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Cyclomethicone
AKA “Silicone”
Emollient
Ingredient Facts
Cyclomethicone
AKA: Silicone
Emollient · Emollient · EWG: 6
Synthetic
Emollient
Solvent
Skin Conditioner
Hair Care
Silicone
Not Clean
Cyclomethicone is a generic name for a mixture of cyclic dimethyl polysiloxane compounds that conform to the formula, where n has a value between 4 and 6.
Formula
C10H30O5Si5
Mol. Weight
370.77
CAS #
69430-24-6, 556-67-2, 541-02-6, 540-97-6
Form
Liquid
State
Liquid
See origin →
Functions
Hair Conditioning
A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.
Emollient
Fills in the tiny cracks between skin cells to make everything feel smooth and soft. The "silky finish" ingredient.
Solvent
Dissolves other ingredients so they distribute evenly in the formula. Often the invisible "base" everything else is mixed into.
Locks In Moisture
Traditional Use
A cyclic silicone oligomer synthesized in the 1970s-1980s. Developed as a volatile silicone fluid for cosmetics, providing a dry, non-greasy feel while improving product spread and texture compared to traditional mineral oils.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
General
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
EWG
6
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Regulatory Status
USA✔ permitted
EU✔ permitted
JAPAN✔ permitted
CANADA✔ permitted
Structural Similarity-Induced Inter-Component Interaction in Silicone Polymer-Based Composite Sunscreen Film for Enhanced UV Protection.
Chen Y, Xu H, Liu Y, Fu Q, Zhang P et al.
Polymers, 2024
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Structural Similarity-Induced Inter-Component Interaction in Silicone Polymer-Based Composite Sunscreen Film for Enhanced UV Protection.
Chen Y, Xu H, Liu Y, Fu Q, Zhang P et al.
Polymers, 2024
→
Structural Similarity-Induced Inter-Component Interaction in Silicone Polymer-Based Composite Sunscreen Film for Enhanced UV Protection.
Chen Y, Xu H, Liu Y, Fu Q, Zhang P et al.
Polymers, 2024
→
Structural Similarity-Induced Inter-Component Interaction in Silicone Polymer-Based Composite Sunscreen Film for Enhanced UV Protection.
Chen Y, Xu H, Liu Y, Fu Q, Zhang P et al.
Polymers, 2024
→
Structural Similarity-Induced Inter-Component Interaction in Silicone Polymer-Based Composite Sunscreen Film for Enhanced UV Protection.
Chen Y, Xu H, Liu Y, Fu Q, Zhang P et al.
Polymers, 2024
→
Safety Assessment of Polysilicone-11 as Used in Cosmetics.
Cherian P, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Cohen DE, Klaassen CD et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2024
→
Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Cyclomethicone
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
Safety assessment of Cyclomethicone, Cyclotetrasiloxane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane and Cycloheptasiloxane
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
Safety Assessment of Polysilicone-11 as Used in Cosmetics
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
Cyclomethicone
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Polysilicone-11
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Cyclomethicone
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Polysilicone-11
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Addressing the Structural Organization of Silicone Alternatives in Formulations by Molecular Dynamics Simulations and a Novel Equilibration Protocol.
Ferreira T, Loureiro A, Noro J, Cavaco-Paulo A, Castro TG
Polymers, 2023
→
Safety assessment of cyclomethicone, cyclotetrasiloxane, ...
Wilbur Johnson, Wilma F Bergfeld, Donald V Belsito, Ronald A Hill, Curtis D Klaassen, Daniel C Liebler + 5 more
International journal of toxicology, 2011
→
Safety assessment of cyclomethicone, cyclotetrasiloxane, ...
Wilbur Johnson, Wilma F Bergfeld, Donald V Belsito, Ronald A Hill, Curtis D Klaassen, Daniel C Liebler + 5 more
International journal of toxicology, 2011
→
Safety assessment of cyclomethicone, cyclotetrasiloxane, cyclopentasiloxane, cyclohexasiloxane, and cycloheptasiloxane.
Johnson W Jr, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Hill RA, Klaassen CD et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2011
→
Safety assessment of cyclomethicone, cyclotetrasiloxane, cyclopentasiloxane, cyclohexasiloxane, and cycloheptasiloxane.
Johnson W Jr, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Hill RA, Klaassen CD et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2011
→
Safety assessment of cyclomethicone, cyclotetrasiloxane, cyclopentasiloxane, cyclohexasiloxane, and cycloheptasiloxane.
Johnson W Jr, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Hill RA, Klaassen CD et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2011
→
Effects of silicone emulsifiers on in vitro skin permeation of sunscreens from cosmetic emulsions.
Montenegro L, Paolino D, Puglisi G
Journal of cosmetic science, 2004
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Design and Characterization of Silicone and Surfactant Based Systems for Topical Drug Delivery.
Oyafuso MH, Carvalho FC, Chiavacci LA, Gremião MP, Chorilli M
Journal of nanoscience and nanotechnology, 2015
→
Design and Characterization of Silicone and Surfactant Based Systems for Topical Drug Delivery.
Oyafuso MH, Carvalho FC, Chiavacci LA, Gremião MP, Chorilli M
Journal of nanoscience and nanotechnology, 2015
→
Verified Jun 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR