Quaternium-15 is a specialty cosmetic ingredient historically used as an antimicrobial preservative in personal-care formulations. It is identified by the INCI name QUATERNIUM-15 and is commonly associated with CAS Numbers 4080-31-3 and 51229-78-8, depending on the isomer/material identity. The substance is a quaternary ammonium chloride chemically described as 1-(3-chloroallyl)-3,5,7-triaza-1-azoniaadamantane chloride, with molecular formula C₉H₁₆Cl₂N₄ and molecular weight approximately 251.15 g/mol.
Quaternium-15 has been used historically as a preservative in products such as shampoos, conditioners, creams, lotions and other personal-care formulations. It is also a formaldehyde-releasing preservative, so its technical and regulatory evaluation requires attention to both the raw material and the finished cosmetic product.
For businesses searching for Quaternium-15 cosmetic ingredient manufacturer in India or Quaternium-15 supplier in India, the identity, isomer composition, purity, documentation and destination-market regulatory status should be confirmed before commercial use.
Quaternium-15 is a quaternary ammonium compound derived from a triazaadamantane structure. PubChem identifies the material with formula C₉H₁₆Cl₂N₄ and molecular weight 251.15 g/mol. The cis and trans forms have been separately characterized, and historical regulatory documentation indicates that commercial Quaternium-15 may contain predominantly the cis isomer with a smaller amount of the trans isomer.
Commercial technical sources describe Quaternium-15 as a white to off-white powder. Published supplier data show that material specifications can differ: one supplier reports ≥97% HPLC purity, while another reports ≥98% assay and maximum moisture of 1.0%. These values should therefore be treated as supplier-specific reference data rather than as an automatic SDP release specification.
Quaternium-15 is primarily associated with antimicrobial and preservative functionality. Its historical role in cosmetics was to help control microbial growth in susceptible formulations, particularly water-containing personal-care products. Older EU regulatory documentation described its use as a preservative at concentrations up to 0.2% and listed applications including shampoos, hair conditioners, lotions, creams and cleansing products.
Because Quaternium-15 is a formaldehyde releaser, formulation developers need to consider the formaldehyde contribution of the preservative system as well as the raw-material quality. The performance of a preservative depends on the complete formulation, including pH, water phase, packaging, manufacturing hygiene and compatibility with other ingredients.
Its current regulatory status is particularly important. The European Commission determined that the safety of Quaternium-15 could not be established following the SCCS assessment, and Regulation (EU) 2019/831 removed it from the EU list of permitted preservatives and added it to the list of substances prohibited in cosmetic products. The ASEAN Cosmetics Committee likewise moved Quaternium-15 to Annex II, with the prohibition becoming applicable in 2025.
Historically, Quaternium-15 was used in a range of cosmetic and personal-care formulations, including shampoos, conditioners, creams, lotions, body products, barrier creams and wet tissues. The historical SCCS documentation specifically records these types of applications.
For technical and commercial research, Quaternium-15 may therefore be encountered as a cosmetic preservative ingredient, cosmetic raw material or analytical reference material. However, historical application does not establish current legal permission for use in a finished cosmetic.
For manufacturers developing products for international markets, the applicable legislation should be checked before formulation, especially for markets where Quaternium-15 has been prohibited. This distinction is important when using SEO terms such as Quaternium-15 cosmetic ingredient supplier in India: supply or technical availability does not by itself mean that the ingredient is legally permitted in every destination market.
Quaternium-15 is reported to be soluble in water, with additional solubility in methanol and certain polyol solvents. Technical references describe it as a solid material and report melting ranges around 178–210°C, although melting data can vary with isomeric composition and test method.
When evaluating the ingredient technically, formulators should consider purity, cis/trans isomer composition, moisture, solubility, compatibility, processing conditions and formaldehyde release. The analytical method is also important because different commercial grades may be controlled by different approaches.
A current technical supplier specification may use HPLC purity, while historical regulatory documentation identified specific cis and trans isomer levels and other minor components. For example, an EU SCCS dossier reported 98.6% cis isomer and 0.7% trans isomer by HPLC for one evaluated lot, together with measured water and other impurities. That is a historical evaluated material and should not be copied as a universal commercial specification.
Businesses searching for a Quaternium-15 cosmetic ingredient manufacturer in India should first verify the intended market and current regulatory status before procurement. A Quaternium-15 cosmetic ingredient supplier in India should be evaluated using the actual product identity, CAS number, isomer composition, purity, analytical method, appearance, moisture, COA, SDS and batch traceability.
For Quaternium-15 manufacturing in India and bulk technical supply, the product specification should be agreed with the buyer before commercial supply. Buyers looking for Quaternium-15 bulk ingredient supplier in India should also distinguish raw-material availability from permission to use the ingredient in the finished cosmetic.
Because the ingredient is currently prohibited in EU cosmetics and has also been moved to the ASEAN prohibited list, the page should be positioned as a technical and B2B ingredient information page, with the regulatory status clearly disclosed rather than presenting Quaternium-15 as a universally permitted cosmetic preservative.
Swapnroop can present Quaternium-15 as a specialty cosmetic ingredient for technical evaluation and B2B sourcing, with emphasis on product identity, analytical information and documentation.
For businesses researching a Quaternium-15 cosmetic ingredient manufacturer and supplier in India, the material can be evaluated according to the required grade, purity, isomer profile, packaging, technical specification and destination-market requirements. Any commercial use should be based on current regulatory verification and the actual batch documentation.
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White or colourless crystals / white powder |
| Assay (HPLC) | ≥97.0% HPLC |
| Loss on Drying | NMT 1.0% |
| Water Content | NMT 1.0% |
| Melting Point | 178–210°C |