Database/Antistatic/Steartrimonium Methosulfate
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Steartrimonium Methosulfate natural?

Mostly. Stearyl chain comes from palm or tallow stearic acid and sulfate is mineral; the trimethylammonium nitrogen (ammonia) and the methyl groups (methanol, dimethyl sulfate) are petrochemical.

INCI nameSteartrimonium Methosulfate
CAS18684-11-2
FormulaC22H49NO4S · 423.7 Da
FunctionAntistatic · Hair Conditioning
FeedstockStearic acid from palm or tallow is converted…

How we scored it

Stearyl C18H37 253.5 + sulfate OSO3 96.1 = 349.55 natural; N(CH3)3 59.1 + methyl 15.0 = 74.1 petrochemical (ammonia N, methanol). 349.55 / 423.7 = 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

Stearic acid from palm or tallow is converted to stearyl amine via the nitrile, then quaternised with dimethyl sulfate to give the methosulfate salt. Petrochemical (Ziegler) stearyl chains exist but are uncommon in cosmetic grades.

In plain English

A positively charged conditioning agent for hair conditioners and creams. It clings to hair, reduces static and eases combing. The stearyl fatty chain comes from palm or tallow, joined to a small synthetic ammonium head group.

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Structure

2D structure of Steartrimonium Methosulfate

methyl sulfate;trimethyl(octadecyl)azanium

PubChem CID 87750 ↗

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. 2Steartrimonium Methosulfate. PubChem CID 87750. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3STEARTRIMONIUM METHOSULFATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4STEARTRIMONIUM METHOSULFATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=STEARTRIMONIUM%20METHOSULFATE