One of our favorite resources, The Long Hair Community, has posted an excellent list of silicones used in hair care products. There are a couple of technical inaccuracies here and there, but overall this is a very comprehensive list of what you’ll see on the ingredient lists of the products you buy. It’s a bit long, but we thought we’d reprint it here in it’s entirety for your reference. And it took a lot of time to compile this, so a BIG THANKS to the ladies at the Long Hair Community – it’s one of the best non toxic beauty blogs we’ve ever seen!
Silicone Ingredients Used In Hair Care Products
Amodimethicone- Trimethylsilylamodimethicone- A non-curable amine silicone fluid for hair care products and decorative cosmetics. Provides water resistance.
Amodimethicone (&) C11-15 Pareth-7 (&) Laureth-9 (&) Glycerin (&) Trideceth-12-
An amine functional micro-emulsion for clear, aqueous-based hair products.
Amodimethicone (&) Trideceth-12 (&) Cetrimonium Chloride- Cationic emulsion for hair conditioning.
Bisamino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl PG-Propyl Dimethicone- Provides excellent hair conditioning without build-up. Ideal for use in products designed to treat colour, perm, sun and heat-damaged hair.
Bis-Phenylpropyl Dimethicone- A colourless silicone fluid with high RI, low viscosity and volatility, shine enhancement and luxurious feel.
C30-45 Alkyl Dimethicone- Superior compatibility with both silicones and organics. Can be used as a thickening agent which gives a unique silky skin feel.
Cetearyl Methicone- A soft, waxy material; excellent lubricity and spreadability.
Cetyl Dimethicone- Occlusive film forming for skin conditioners.
Cetyl PEG/PPG-15/15 Butyl Ether Dimethicone- A silicone emulsifier for use in the preparation of water-in-oil emulsions. Also offers good emulsification of paraffin oils and vegetable triglycerides.
Cyclomethicone (&) PEG/PPG-20/15 Dimethicone- For formulating water-in-oil emulsions, particularly water-in-silicone emulsions. Excellent aesthetics.
Cyclopentasiloxane- Cyclomethicone D5- Provides improved efficacy in antiperspirants and wet combing in hair conditioners.
Cyclopentasiloxane (&) C30-45 Alkyl Cetearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer- Provides a unique feeling during rub-in followed by a soft powdery feel for an extended period. Ideal for cream to powder formulations.
Cyclopentasiloxane (&) Cyclohexasiloxane- Available in three different proportions offering low viscosity, a relatively high volatility and a cyclic structure.
Cyclopentasiloxane (&) Dimethicone- The basis for hair serums. Conditioning without build up.
Cyclopentasiloxane (&) Dimethicone/Vinyldimethicone Crosspolymer- An elastomer dispersion resulting in a smooth, highly viscous gel with a unique silky feel on application.
Cyclopentasiloxane (&) Dimethiconol- Provides a smooth, velvety feel without greasiness. Useful for skincare and hair conditioning.
Cyclopentasiloxane (&) Trimethylsiloxysilicate- Silicone resin blended with Cyclopentasiloxane. Provides water resistance.
Cyclotetrasiloxane- Cyclomethicone D4- A volatile silicone for improving skin feel in applications such as anti-perspirants.
DEA PG-Propyl PEG/PPG-18/21 Dimethicone- Enhances the performance of shampoos and conditioners with improved gloss, manageability and moisturizing properties.
Diisostearoyl Trimethylolpropane Siloxy Silicate- Highly substantive to skin, has good lubricity and spreadability. Compatible with organic oils and waxes.
Dimethicone Copolyol
Dimethicone (&) Laureth-4 (&) Laureth-23- Non-ionic silicone emulsion for 2-in-1 shampoos.
Dimethicone (&) Trimethylsiloxysilicate- Water resistant, non-tacky film, ideal for sun screens.
Dimethicone (from 1 to 1,000,000 cs)- The original silicone ‘oil’. A complete range is available from the highly mobile 1-20 cs, the popular 50-500 cs and the heavier 1,000-1,000,000 cs.
Dimethiconol (&) Sodium Dodecylbenzenesulphonate- An anionic emulsion for leave-in hair products. Disperses well in aqueous preparations and gives the hair good texture.
Diphenyl Dimethicone- A heat-resistant silicone with good film-forming properties. Used as a skin conditioning and anti foaming agent.
Disiloxane- Volatile replacement for ethanol in APs and aerosols.
Lauryl Methicone Copolyol
PCA Dimethicone- Functional over a broad pH range and offers excellent smoothing, conditioning and emolliency properties in many different applications.
PEG/PPG-20/15 Dimethicone- Previously referred to as Dimethicone Copolyol. A very versatile, water soluble polyether modified silicone for use in skin and hair products.
PEG-12 Dimethicone- Previously referred to as Dimethicone Copolyol. A very versatile, water soluble polyether modified silicone for use in skin and hair products.
Phenyl Trimethicone- A very popular high gloss silicone for spray-on hair products. Also provides emolliency and water repellency in skin care products.
