Good Surfactant

Polyquaternium-10

INCI: POLYQUATERNIUM-10

CAS Number
68610-92-4
Function
Conditioning agent; film former; antistatic; thickener
Safety Rating
GOOD

Regulatory Status

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ EU Status permitted
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ US Status permitted
US Notes Cellulose-derived cationic conditioning polymer. Film-forming and antistatic at very low use levels (0.1โ€“0.5%). Electrostatically interacts with anionic surfactants to build integrated gel-like rheology network โ€” improves both viscosity and viscoelastic properties in SLES/CAPB systems.

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Safety Data

Margin of Safety (MoS)
adequate
Dermal Absorption
low
Sensitization
low

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Expert Verdict

Cellulose-derived cationic conditioning polymer used at 0.1โ€“0.5% for film-forming, antistatic, and conditioning effects. Interacts electrostatically with anionic surfactants to build an integrated gel-like network โ€” a useful co-thickener in SLES/CAPB shampoo systems without requiring additional rheology modifiers. Low irritation compared to small-molecule cationic surfactants due to polymer size. Naturally sourced cellulose backbone. Widely used in shampoos, conditioners, and leave-in treatments.

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Concern Level: Low

Regulatory Flags

cationic-polymer conditioning film-former antistatic natural-derived rheology-builder eu_children_restricted

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Polyquaternium-10 safe in cosmetics?

Cellulose-derived cationic conditioning polymer used at 0.1โ€“0.5% for film-forming, antistatic, and conditioning effects. Interacts electrostatically with anionic surfactants to build an integrated gel-like network โ€” a useful co-thickener in SLES/CAPB shampoo systems without requiring additional rheology modifiers. Low irritation compared to small-molecule cationic surfactants due to polymer size. Naturally sourced cellulose backbone. Widely used in shampoos, conditioners, and leave-in treatments. The EU classifies Polyquaternium-10 as "permitted". Safety rating: GOOD.

Is Polyquaternium-10 allowed in the EU?

Polyquaternium-10 EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Polyquaternium-10 do in cosmetics?

Polyquaternium-10 functions as: Conditioning agent; film former; antistatic; thickener. It is classified as a Surfactant in our database. CAS number: 68610-92-4.

What is the Margin of Safety for Polyquaternium-10?

adequate The Margin of Safety (MoS) is calculated using SCCS methodology. A MoS above 100 is generally considered safe. Use the MoS Calculator tool to calculate MoS for your specific formulation and product category.

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