What is Behentrimonium Methosulfate?

**tabby28** · July 5th, 2011, 03:06 AM

I've been re-reading the list of sulphate free products here and I have a question about an ingredient that is in my current conditioner: Behentrimonium Methosulfate

I can't find it mentioned anywhere and I'm just wondering if it is damaging and whether I should avoid it?

Thanks all!

**Lianna** · July 5th, 2011, 03:07 AM

It's a cationic surfactant found in conditioners, provides some slip.

**tabby28** · July 5th, 2011, 03:11 AM

Thanks Lianna

So its not something I should be worried about using? I am still struggling to get to grips with ingredients.

**Lianna** · July 5th, 2011, 03:15 AM

It's fine, most people seek this to help detangle!

**Anje** · July 5th, 2011, 12:52 PM

Good stuff, if you ask me. Makes hair slippery, but as a surfactant, I don't think it builds up.

**Lollipop** · July 5th, 2011, 10:23 PM

i've never heard of people having trouble with it drying them out. it gives great slip and i believe it is found in higher end conditioners. i'm a member of a nother forum, and people treat it as a conditioning ingredient rather than a cleansing one

**Lianna** · July 5th, 2011, 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by Lollipop

i've never heard of people having trouble with it drying them out. it gives great slip and i believe it is found in higher end conditioners. i'm a member of a nother forum, and people treat it as a conditioning ingredient rather than a cleansing one

The cheapest hair conditioner I've EVER used had it high up in the ingredients. It was marketed for curly hair, in my opinion it was an okay conditioner. I don't think just one ingrendient can say much about a conditioner.

**Lollipop** · July 13th, 2011, 07:51 PM

Sorry, about that! That was a poor choice of words on my part. I agree with you on that point but what I meant to say was that there are some wonderfull conditioners that get good reviews (Oyin, Curl Junkie, Tigi MM) that contain it. When I wrote "higher-end", I meant conditioners that were fairly popular and generally effective. I can't really explain it well, it was just an awkward way of putting it.

I need to proofread sometimes

. (and stop posting at 3 am...)

**Athena's Owl** · July 14th, 2011, 01:03 AM

BTMS is one of my favorite ingredients in a detangling conditioner. gives good slip and so it's easier to deal with the snarlies.

It's not an ingredient you are likely to find in a conditioner that costs less than say $5.00 for a 500mL bottle. I mean you can, I think Kirkland's conditioner has BTMS and their 1L bottles work out to less than that.

It's also a fairly easy to use ingredient for homebrewed conditioners from the soap supply shop.