Database/Antistatic/Stearalkonium Chloride
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Stearalkonium Chloride natural?

Mostly. The stearyl chain and chloride ion are natural-origin, but the benzyl group and methyl groups on the quaternary nitrogen are petrochemical.

INCI nameStearalkonium Chloride
CAS122-19-0
FormulaC27H50ClN · 424.1 Da
FunctionAntistatic · Preservative
FeedstockStearyl alcohol, usually from vegetable oil, is quaternised…

How we scored it

Stearyl (254, natural) + Cl (35, mineral) = 289 natural; N(CH3)2 (44) + benzyl (91) = 135 petrochemical; 289/424 = 0.68.
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.

How it’s made

Menshutkin quaternisation: stearyl dimethylamine + benzyl chloride (SN2). Each curved arrow moves one electron pair, and the film ends on the score above.

Where it comes from

Stearyl alcohol, usually from vegetable oil, is quaternised with a petrochemical benzyl chloride and methylating agent to form the ammonium salt. The stearyl chain supplies most, but not all, of the molecule's mass.

In plain English

A conditioning and anti-static ingredient used in hair conditioners and some antistatic sprays. Made from stearyl alcohol (usually from vegetable oil) combined with a petrochemical benzyl group and methyl groups, as a chloride salt. Partly plant-derived, partly petrochemical.

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…

Structure

2D structure of Stearalkonium Chloride

benzyl-dimethyl-octadecylazanium chloride

PubChem CID 31204 ↗

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. 2Stearalkonium Chloride. PubChem CID 31204. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3STEARALKONIUM CHLORIDE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4STEARALKONIUM CHLORIDE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=STEARALKONIUM%20CHLORIDE