Stearalkonium Chloride

AKA: 122-19-0, Stearyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, BENZYLDIMETHYLSTEARYLAMMONIUM CHLORIDE, Stebac, Stedbac, Orthosan MB, Carsoquat sdq-25, Quaternol 1, Benzyldimethyloctadecylammonium chloride
Plant-Derived
Preservative
Cleanser
Plant Oil
Not Clean
Benzyldimethyl(octadecyl)ammonium chloride
Solubility less than 1 mg/mL at 70 °F (NTP, 1992)
Formula
C27H50ClN
Mol. Weight
424.10
CAS #
122-19-0
Form
Liquid
Functions
Antistatic
Preservative
Keeps your product from growing bacteria, mold, or yeast. Without these, that jar of cream becomes a petri dish in about a week.
Cleansing
Makes oil and water mix so dirt, makeup, and sunscreen can actually be washed away. The reason your face wash foams.
Reduces Static
Preserves Formula
Cleansing Surfactant
Reduces Inflammation
Wound Healing
Lifts away dirt and oil
Reduces flyaways
Prevents microbial growth
Traditional Use
Synthetic quaternary ammonium compound created in the mid-20th century. Developed as a conditioning and anti-static agent for hair and skin care, designed as a synthetic alternative to natural conditioning oils with superior stability.
EWG
7
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
Not a Sensitizer
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Regulatory Status
USApermitted
EUpermitted
JAPANpermitted
CANADApermitted
🧂Conflict of interest.
Skin Types
all-skin-types
Best For
General
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
The paper trail
🔬Peer-reviewed1 paper
⚖️Regulatory1 listing
🛡️Safety-assessed2 reviews
Counts, not a verdict. A listing isn't a study. The trail, you decide.
Verified Jun 2026 · 🧪 = conflict
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR