What it is
In the register’s words: “2-Propenoic acid, 2-methyl-, 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl ester, polymer with 1-ethenyl-2-pyrrolidinone, compd. with diethyl sulphate.”
- EU register name (INCI)
- POLYQUATERNIUM-11
- CAS number
- 53633-54-8
- EC number
- -
What the register lists it for
These are the uses the European Commission’s CosIng register lists for Polyquaternium-11 in any cosmetic, hair roles first. They say why a maker might add it, not what it does in one formula, and they aren’t a safety rating.
- Antistatic
-
Cuts the static that makes dry hair fly away. Many conditioning ingredients carry this role too, because both work at the hair’s surface.
Register definition: “Preventing and/or reducing static electricity by neutralising electrical charge on surfaces.”
- Film forming
-
Leaves a thin, continuous film on the hair as it dries. Polymers in gels and foams carry it; the film is what feels like a cast.
Register definition: “Producing (upon application) a continuous film on the skin, hair or nails.”
Where it sits on each label
US labels list ingredients from most to least, except that those at 1% or less may follow in any order. A name near the top is a large part of the formula. A label doesn’t mark where the 1% point falls, so further down, the order says little about how much is in it.
- Shampoos 2 labels First five names: 0 of 2 Shampoos without it
- Clarifying shampoos 2 labels First five names: 0 of 2 Clarifying shampoos without it
- Stylers 3 labels First five names: 1 of 3 Stylers without it
Every label, product by product (7)
- OLAPLEX Nº.4CURL Bond Shaper Hydrating Curl Shampoo Shampoo 11th of 62 names
- OLAPLEX No.4 Bond Maintenance Strengthening Shampoo Shampoo 31st of 78 names
- Ouidad Water Works Clarifying Shampoo Clarifying shampoo 8th of 33 names
- OLAPLEX No.4C Bond Maintenance Clarifying Shampoo Clarifying shampoo 17th of 55 names
- TRESemmé Bouncy Curls Defining Mousse Styler 6th of 20 names
- TRESemmé Bouncy Curls Air Dry Foam Styler 8th of 17 names
- Jessicurl Spiralicious Styling Gel Styler 5th of 10 names
Each line runs from the first name on a label to the last; a dot is where this ingredient sits. Makers change formulas now and then; if the list on your bottle differs, go by your bottle.
Your next step
Other antistatic ingredients on these labels
- Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride 48 labels
- Polyquaternium-10 30 labels
- Polyquaternium-37 17 labels
- Polyquaternium-7 12 labels
- Stearalkonium Chloride 9 labels
- Histidine 5 labels
- Cetearamidoethyldiethonium Succinoyl Hydrolyzed Pea Protein 4 labels
- Laureth-4 4 labels
Updated · The name, numbers and uses come from the European Commission’s CosIng entry (CC BY 4.0); we write the uses in US spelling and put the hair ones first. The labels are each maker’s own. The order rule is the FDA’s Cosmetics Labeling Guide. All our sources are on the Sources page.