified with petrochemical dimethylaminopropylamine and sodium chloroacetate. The natural/synthetic split depends on unspecified grafting ratios.

In plain English

A conditioning polymer built mainly from aspartic acid, an amino acid, combined with a fatty amine and lab-made building blocks including dimethylaminopropylamine and sodium chloroacetate, then given a permanent positive charge. Used in hair care to reduce static and improve conditioning.

CosIng definition: Aspartic acid, polymer with C6-18 alkylamine, 3-dimethylaminopropylamine and sodium chloroacetate

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. 2POLYQUATERNIUM-54. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3POLYQUATERNIUM-54. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=POLYQUATERNIUM-54