When you think of beauty products, there’s no dearth of controversial ingredients, perilous to both—the skin and the environment. Enter silicone, an ingredient that has bagged quite a mixed reputation, when it comes to its involvement in beauty products. 

How can you spot silicones in your labels?

Look for chemicals and terms that end with –cone, –conol, –silane or –siloxane and keeping away from them is a good place to start with. As immediate next steps, get familiar with names like Amino Bispropyl, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Methicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Dimethicone Copolyol, Lauryl Methicone Copolyol, Amodimethicone Hydroxystearate, Polydimethylsiloxane⸺these being most common types of silicones that you can find in the ingredient list at the back of your product’s label. Certain silicones still pass as ingredients that are okay for your skin and hair, think cyclomethicone, which is water-soluble and easy to take off versus dimethicone that is stubborn to get rid off.

What are silicones and why are they used in beauty products?

“Silicones are compounds that are derived from the element silicon. Silicones are produced by the conversion of quartz into silicon and further reacting this silicon with methyl chloride that produces chlorosilanes. These chlorosilanes are further reacted with water and silanols (-Si-OH-) are produced. Further, these silanols can be converted into cyclomethicone, dimethicone, and other silicones that are used in cosmetic products,” explains New Delhi-based dermatologist Dr Kiran Sethi.

You can’t completely classify silicones as “problematic” for it does boast a bunch of skin-benefiting and product-enhancing properties too. “Easier spreadability, a light and slippery feel, more shine and lustre, a barrier-protective nature, and foam reduction are some factors and benefits due to which silicones are added in makeup and skincare products,” shares the derm.

So then, what’s wrong with silicones?

Just like any other ingredient, silicones too, work for some people and don’t work for others. Dr Sethi says, “silicones do have the potential to exacerbate rosacea, acne, sensitive skin and milia. ” Many dermatologists and skin experts are also of the opinion that if not completely eradicated, even reducing the exposure to silicones can be fruitful for the skin’s health; after all, it does contain some irritation-stimulating properties. 

Despite silicone’s excessive use in primers (we’ve all heard of and indulged in a bunch of silicone-based primers, right?) the irony is that it should be best avoided by people with oily, sensitive, and acne-prone skin. While they [silicones] themselves don’t cause acne, but because they are occlusive, they can trap things underneath them, which can clog pores and then cause acne,”  says Dr Sethi.  

The different types of silicones

You must have often spotted ‘silicons’ as well as ‘silicones’ and even ‘siloxanes’—here’s what they mean individually. “Silicon is a chemical element, not a chemical polymer. Whereas, silicones, commonly referred to as siloxanes, are a sort of cross between synthetic rubbers and plastic polymers,” says Dr Sethi. The fundamental distinction between silicones and siloxane? While the former is a polymer compound the latter is a functional group [of two silanols]. 

The best way forward

While silicones have been linked to acne flare-ups and irritation, they also pull down the overall efficacy of your skincare routine, courtesy of their occlusive nature. Besides that, silicones are bioaccumulative in nature, which means they tend to accumulate in living organisms, making them hazardous for marine life. Plus, silicones take over a hundred years to break down, making them one of the more non-eco-friendly substances. Dr Sethi believes that the silicone’s molecular weight helps determine whether or not it’s okay to use, but it is still silicone. You could opt for silicone-infused products, if you absolutely must, as long as they’re to be used once a blue moon, like an ultra-blurring primer for instance. For your everyday skincare routine, on the other hand, it’s best to scout for ‘silicone-free’ products.