Polyquaternium 7 (PQ7)
| Description | Polyquaternium 7 is a water soluble cationic co-polymer. Low acrylamide, non-paraben, aqueous, cationic copolymer developed for improved compatibility and clarity in anionic surfactant systems. It provide excellent lubricity, softness, light hair conditioning and compatibility enhancing properties to hair without excessive build up. |
| INCI | Polyquaternium-7 |
| Appearance | Clear, very viscous liquid |
| Usage rate | Add to formulas as is ( cool down phase of your projects). Typical use level: 2-10% |
| Applications | Hair conditioners, shampoos, hair rinses, spritzes, mousse, shaving cream, leave-on spritzes |
| Texture | Silky smooth and very thick |
| Scent | Nothing distinguishable |
| pH | 3–4.5 |
| Charge | Positive/cationic |
| Solubility | Soluble in water, glycerin and propylene glycol |
| Why do we use it in formulations? |
Polyquaternium 7 is conditioning, and it has an absolutely incredible skin and hair feel. In hair products it gives substantively without build-up and improves comb-through. It is advertised as having “very good compatibility with many anionic surfactants”, making it useful in body washes and shampoos. Generally speaking, it makes your projects feel divine and leaves skin and hair feeling silky smooth and conditioned without any hint of greasiness. It also functions as a film former, helping keep the skin and hair moisturized. |
| Refined or unrefined? | Polyquaternium 7 only exists as a refined product |
| Strengths | Polyquaternium 7 is an excellent conditioning ingredient with great skin feel—and it doesn’t smell fishy, like some alternatives. |
| Alternatives & Substitutions | Honeyquat would be a decent alternative, but it does have a very distinct fishy smell that is widely considered to be unpleasant. I’ve had readers complain of honeyquat making products unusable due to the scent at 2%. Whatever you use as a substitute, it needs to be positively charged and water soluble as a bare minimum. |
| Tips, Tricks, and Quirks | At 2% I find Polyquaternium 7 adds enough thickness to otherwise watery serums to make them too thick to mist! |
| Benefits |
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