Database/Antistatic/Steardimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Steardimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein natural?

Mostly. The wheat protein hydrolysate backbone and the stearyl chain are both natural, and the chloride is a mineral counter-ion. Only the small dimethylamino and hydroxypropyl linker atoms, which come from methylation and epichlorohydrin, are petrochemical.

INCI nameSteardimonium Hydroxypropyl Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein
CAS130381-05-4
FunctionAntistatic · Hair Conditioning
FeedstockWheat gluten is enzymatically hydrolysed into peptides, then…

How we scored it

Assuming a 1000 Da wheat peptide carrying one stearyl-dimethyl-hydroxypropylammonium chloride group: natural origin is the peptide (1000 Da) plus the stearyl chain C18H37 (253.49 Da) plus the chloride counter-ion (35.45 Da) = 1288.94 Da. Petrochemical is the dimethylamino nitrogen (44.08 Da) plus the hydroxypropyl linker C3H6O (58.08 Da) = 102.16 Da. Total 1391.10 Da, so 1288.94/1391.10 = 0.93.
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

Wheat gluten is enzymatically hydrolysed into peptides, then reacted with a stearyl quaternary ammonium epoxide to add conditioning and antistatic character. The stearyl chain is oleochemical. The degree of substitution is not disclosed, so one quaternary group per 1000 Da of peptide was assumed.

In plain English

A conditioning ingredient made from wheat protein broken into smaller fragments, then modified with a positively-charged stearyl group. Used in hair and skin products to improve softness, smoothness, and reduce static.

CosIng definition: Protein hydrolysates, Wheat germ, [3-(Dimethyloctadecylammonio)-2-Hydroxypropyl], Chloride

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