Good Surfactant Sensitization Data

Polyquaternium-7

INCI: POLYQUATERNIUM-7

CAS Number
26590-05-6
Function
Conditioning agent; antistatic; rheology modifier
Safety Rating
GOOD

Regulatory Status

🇪🇺 EU Status permitted
🇺🇸 US Status permitted
US Notes Cationic conditioning polymer for wet combing improvement and antistatic effects in hair care. Used at 0.1–1%. Electrostatically interacts with anionic surfactants to build viscosity in shampoo systems. Well-established in commercial shampoo and conditioner formulations.

For full compliance data across 55 jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.

Safety Data

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

Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.

Sensitization Profile

Contact sensitization data for Polyquaternium-7 based on clinical patch test studies and IFRA standards.

Sensitization Rate
low
Allergen Class
surfactant
EU Allergen Listed
no
Patch Test Positive Rate
0.2%
Cross-reactivity Group
quaternary-ammonium-group
Reaction Type
contact-dermatitis

Source: IVDK

Expert Verdict

Cationic conditioning polymer providing wet combing improvement, antistatic effects, and rheology contribution in anionic surfactant systems. Used at 0.1–1% in shampoos and conditioners with lower irritation profile than small-molecule cationic surfactants due to polymer molecular weight.

⚠️
Concern Level: Low

Regulatory Flags

cationic-polymer conditioning antistatic rheology-builder wet-combing eu_children_restricted ifra_fragrance

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Polyquaternium-7 safe in cosmetics?

Cationic conditioning polymer providing wet combing improvement, antistatic effects, and rheology contribution in anionic surfactant systems. Used at 0.1–1% in shampoos and conditioners with lower irritation profile than small-molecule cationic surfactants due to polymer molecular weight. The EU classifies Polyquaternium-7 as "permitted". Safety rating: GOOD.

Is Polyquaternium-7 allowed in the EU?

Polyquaternium-7 EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.

What does Polyquaternium-7 do in cosmetics?

Polyquaternium-7 functions as: Conditioning agent; antistatic; rheology modifier. It is classified as a Surfactant in our database. CAS number: 26590-05-6.

What is the Margin of Safety for Polyquaternium-7?

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.

Compliance Tools

Check Polyquaternium-7 compliance across multiple jurisdictions:

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Ingredient Decoder
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82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
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Substance Compliance
Check compliance across 55 jurisdictions
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MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
 ⚗️
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions

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