Database/Emulsion Stabilising/Polyquaternium-65
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Polyquaternium-65 natural?

Mostly not. Only the phosphate group and sodium counter-ion are natural; the methacrylate backbone, butyl group and ammonium groups are petrochemical.

INCI namePolyquaternium-65
FunctionEmulsion Stabilising · Hair Conditioning
FeedstockCopolymerized from a synthetic phosphorylcholine methacrylate, butyl methacrylate…

How we scored it

Phosphobetaine methacrylate (~0.32 natural) + butyl methacrylate (0.0, both fragments petrochemical) + sodium methacrylate (~0.21 natural, Na only), averaged equally (ratio undisclosed) ≈0.18.
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

Copolymerized from a synthetic phosphorylcholine methacrylate, butyl methacrylate and sodium methacrylate, all built on a petrochemical methacrylate backbone. Monomer ratio is not disclosed, so this is an estimate.

In plain English

An emulsion-stabilising, conditioning polymer used in hair products, built from a phosphate-containing synthetic monomer combined with synthetic butyl and sodium acrylate building blocks.

CosIng definition: 2-Methyl-2-propenoyloxyethyl N,N,N-trimethylammonioethyl phosphate inner salt, polymer with butyl 2-methyl-2-propenoate and sodium 2-methyl-2-propenoate

Natural alternatives with the same function

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 Aluminum Isostearates/Laurates/Stearates 100% natural origin

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 Aluminum Stearate 100% natural origin

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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-65. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3POLYQUATERNIUM-65. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=POLYQUATERNIUM-65