Naternal™ Care XTRA is a bio-based, responsibly sourced conditioning polymer designed to transform the care of highly damaged hair.
It was launched alongside new scalp care and hydration ingredients at in-cosmetics Global 2025 (as highlighted in our previous blog), and we’re pleased to share more information about this addition to Syensqo’s Naternal™ portfolio in this blog.
Drawing on the ancient healing power of fenugreek and combined with advanced polymer science, Naternal™ Care XTRA offers formulators a new way to treat highly damaged hair.
It works by forming complexes that trap and deliver water-insoluble actives (such as silicones, oils, UV filters, and fragrances) directly onto the hair surface. This ensures actives are deposited precisely where they are needed, providing uniform conditioning from root to tip and enhancing shine, softness, and manageability.
Naternal™ Care XTRA is the first enhanced readily biodegradable, boron-free conditioning polymer suitable for highly damaged hair. It also outperforms long-standing market leaders like Polyquaternium 10 in many areas, making it an exciting ingredient for formulators who want both performance and sustainability.
Key Benefits of Naternal™ Care XTRA
INCI: Trigonella Foenum-Graecum Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Beyond its eco-credentials, Naternal™ Care XTRA delivers many benefits for both formulators and end users, helping achieve exceptional conditioning results while answering consumer demand for clean, sustainable beauty:
- Biodegradable and boron-free (COSMOS approval in progress)
- Responsibly sourced from fenugreek, with a natural origin index of 0.87
- Exceptional conditioning for highly damaged hair, delivering softness and vitality from root to tip
- Proven high detangling efficacy in both wet and dry stages
- Conditioning with no build-up, maintaining hair lightness and manageability
- Supports flocculation-based targeted delivery of actives, boosting performance of silicones, oils, UV filters, fragrances and more
- Easy to formulate in sulfate-free and low-salt chassis
Proven Results, Backed by Testing Data
Extensive testing demonstrates that Naternal™ Care XTRA not only matches but often outperforms leading benchmarks such as PQ10:
Wet Combing Performance
On bleached, highly damaged Caucasian hair (damage level 4), Naternal™ Care XTRA achieved superior detangling and combing force reduction compared to PQ10 and other market standards.
Sensory Evaluation
In sulfated chassis, Naternal™ Care XTRA equaled PQ10 for foam quality and stability, while clearly outperforming in detangling, conditioning homogeneity, cleanliness, softness, vitality, and manageability.
Hair Vitality
Consumer-like panel evaluations confirmed a visible improvement in softness, shine, and overall feel, with no compromise on rinseability or cleanliness.
Key Applications for Naternal™ Care XTRA
Naternal™ Care XTRA is versatile and suitable across a wide range of hair care formulations, particularly where both performance and sustainability are key. Key applications include:
- Shampoos: Adds exceptional conditioning and detangling without buildup, even in sulfate-free or mild cleansing bases.
- Conditioners & Masks: Provides uniform softness and manageability from root to tip, strengthening and restoring damaged strands.
- Leave-on Creams & Styling Products: Enhances hydration, curl definition, frizz control, and shine while remaining lightweight.
- Scalp Care Formulations: Supports targeted delivery of actives for scalp health.
Get in Touch
Naternal™ Care XTRA represents a genuine breakthrough for formulators who want to balance performance, natural origin, and biodegradability.
If you’d like to learn more about this new ingredient, explore formulation ideas, or request a sample, please get in touch with the HARKE UK & Ireland Personal Care team today.
