Encyclopedia · conditioning agent
Stearamidopropyl dimethylamine
A conditioning agent that only becomes positively charged in acidic formulas, used in "quat-free" conditioners; no independent hair data were found.
What it is
An amidoamine, a fatty amide with a tertiary amine head. Supplier information describes it as a conditioning agent for acidic formulas that carries a positive charge when protonated. These are commercial claims, not independent evidence.
How it works
By chemistry, the amine picks up a proton in acid (often lactic or citric acid in the formula) and then behaves like a cationic surfactant. We found no hair deposition or combing studies on it.
What the studies show
- No peer-reviewed hair efficacy study was found. Claims come from suppliers only.
Side effects and safety
We did not verify the safety conclusions reported by consumer databases.
Bottom line
It probably performs like a lighter cationic conditioner. "Quat-free" marketing does not mean chemistry-free, because it is functionally cationic. It appears in many mass-market conditioners. See acidic rinses and pH.
Studies 0
No studies are listed for this page yet.
Related
- Behentrimonium chlorideA long-chain, positively charged conditioning ingredient that clings to hair and detangles it, with good lab evidence for smoothing and none for repair.
- Cetearyl alcoholA waxy blend of cetyl and stearyl alcohols that thickens conditioners and builds the gel that carries the conditioning agent; despite the name, it is not a drying alcohol.
- Acidic rinses and product pHMildly acidic hair products make sense on chemistry grounds, but no trial shows that vinegar rinses or a particular pH reduce breakage.