Polysilicone-18 Cetyl Phosphate- Color-retaining conditioner for hair products. Also offers thermal protection and a slick, soft after-feel. Excellent solubility and compatibility with most surfactants.
Silicone Resin Spheres (2, 5 & 6 micron)- Fine, white spherical particles give slip and lubricity in pressed and loose powders.
Simethicone- A mixture of Dimethicone and hydrated silica, used as an antifoaming agent. Available in two grades.
Stearoxy Dimethicone
Stearyl Dimethicone
Trimethylsiloxysilicate- A solid silicone resin for decorative cosmetics. Provides water resistance.
Trisiloxane- Anti foaming and skin conditioning agent.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
These big complicated names are fun and everything. and you have great explanations of what they are actually used for and why. But what I want to know is where do these ingredients come from?
is there a Dodecylbenzenesulphonate river somewhere?
or a Bis-Phenylpropyl Dimethicone mine?
Are the chemicals extracted from plants? or from someone’s dirty underwhere?
The one thing no one mentions: any silicone compound in haircare products basically makes naturally curly hair straight and flat. I don’t know what it does to permed hair…it may act totally different….but if you have natural curl and can’t for the life of you figure out what wrong with it these last 5-10 years, I can tell you – it’s silicone compounds in your shampoo/conditioner/styling products!
Teri,
Thanks for your comment You’re right, some silicones can make hair go flat. But it depends on which silicone and how much is used in the formula. It’s not as simple as looking for “cone” in the ingredient list.
Hi Beautybrains! I find this article very informative and im just discover it by backreading your articles. I just want to know, because it is in my shampoo the ingredient called Dimethiconol (and) TEA-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, i just want to know what ingredient is this because i found on the internet that TEA-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate is drying to the hair but this shampoo doesn’t dry my hair. And i just want to know how to read an ingredient list that list the word “and” with parentheses in it like the one above and others like cyclomethicone (and) dimethicone, cyclopentasiloxane (and) cyclotetrasiloxane, etc.? And lastly I want to know the difference between dimethiconol and dimethicone? Sorry for my poor english and more power to your website and also thank you beautybrains because you help me a lot to become more beauty and brains!
I am looking for a substitute for a hair serum with these ingredients: Water, Cyclomethicone, Raspberry Dimethicone, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vit. E), Sodium Polyacrylate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Trideceth-6, Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol, Benzoic Acid, Dehydroacetic Acid.
It has a light amount of hold, but I’m assuming the silicones are what help my hair the most. If I were to use a pretty simple (and cheap) silicone serum, would I mostly just need one with cyclomethicone and dimethicone in it, or is it likely that the phenyl trimethicone and/or other ingredients are really necessary too?
Are you aware of any products that I could use as a substitute for this one?
The most important ingredients in this formula are Cyclomethicone and Dimethicone. The sodium polyacrylate is what’s responsible for the little hold that you feel. The rest of the ingredients are pretty much irrelevant.
I’m doing a science assessment at school and i am studying the inclusion of certain chemicals in hair products. i started using a certain product throughout an experiment and my hair went greasy much faster, it dried out my ends, it flattened and it didn’t have the clean bounce it usually does – i was wondering if Dimethicone was the main issue to the changes in my hair.
Many thanks for the above work you have done, it is a great help!
Without knowing any of the other ingredients, it is difficult to say. Dimethicone could cause a problem but so could any number of cationic polymers that are also used for conditioning.
Like the first commenter, I want to know where these ingredients come from. Are they produced in labs, I’m guessing??
Also… do silicones REALLY make your hair fall out? Why would someone prefer to use non silicone shampoo instead? What are the benefits? When I worked at LUSH, my manager literally told me that silicones would cause my hair to fall out…. so if I ever use silicone products I apply not at the roots but at the ends of my hair because sometimes I do like that “slippery” feeling, it’s great for detangling too. (I can understand SLS making your skin/hair too dry, which would be a reason why you wouldn’t want to use SLS shampoos…but yeah….IDK about silicones!)
It just makes no sense to me why a lot of LUSH girls refuse to use silicone shampoo and yet they apply tons of other products like hair sprays and hair softeners once they’re out of the shower which are chock-full of good ol’ dimethicone. …?
@Kate: With all due respect to the experts at LUSH, if silicones made hair fall out there would be a LOT more bald women out there. For an explanation why, see this post: http://thebeautybrains.com/2011/11/12/do-conditioners-cause-your-hair-to-fall-out/
Where are these ingredients made? They’re made by plants. Chemical manufacturing plants, that is. (That’s like coming from a lab only on a larger scale.)
Is there a hair care product or other moisturiser, shaving cream currently retailing with a dimethicone or Polydimethylsiloxane content of 4%or above and/ or how do I work out on ingredient list what the percentage would be, reason for this is for head lice treatment. Health organization in australia just recommended 2 new products with high silicone content as a very good treatment, but as usual the 2 retailers of this product one is NYDA are expensive for a single parent family having to treat all members frequently due to ongoing infestations at my daughters school. Thank you for any replies.
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