Polyquaternium-95 is a synthetic polymeric cosmetic ingredient used primarily as a surfactant for cleansing. It belongs to the polyquaternium family, a broad group of polymeric materials containing quaternary ammonium functionality.
The current COSMILE Europe record identifies Polyquaternium-95 as a synthetic ingredient with the cosmetic function SURFACTANT – CLEANSING, meaning it is used as a surface-active material that contributes to cleansing of the skin, hair and/or teeth.
The CosIng-derived chemical description identifies Polyquaternium-95 as a copolymer of Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Acrylic Acid and Acrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium Chloride.
Because Polyquaternium-95 combines a starch-derived component with acrylic and quaternary ammonium functionality, it should be treated as a distinct polymeric cosmetic ingredient rather than being grouped with conventional conditioning polyquaterniums solely because of its name.
Polyquaternium-95 is a synthetic copolymeric cosmetic ingredient composed of:
Its polymeric structure incorporates quaternary ammonium functionality while the current cosmetic ingredient record assigns its primary function as surfactant-cleansing.
Polyquaternium-95 should not be confused with Quaternium-95. These are two separate INCI ingredients with different chemical identities and documented functions.
Current COSMILE Europe identifies Quaternium-95 as a synthetic ingredient with UV absorber and hair-conditioning functions, whereas Polyquaternium-95 is identified as a cleansing surfactant.
Polyquaternium-95 is primarily relevant to cleansing formulations because its documented cosmetic function is surfactant-cleansing.
Surfactants help reduce interfacial tension and support the removal and dispersion of soils, oils and other materials from cosmetic substrates.
Polyquaternium-95 is listed as a cleansing surfactant in the current COSMILE Europe ingredient record.
This makes the ingredient relevant to formulations where cleansing performance is a primary requirement.
Potential formulation considerations include:
The actual contribution of Polyquaternium-95 depends on the commercial grade and the complete formulation.
Polyquaternium-95 can be evaluated in cleansing products intended for hair.
Hair-cleansing formulations commonly combine several surfactant types to achieve an appropriate balance of cleansing, foam, mildness and sensory performance.
When incorporating Polyquaternium-95 into a hair-care system, formulators should evaluate its interaction with the other surfactants and polymers in the formulation.
Potential development areas may include cleansing formulations where polymeric surfactant functionality is required.
Shampoo systems contain combinations of surfactants selected to remove sebum, styling-product residues, particulate matter and other soils from the hair and scalp.
Polyquaternium-95 may be evaluated as part of a cleansing system, subject to the characteristics of the selected commercial grade.
Important evaluation parameters include:
The cleansing function of Polyquaternium-95 makes it potentially relevant to hair and scalp cleansing formulations.
However, a formulation should not assume that the ingredient provides the same conditioning or film-forming function associated with other Polyquaternium ingredients.
The documented primary function should be used when positioning the ingredient for formulation development.
Because the current cosmetic function is defined as surfactant-cleansing for skin, hair and/or teeth, Polyquaternium-95 can also be considered for cleansing-oriented personal-care development.
Potential formulation categories can include cleansing products where the commercial grade has been demonstrated to provide suitable performance.
Formulators should evaluate:
Any final product claims must be supported by appropriate finished-product testing.
Polyquaternium-95 is a polymeric copolymer and its physical behaviour depends on the commercial grade and supplied form.
The manufacturer's technical documentation should be followed for dispersion, dissolution and incorporation.
Controlled addition and adequate mixing are important for obtaining uniform distribution.
The recommended processing conditions should be established from the commercial supplier's TDS rather than assumed from the INCI name.
The final formulation pH should be selected according to the requirements of the complete cleansing system.
A universal optimum pH should not be assigned to Polyquaternium-95 without grade-specific technical evidence.
Compatibility with other surfactants is a key consideration.
The formulation should be evaluated for interactions with anionic, amphoteric, nonionic and other surfactant classes used in the finished product.
These interactions can affect:
Polyquaternium-95 may interact with other polymers and functional ingredients.
Compatibility testing should therefore be performed when combining it with rheology modifiers, conditioning polymers, thickeners or other specialty ingredients.
No universal use concentration should be published without verified commercial-grade technical documentation.
The appropriate concentration should be established through formulation testing and supplier recommendations.
Polyquaternium-95 can be evaluated for cleansing-oriented cosmetic formulations, including:
The final application should be selected according to the performance characteristics of the specific commercial grade.
Polyquaternium-95 can be considered for cosmetic formulation development where a polymeric cleansing surfactant is required.
Swapnroop supports cosmetic raw-material sourcing with an emphasis on ingredient identification, technical information and formulation-oriented supply.
Polyquaternium-95 is a synthetic copolymer used as a cosmetic surfactant with a documented cleansing function.
The CosIng-derived description identifies it as a copolymer of Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Acrylic Acid and Acrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium Chloride.
Its documented cosmetic function is Surfactant – Cleansing.
It can be evaluated in shampoo and hair-cleansing formulations where its commercial grade is compatible with the complete surfactant system.
It can be evaluated in cleansing formulations because its documented surfactant function covers cleansing of skin, hair and/or teeth.
The current COSMILE record does not list hair conditioning as the function of Polyquaternium-95. Its documented function is surfactant-cleansing.
No. They are different INCI ingredients. Quaternium-95 is separately documented with UV-absorbing and hair-conditioning functions.
A CAS number is not displayed in the current CosIng-derived ingredient record. The exact commercial CAS should therefore be verified from the supplier's COA/TDS/SDS.
The supplier should provide confirmation of INCI identity, grade, appearance, active content, pH, viscosity or other applicable technical parameters, storage conditions and applicable regulatory documentation.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White to off-white powder |