Jessica Is Acne Prone:
I want to buy a foundation primer, and the ones that I find are silicone based. Is silicone bad for acne prone/oily skin?
The Right Brain Is Answer Prone:
According to one of our favorite dermatologists, Dr. Zoe Draelos, silicone foundations are preferred for oily skin. That’s because silicone is non-comedogenic which means it won’t clog your pores. So go for it!
Interesting Bonus Fact: Unlike animal, vegetable or mineral oils, silicones are not based on carbon.
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interesting, really! but i don’t know what carbon is…I’m from Norway..
Mia,
Carbon is the 6th element on the periodic chart of elements. It is also the element on which all known life is created. All organic compounds are called hydrocarbons. That means they contain carbon and hydrogen.
Incidentally, you have Carbon in Norway too
I finally realized the appeal of this blog: it’s *all* silicone, all of the time. Makes me think that you guys have an obsession with the stuff??
I disagree. I can use any oil on my face without a problem but silicone gives me cysts. It’s the only product that gives me cysts.
Cee, unless you have a rare allergic reaction to silicone it would be incredibly surprising if it was responsible for cysts. More likely is an ingredient found in the fragrance.
It’s also the favorite “alternative life form” in most sci-fi stories!
No, I use fragrance free products due to rosacea. If I use any foundation or lotion with the “cyclo” silicone in the first 4 ingredients, I get a cyst which has been verified by my dermatologist.
I have a foundation that rolls/peels off when applied to the face or hand. Please advise whatt is causing this.
I’m kind of scared to try primers. They sound great and all but I also read that ingredients ending with “cone” are not good with acne.
So applying a silicone-based primer all over my face is a horrifying thought…
Silicone foundations are great inventions! It’s a second skin for all skin types and is breathable. I use my fave http://www.faceatelier.com – on all. It’s long-wearing does not cause breakouts and because of being hyper-pigmented your coverage is great. Silicone layered on silicone will cause ‘pilling’. Make sure that your not layering a moisturizer with silicone with a primer with silicone then a foundation with silicone. Plus, apply with a foundation brush – fingers and sponges make uneven textures and therefore uneven applications.
As I found out last year when I went to get new contacts (made of silicone), more and more people are becoming allergic to silicone. I discovered I had this allergy. I have now developed an allergy to silicone in makeup and everybody is putting silicone and its derivatives, silica gel, simethicone, etc. in all types of makeup (foundation, eye shadow, mascara). This is really making my life hell. Guess I willl have to try to find some makeup that is not “natural”.
I have dry sensitive skin and have developed a sensitivity to silicone. I get terrible itching from any product containing dimethicone, cyclomethicone or their derivatives. No it’s not anything else causing this. Makes the search for things that can be used rather frustrating.
Is silicone bad for the skin? What are the pros and cons of silicone based foundation? Is silicone bad for everyday make up routine?
I find that primers with silicon will clog my pores. When I stop using the primer my skin will get better. Every time I use the primer my pores will get clogged. Now I am also looking for a silicon-free primer.
Also there is no control over the use of the term non-comedogenic.
In terms of silicone, people can have reactions to it, just as some people have reactions to things like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide found in mineral makeup. Silicone usually doesn’t cause pimples because it is not oil based, but gel based, making it breathable and it sits on top of the skin meaning it doesn’t travel into pores. But i do find that when i use silicone based foundation i can get a few small pimples occassionally. This is not due to the silicone though. It is due to the skin not being hydrated enough beneath the makeup. If you have a rich, moisturizing, non- comedogenic moisturizer it stops the silicone primer or foundation from trying to draw out moisture from the skin. When it draws out moisture from the skin it is bringing oils in your skin to the surface, thus creating pimples. However, to people that are allergic to silicone, there are always water based and glycerin based foundations that can be used instead. Graftobian, Atelier (From France, not FACE Atelier which is silicone based), RCMA, Bobbi Brown & some Laura Mercier products fall into the water or glycerin based categories. Check the ingredient list though because some might have cross polymers that include silicone. If your not sure what a particular ingredient is look it up in google.
Julia! You are a genius. This is the answer that I read through this whole darned blog to get!
Thank you thank you. Off to find a non-comodogenic, oil-free moisturizer.
Thanks again!
People need to understand that silicon and silicone are two different things.
I have found over the last five years I am very allergic to silicone based products. I quit using any silicone based products and my face totally cleared and the cyst, acne and redness were gone. I now use Silicone Free based Revival makeup and night moisture by Marcelle.com in Canada and it is wonderful.