Database/Gel Forming/Stearalkonium Hectorite
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Stearalkonium Hectorite natural?

Mostly. Stearyl chain and hectorite clay are natural; the benzyl and N-methyl groups of the quaternary ammonium are petrochemical.

INCI nameStearalkonium Hectorite
CAS71011-26-2
FormulaC27H52LiMgNNaO12Si4- · 749.3 Da
FunctionGel Forming · Viscosity Controlling
FeedstockHectorite clay, a natural smectite mineral, is rendered…

How we scored it

Natural: octadecyl 253.5 + hectorite lattice 360.6 = 614.1 Da. Petrochemical: benzyl-dimethyl-N 135.2 Da. 614.1/749.3 = 0.82.
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

Hectorite clay, a natural smectite mineral, is rendered organophilic by treatment with stearalkonium chloride (benzyl dimethyl stearyl ammonium chloride). The stearyl chain and clay lattice are natural; the benzyl/methyl quaternary-ammonium portion is synthetic.

In plain English

A thickening and gelling agent made from natural clay treated with a stearyl-based conditioning compound. Used to control texture and viscosity in creams and gels.

CosIng definition: Benzenemethanaminium, N,N-dimethyl-N-octadecyl-, chloride, reaction products with hectorite / Quaternary ammonium compounds, benzyl(hydrogenated tallow alkyl)dimethyl, chlorides, compds. with hectorite

Structure

2D structure of Stearalkonium Hectorite

lithium;magnesium;sodium;benzyl-dimethyl-octadecylazanium;1,3,5,7-tetraoxido-2,4,6,8,9,10-hexaoxa-1,3,5,7-tetrasilatricyclo[5.1.1.13,5]decane;dihydroxide

PubChem CID 86278144 ↗

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 Hectorite. PubChem CID 86278144. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3STEARALKONIUM HECTORITE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4STEARALKONIUM HECTORITE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=STEARALKONIUM%20HECTORITE