Database/Antistatic/Polyquaternium-75
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Polyquaternium-75 natural?

Mostly. Starch backbone and lauryl chain are natural; the epichlorohydrin-derived quaternising linkers are petrochemical but at low substitution.

INCI namePolyquaternium-75
FunctionAntistatic · Emulsifying Surfactant
FeedstockA cationic starch made by reacting starch with…

How we scored it

Starch repeat unit 162 Da (natural) lightly substituted with trimethylammonium-propyl and lauryl-dimethylammonium-propyl groups (epichlorohydrin-derived linker petrochemical, lauryl chain natural); assumed typical DS ~0.3/0.03 gives natural ~179/221=0.80.
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 cationic starch made by reacting starch with small amounts of a petrochemical epichlorohydrin-quat and a lauryl (coconut-derived) quat reagent. The starch backbone dominates the final mass.

In plain English

A conditioning polymer made from plant starch lightly modified with two different compounds, one containing a coconut-derived fatty chain. Used in hair and skin products to reduce static and improve feel.

CosIng definition: O-(2-Hydroxy-2-trimethylammoniopropyl)starch chloride, reaction products with O-(3-dodecyldimethylammonio-2-hydroxypropyl)starch chloride

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-75. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3POLYQUATERNIUM-75. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=POLYQUATERNIUM-75