ORY® product lines:
☑ Skincare (cleansers, shaving, body washes — skin feel)
☑ Haircare (conditioning polymer for shampoos and styling)
◐ Handmade Soap (liquid soap, syndet and shampoo bars)
☑ Cosmetics (cleansers, mascaras, setting sprays) — dual-use functional ingredient with acrylamide-residue control
Polyquaternium-7 is a synthetic cationic polymer — a copolymer of diallyldimethylammonium chloride and acrylamide — and one of the most widely used conditioning agents in shampoos, body washes, and shaving products. Like cationic guar and polyquaternium-10, it deposits on negatively charged hair and skin and forms a conditioning coacervate with anionic surfactants during rinsing [1, 2], but PQ-7 is distinguished by its exceptionally silky, slippery skin feel, its ability to make lather feel creamy and dense, and its low cost. It gives shampoos wet-comb slip and shine, body washes a “moisturizing” after-feel, and shaving gels their razor glide. Its one formulation-safety issue is residual acrylamide monomer from manufacture: regulators cap it (EU: ≤0.1 mg/kg in leave-on, ≤0.5 mg/kg in rinse-off), and ORY® sources only low-residual grades with certificates. PQ-7 is fully synthetic and not readily biodegradable, so ORY® offers cationic guar as the natural-origin alternative.
What is Polyquaternium-7 made of?
PQ-7 is produced by copolymerizing acrylamide with diallyldimethylammonium chloride (DADMAC) in water. Points to know [1, 3]:
- Cationic acrylamide/DADMAC copolymer: High molecular weight; strongly cationic; water-soluble.
- Coacervation: Forms conditioning complexes with anionic surfactants on dilution [1, 2].
- Physical form: Clear, viscous ~8–10% aqueous solution; easy to add cold; pH 3–9.
- Residual acrylamide: Must meet EU limits (≤0.1 mg/kg leave-on; ≤0.5 mg/kg rinse-off) — specify low-residual grade with certificate.
- Compatibility: Anionic, amphoteric, non-ionic surfactants; cationic conditioners; not with strong anionic polymers.
- Typical use: 0.5–3% (as supplied) in shampoos and washes; 1–5% in shaving and styling products.
What skin type is best suited for Polyquaternium-7?
PQ-7 is a formulation-level skin-feel ingredient suitable for all seven ORY® skin types in rinse-off products:
- Dry: Silky, “moisturized” after-feel from body washes and cleansers.
- Sensitive: Reduces surfactant harshness with a protective film; low irritation; patch test.
- Normal: Everyday cleansing slip; razor glide in shaving products.
- Combination: Creamy-lather cleansers.
- Oily and Acne-prone: Non-comedogenic film; rinse-off use.
- Mature: Softening after-feel in cleansers and shave products.
What hair type is best suited for Polyquaternium-7?
PQ-7 is the slip-and-shine conditioning polymer for shampoos and styling:
- Straight and wavy: Wet-comb slip, shine, and manageability from shampoo.
- Dry or damaged: Coacervate deposition reduces friction [1, 2].
- Curly and coily: Detangling in shampoos and co-washes; combine with cationic guar for richer conditioning.
- Color-treated: Smooths cuticles; reduces combing damage.
- Oily scalp: Conditions lengths from a clarifying shampoo.
- Mature or thinning: Light body and manageability; low buildup at use levels.
- Sensitive and dandruff-prone scalp: Reduces surfactant harshness in treatment shampoos.
What are the benefits of Polyquaternium-7?
PQ-7’s benefits are documented in hair-science literature [1–4]:
- Conditioning from shampoo: Coacervate deposition on rinse [1, 2].
- Silky skin and hair feel: The signature “slip” polymer.
- Creamy, dense lather: Improves foam quality of surfactant systems.
- Wet-comb ease and shine: Reduced friction [4].
- Razor glide: Shaving gels and creams.
- Reduced surfactant harshness: Protective film on skin.
- Cold-processable, easy dosing: Liquid; no heating.
- Cost-effective: Inexpensive.
