Dimethicone in Skincare: Is It Safe and Does It Clog Pores?
Dimethicone is a silicone that gives skincare a smooth, silky slip and forms a light, breathable-feeling film on the skin. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review has found it safe as used in cosmetics, and it divides opinion more than almost any other ingredient.
TL;DR
- What it is: a silicone polymer, a long chain of repeating silicon and oxygen units.
- What it does: makes products glide, leaves skin feeling smooth and forms a light protective film.
- Safety: the CIR found dimethicone safe as used in cosmetics.
- The debate: it is a surface ingredient, so it does not treat anything, and some people simply prefer to avoid silicones.
- Not an oil: it feels slippery like one but is chemically different.
- Our position: dimethicone is not in any of our current formulas.
What is dimethicone?
Dimethicone is a silicone, a man-made polymer built from repeating silicon and oxygen units. It comes as a clear liquid, and its thickness changes with the length of the chain.
It appears in primers, moisturisers, sunscreens, foundations, hair serums and lip products.
What does dimethicone do for skin?
Mostly it works on feel. Dimethicone gives a formula slip, so it spreads easily and leaves a smooth, soft finish.
It also forms a thin film on the surface that slows water loss. That film does not repair or treat the skin underneath. It is a surface effect.
Is dimethicone safe?
The Cosmetic Ingredient Review is the US expert panel that assesses cosmetic ingredients. It has found dimethicone safe as used in cosmetics, and has reviewed whole families of related silicone ingredients since.
Its 2014 report on dimethicone crosspolymers, a family of 62 related ingredients, concluded they are safe in the practices of use and concentration described. That report also notes that dimethicone itself had already been found safe.
Does dimethicone clog pores?
This is the question people ask most. Dimethicone is a large molecule that is not an oil, and it mostly sits on the surface.
Whether a finished product suits breakout-prone skin depends on the whole formula and on your skin. If you break out with a silicone-heavy primer or foundation, trust what your skin tells you.
Does dimethicone trap anything under it?
You will hear that silicones seal in dirt and bacteria. The practical answer is simple. If you cleanse properly each night, a gentle cleanser removes the film along with everything else.
A gentle cleanser that removes makeup and sunscreen does the job.
Who might prefer to avoid dimethicone?
Some people simply dislike the slick feel, or want products without silicones.
That is a personal preference, and a reasonable one. Check the label for dimethicone and for ingredients ending in -cone, -conol or -siloxane.
How do you use products with dimethicone?
Treat them like any other product. Patch test, introduce one new product at a time, and cleanse thoroughly at night. Our guide to patch testing shows how.
What ingredients give a similar feel without silicone?
Lightweight plant-derived emollients can mimic some of that slip. Squalane and caprylic/capric triglyceride are two examples.
They do not behave identically. Each one has its own feel and its own trade-offs.
Safety and typical concentration range
The CIR concluded that dimethicone and its crosspolymer relatives are safe in the practices of use and concentration described in its assessments. The concentration varies enormously with the product, from a trace in a serum to a larger share in a primer.
The reports do not turn dimethicone into a skin treatment. They address safety, not benefit.
Do we use dimethicone at Dope Skin Co?
No. Dimethicone is not in any of our current formulas, which we make in small batches in Sydney.
If you want a routine that suits sensitive or reactive skin, our skincare quiz is a quick place to start.
FAQ
Is dimethicone bad for your skin?
The CIR has found it safe as used in cosmetics. Whether you like it is a matter of feel and preference.
Is dimethicone the same as silicone?
Dimethicone is one type of silicone. Silicones are a large family.
Is dimethicone plant-derived?
No. It is made in a lab, though it starts from silica, which comes from sand.
Can you use dimethicone on acne-prone skin?
Some people do without trouble and some do not. Patch test and watch how your skin responds.
