What is Polyquaternium-10 used for?

Polyquaternium-10 is a cationic polymer with excellent conditioning properties, hence extensively used in many skincare and hair care products.  It is mainly used in hair care products to reduce static and minimize flyaways.  Polyquaternium-10 is a cationic form of hydroxyethyl cellulose that adsorbs and sorbs well to proteinaceous surfaces. It is used in cosmetics as a conditioner, thickener, and emollient in hair care products, lotions, and makeup.

In Skincare:

Polyquaternium-10 acts as a conditioning agent in many skin care products which makes your skin soft and supple. It attracts moisture from the surroundings and forms a thin film on the surface of your skin, thus helping to moisturize your skin. It also acts as a surfactant in many skincare products. The surfactant lowers the surface tension between water and grime, thus facilitating the easy removal of dust, dirt, and grime from the surface of the skin.

In Hair Care:

Polyquaternium-10  is a cationic polymer that is used in hair care formulations because of its conditioning, film-forming, and anti-static properties. It is mild and non-irritating and is known to be compatible with a wide range of surfactants. The positive charges are found on Polyquaternium 10 and bind with the hair which is negatively charged. Thus Polyquaternium-10 has a good conditioning effect on the hair. Its anti-static effect and film-forming ability help to keep hair strands soft, smooth, silky, and well-nourished preventing frizzy and dry hair.