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Polyquaternium in creams as a silicone replacement
The thought just occured to me, i wonder how something like polyquaternium-39 would do in a body butter or other cream? Could it provide more slip, like a silicone? A better feel? Would there be any downside to using it? Would it be compatible with anionic emulsifiers like GSC?
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3 Replies
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@GeorgeBenson It’d depend on its lubrication power, but thos polymeric backbones are not to “flexible”. That’s why it’s prefered to use silicones, mineral oil, vegetable oils and esters for slip.
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Hmmm ok i think that makes sense about the flexibility. I used it in a cleanser and it was great but yeah i can see how the feeling might not work in a cream…think i still might try though, who knows. Just not sure about the compatibility with an anionic emulsifier. Polyquats seem to work alright with anionic surfactants though…
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Be advised not all Polyquaterniums behave the same. PQ-39 is a copolymer specifically designed to accommodate surfactant cleansers with anionics, as long as you also employ amphoterics too. The idea you have is a good one, but you need to use Polyquaternium-37 or 32, the 37 being the better one. You can load it up with butters and oils - but NO electrolytes or anionics - and get a nice body butter. These are associative thickeners so adding just a smidgen of cetyl alcohol or GMS will pump up viscosity big time, much like the anionic HASE polyacrylics do.
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