Database/Antistatic/Quaternium-79 Hydrolyzed Silk
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Quaternium-79 Hydrolyzed Silk natural?

Mostly. The silk peptide backbone and the palmitic, palmitoleic and oleic acyl groups are natural. Only the quaternary linker, built from epichlorohydrin and dimethylaminopropylamine, is petrochemical.

INCI nameQuaternium-79 Hydrolyzed Silk
FunctionAntistatic · Hair Conditioning
FeedstockSilk fibroin is hydrolysed, acylated with natural C16-C18…

How we scored it

Assuming an 800 Da silk peptide carrying one modified site: natural origin is the peptide (800 Da) plus the C16-C18 fatty acyl group (253 Da) = 1053 Da, against a petrochemical hydroxypropyl and dimethylaminopropyl linker (159 Da). Total 1212 Da, so 1053/1212 = 0.87.
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

Silk fibroin is hydrolysed, acylated with natural C16-C18 fatty acids that usually come from palm or similar oils, then quaternised through a linker made from epichlorohydrin and DMAPA. The degree of substitution is not published and was assumed low.

In plain English

A hair-conditioning ingredient combining hydrolysed silk protein with natural fatty acids from palm or similar oils and a lab-made positively charged linker, helping it bind to hair and add softness.

CosIng definition: Protein hydrolyzates, silk, 2-hydroxy-3-((3-aminopropyl)dimethylammonio)propyl derivatives, N-(1-oxohexadecyl, 1-oxo-9-(Z)-hexadecenyl and 1-oxo-9-(Z)-octadecenyl) derivatives, chlorides

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. 2QUATERNIUM-79 HYDROLYZED SILK. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3QUATERNIUM-79 HYDROLYZED SILK. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=QUATERNIUM-79%20HYDROLYZED%20SILK