Di
Dimethicone
DimethiconeBarrier
The silicone that smooths texture and holds water in under a breathable film. Common in primers and moisturizers.
What it does
In primers it visually smooths fine lines, and many sunscreens use it too.
The evidence, graded
expert consensusUS safety reviewers found dimethicone isn’t absorbed through skin and irritated only slightly in most studies. It caused no allergy in animal tests or in a repeated patch test on 83 people. Cosmetics use it at up to about 15% to condition skin. In a few animal studies of reproduction, treated males had lower body or testis weights; the reviewers still judged it safe as used.Nair 2003 · International journal of toxicology ↗
expert consensusThe American Academy of Dermatology says ointments and creams add more moisture to skin and are more effective than lotions. For dry skin, it says to look for a cream or ointment that contains one or more of nine ingredients, and dimethicone is one of them.AAD 2026 · AAD patient education (aad.org) ↗
emergingIn rabbit-ear tests, isopropyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, cocoa butter and other esters clogged pores, while petrolatum and paraffin did not; a 1989 test graded “coconut butter” 4 of 5. The rabbit test is more sensitive than human skin, and whether high scorers clog human pores is uncertain. In a small human test, finished products with them did not necessarily clog pores. The 1989 test graded mineral oil 0 to 2, squalane and dimethicone 1, glycerin 0; hyaluronic acid is untested.Nguyen 2007 · Cutaneous and Ocular Toxicology ↗
Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.
Also known as
silicone
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