The Silicone-Free Claim as a Cosmetic Ingredient
The “Silicone free” claim, made in certain personal care products, has gained momentum solely as a niche marketing tool to suggest such formulations are somehow safer, more healthy or offer enhanced environment credentials than otherwise.
In fact such misinformation is pedaled through blogs and social networks with vested interests rather than through rigorous scientific premise.
Mintel presented a view on silicones in 2014 that consumers in Germany, France, Italy and Spain do not know much about silicones and 10% had never heard of the ingredient and therefore in a weak position to make any sound judgements.
Silicone as a Cosmetic Ingredient
Silicone is a catch-all word for one of the most useful and broadest class of raw materials used across all sectors of the personal care industry.
Since the 1950’s, this class of additives has imparted desirable multifunctional effect and represents a key go-to solution based on performance- price considerations. It is estimated that over 50 percent of all new cosmetic products launched contain at least one silicone.
Silicones as Petroleum Derivatives?
Often formulators and consumers mistakenly believe that silicones are petrochemicals derived from oil. In fact, the silicone science starts with sand, also known as silica or quartz, composed of two of the most abundant elements on earth: oxygen and silicon.
Are Silicones Natural?
Silicones do not grow on trees, but neither do most ingredients termed “natural” used in a cosmetic formulators laboratory. Most of them have been highly processed and refined resulting in a sizeable environmental footprint.
Naturals are perceived as safer, but what constitutes “natural”? There are no industry standards or agreed definitions within current legislation, only significant debate. Indeed “naturals” present their own drawbacks as assay and commercial position can be highly impacted per harvest.
By contrast, the optimized process routes to synthesise silicone from sand enable consistently tight physical and chemical specifications making life easier in the lab.
Are Silicones Arming the Ozone Layer?
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are the family of chemicals harming the ozone layer, not silicones. Chlorine gas disrupts ozone formation in the earths upper atmosphere, which is where the damaging reactions occur. Silicones do not contain chlorine, which means they cannot contribute to this disruption.
Do Silicones Contribute to Smog?
The chemicals that contribute to urban smog are volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These include acetone, ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, methacrylates and ethyl acetate; such compounds are formulated into fragrances, nail and hair products and some cleansing formulations.
Silicones should be considered as inorganic, therefore cannot be described as smog contributing VOCs. But the legislations are not everywhere the same.
In Europe, Low linear siloxanes and cyclics (D4, D5 & D6) are considered from the Council Directive 1999/13/EC of 11th March 1999 as organic and in certain cases seen as VOC.
In the USA, the same products-Volatile methylsiloxane (VMS) – are exempt from VOC legislation because laboratory experiments at the University of California demonstrated that, in contrast to other organic compounds of similar reactivity, the breakdown of VMSs in the atmosphere does not lead to the formation of ground-level ozone (CES, 2005b).
Are Silicones Biodegradable?
Although silicones aren’t biodegradable in the traditional sense, they do degrade in the environment, breaking down into water, silica and/ or silicate and carbondioxide. The degradation trigger for low molecular- weight silicones, including cyclopentasiloxane, is sunlight and oxygen.
Heavier weight silicones are not susceptible to degradation by UV, oxidation or ozone, instead they seek solid, water-free surfaces, adsorbing preferentially onto the biomass formed in effluent treatment plants. This sludge, as it is known in the water treatment industry, is ultimately incinerated.
When deposited over soil, mineral clays catalyze the breakdown of the silicone’s polymer backbone.
This can take weeks and months if the soil remains wet, but if the soil dries, it can take only days. Inspection of soils treated with high concentrations of silicone showed negligible impact of microorganism activity, nor harm to plant germination and growth.
Do Silicones Bioaccumulate in Humans and Other Animals?
Silicones do not bioaccumulate as they are too large to pass through cell membranes a key requirement for bioaccumulation.
Are Silicones Safe?
Extensive research has been conducted by, and on behalf of, the silicone industry to qualify and document the use and properties of this class of raw material within their intended cosmetic application.
A body of evidence exists within the public domain reinforcing our assurance that silicones in personal care are safe for the environment and human use.
Özge Yüksel Özel
Technical Business Development Manager
Personal Care
Azelis Turkey
