Steartrimonium Chloride

What is Steartrimonium Chloride used for?

Steartrimonium Chloride is primarily used in cosmetics and personal care products as a preservative, surfactant, antistatic, and hair-conditioning agent. It helps in forming emulsions by lowering the surface tension of ingredients, aiding in the distribution or suspension of insoluble solids in liquids. Commonly found in hair conditioners, dyes, colors, and some skincare products, Steartrimonium Chloride prevents static electricity build-up in hair due to its positive charge which attracts it to the slightly negatively charged proteins in skin and hair.

What role does Steartrimonium Chloride play in formulations?

In formulations, Steartrimonium Chloride serves multiple roles, including acting as an antistatic and hair-conditioning agent, a preservative, and a surfactant. It enhances the texture and performance of products by helping to emulsify and stabilize formulas, while also conditioning and detangling hair, making it a versatile ingredient in personal care products.

How is Steartrimonium Chloride produced?

Steartrimonium Chloride belongs to the Alkyl Trimonium Compounds class. It is produced by reacting a tertiary amine, which consists of a nitrogen atom with two methyl groups and one alkyl group, with an alkylating agent, such as methyl halide or dimethyl sulfate.

Is Steartrimonium Chloride safe for use in personal care products?

Yes, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel has evaluated the safety of Steartrimonium Chloride and determined that it is safe for use in rinse-off products and in leave-on products at concentrations up to 0.25%. Dermal exposure to 2.5% Steartrimonium Chloride showed no evidence of developmental effects, and all mutagenesis assays returned negative results. When used as a preservative, the maximum safe concentration is 0.1%.