Dual use across ORY® product lines
PQ-7 serves cleansing and conditioning products across skincare, haircare, and cosmetics, and the soap line in liquid, syndet, and shampoo bars; not cold-process soap.
| ORY® line | Dual use? | How it is used | Typical level |
|---|---|---|---|
|
ORY® Skincare |
Yes |
Body washes, facial cleansers, shaving gels and creams, hand washes (slip and after-feel). |
0.5–3% |
|
ORY® Haircare |
Yes |
Conditioning shampoos, co-washes, styling gels and mousses, leave-in detanglers. |
0.5–3% shampoo; 1–5% styling |
|
ORY® Handmade Soap |
Limited |
Liquid soap, syndet bars, shampoo bars; not cold-process bars. |
0.5–3% |
|
ORY® Cosmetics |
Yes |
Makeup-removing cleansers, mascaras, brow gels, setting sprays (film-forming). |
0.5–2% |
Pros and cons of Polyquaternium-7
Pros
Cons
- Best-in-class slip and lather feel: Customer-noticeable.
- Conditions from shampoo: [1, 2].
- Cold-processable, inexpensive: Easy.
- Broad surfactant compatibility: Versatile.
- Skin and hair: Cleansers, shaving, shampoos.
- Residual acrylamide control required: Certificate-backed low-residual grades only.
- Synthetic, not readily biodegradable: Excluded from natural standards; cationic guar is the natural alternative.
- Buildup at high levels: Keep ≤3% in shampoos; clarify periodically.
- Cold-process incompatibility: Cationic.
- Perception: Acrylamide association concerns some customers; explain residual limits and offer guar.
What is the best application of Polyquaternium-7?
PQ-7 is added cold to cleansing and conditioning bases:
- Conditioning shampoo: 1–2% PQ-7 added to the surfactant blend; pH 5.5.
- Body wash: 1–2% for silky after-feel.
- Shaving gel: 2–4% for razor glide.
- Styling gel or mousse: 2–5% for slip and light hold.
- Liquid soap or shampoo bar: 1–2%.
- Cosmetics: 1% in makeup-removing cleanser or mascara.
Peer-reviewed references
- Hössel P, Dieing R, Nörenberg R, Pfau A, Sander R. Conditioning polymers in today’s shampoo formulations – efficacy, mechanism and test methods. International Journal of Cosmetic Science. 2000;22(1):1–10.
- Goddard ED. Polymer/surfactant interaction: interfacial aspects. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science. 2002;256(1):228–235.
- Gavazzoni Dias MFR. Hair cosmetics: an overview. International Journal of Trichology. 2015;7(1):2–15.
- Robbins CR. Chemical and Physical Behavior of Human Hair. 5th ed. Springer; 2012. (Reference text on cationic conditioning.)
Disclaimer:
The information on this page is provided by ORY International, LC for educational purposes only. It summarizes published research about polyquaternium-7 as an ingredient, including laboratory and animal studies and clinical studies of formulas that may differ from ORY® products. Results from these studies may not apply to every person or to ORY® products. This page is not medical advice and does not replace advice from a dermatologist, physician, or other qualified healthcare provider.
ORY® Skincare, Haircare, Handmade Soap, and Cosmetics products are cosmetics. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease or condition, including eczema, dermatitis, acne, dandruff, or any other condition. References to FDA or Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) findings describe the ingredient, not ORY® products, and do not mean FDA has reviewed or approved any ORY® product.
Results vary by skin and scalp type, formulation, and use. This ingredient is rarely irritating at use levels. Any cosmetic can cause irritation, sometimes from other ingredients. Always patch test, follow label directions, and stop use if irritation occurs. If you are pregnant, nursing, have a medical condition, or are buying for a child, consult a healthcare provider before use.
ORY International, LC works to keep this page accurate and current but makes no warranty as to its completeness. To the fullest extent permitted by law, ORY International, LC is not liable for any loss or injury arising from reliance on this information or from use of any product contrary to its label directions. To report a reaction, contact us at [insert contact email / phone].
