Database/Hair Conditioning/Polyquaternium-64
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Polyquaternium-64 natural?

Mostly not. Only the phosphate group is mineral-derived; the methacrylate, hydroxypropyl and quaternary-ammonium groups are all petrochemical.

INCI namePolyquaternium-64
FunctionHair Conditioning
FeedstockA synthetic copolymer built from petrochemical methacrylic acid…

How we scored it

Copolymer of phosphobetaine methacrylate (~295 Da, ~95 Da phosphate natural) and hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride methacrylate (~238 Da, petrochemical); est. 1:1 ratio → ~95/533 → 0.18 (estimated, no formula/ratio given)
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

A synthetic copolymer built from petrochemical methacrylic acid and propylene-oxide-derived quaternary ammonium chloride, with a phosphate group as the only natural-origin fragment. Comonomer ratio was not supplied, so the value is estimated.

In plain English

A hair-conditioning polymer made by joining two lab-made building blocks, one of which carries a mineral phosphate group. Used to reduce static and improve combability in hair products.

CosIng definition: 2-Methyl-2-propenoyloxyethyl N,N,N-trimethylammonioethyl phosphate inner salt, polymer with 2-hydroxy-3-(2-methyl-2-propenoyl)oxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride

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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. 2POLYQUATERNIUM-64. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3POLYQUATERNIUM-64. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=POLYQUATERNIUM-64