Description
Description
Piroctone Olamine is the ethanolamine salt of piroctone and a specialty cosmetic scalp-care active used in rinse-off and leave-on hair-care formulations. It is particularly suited to shampoos, scalp tonics, conditioners, cleansing systems, and other formulations where scalp hygiene, flake-control positioning, and compatibility with surfactant-based systems are important formulation objectives.
Chemical & Technical Profile
| INCI / Identity | Piroctone Olamine |
|---|---|
| CAS No. | 68890-66-4 |
| Molecular Formula | C16H30N2O3 |
| Molecular Weight | 298.43 g/mol |
| Physical Form | White to off-white crystalline powder |
| Solubility | Moderately soluble in water; improved solubility in suitable surfactant and hydroalcoholic systems |
| Functional Category | Cosmetic scalp-care active |
Technical Function
Piroctone Olamine is used in cosmetic scalp-care formulations because of its functional activity and compatibility with appropriately designed surfactant systems. The olamine salt provides improved practical handling and formulation compatibility relative to the parent piroctone acid, supporting use in aqueous and surfactant-based hair-care products.
Formulation performance depends not only on active concentration but also on solubilization, deposition, surfactant architecture, pH, contact time, and rinse profile.
Formulation Guidelines
Pre-dissolve the material in an appropriate aqueous, hydroalcoholic, or surfactant-compatible phase before final batch addition. Confirm complete dissolution before viscosity adjustment.
Avoid introducing the active directly into highly concentrated electrolyte zones.
For clear shampoos and transparent systems, re-evaluate clarity after fragrance, electrolyte, preservative, and final pH adjustment because these variables can influence solubility and appearance.
The final use level should be established according to supplier documentation, formulation requirements, local regulations, and finished-product testing.
Compatibility & Stability
Evaluate compatibility with the complete surfactant, fragrance, electrolyte, preservative, and conditioning system.
During stability testing monitor:
- precipitation,
- clarity,
- color,
- odor,
- pH,
- viscosity,
- low-temperature stability,
- packaging compatibility.
Piroctone Olamine performs a separate formulation function from the product preservation system and should not be treated as a replacement for finished-product preservation validation.
R&D, Scale-Up & Quality Control
Incoming and in-process quality control should verify material identity, appearance, dissolution behavior, pH compatibility, clarity where relevant, and precipitation risk under intended storage conditions.
Pilot-scale batches should confirm that laboratory solubilization and clarity remain reproducible under production mixing, temperature, addition-order, and electrolyte conditions.
Packaging, Shipping & Storage
Supplied in a sealed aluminum pouch.
Store tightly closed in a cool, dry place away from direct light, excessive heat, and moisture.
Minimize moisture exposure after opening and reseal promptly after use.
Estimated Delivery: 10–15 Business Days
Applications
Typical formulation applications include:
- scalp shampoos,
- conditioning shampoos,
- scalp tonics,
- leave-on scalp systems,
- conditioners,
- cleansing treatments,
- professional hair-care formulations.
Regulatory Note
For cosmetic formulation use. Finished-product manufacturers and formulators are responsible for applicable regulatory compliance, permitted claims, use levels, safety assessment, and claim substantiation in the intended market.
Related Ingredients
Technical Reference
For compound identity and nomenclature, consult the Piroctone Olamine record in PubChem:
F***a –
Equal to the description I haven’t tried it yet, when I try it I’ll say if it works.