Disclosed is a composition for softening an absorbent tissue. The composition includes an effective amount of a softening active ingredient; a vehicle in which the softening active ingredient is dispersed; an electrolyte dissolved in the vehicle; and a bilayer disrupter. The electrolyte and the bilayer disrupter cooperate to cause the viscosity of the composition to be less than the viscosity of a dispersion of the softening active ingredient in the vehicle alone. Preferably, the softening active ingredient is a quaternary ammonium compound with the formula: (R.sub.1).sub.4-m--N.sup.+--[(CH.sub.2).sub.n--Y--R.sub.3].sub.mX.sup.- the vehicle is water, the electrolyte is calcium chloride, and the bilayer disrupter is a nonionic surfactant.