A silicone with dimethyl and diphenyl units, used as an emollient and conditioning agent.
What it is
Diphenyl dimethicone is a silicone polymer built from both dimethylsiloxane and diphenylsiloxane units. CosIng lists it as an antifoaming agent, emollient, emulsifying surfactant and hair- and skin-conditioning ingredient.
Where it is used
Found in hair care products, creams, sunscreens, makeup and other products.
Limits of interpretation
The INCI list shows which ingredients are present, not how much of each. Above 1%, ingredients are listed in descending order of weight; below 1% the order is free.
The proportion of phenyl groups and the chain length can vary, so the raw material is not a single compound.
Functions
- Antifoaming
- Suppressing foam during manufacturing or reducing the tendency of finished products to generate foam.
- Skin conditioning – emollient
- Acting as lubricants on the skin surface providing the skin with a soft and smooth appearance.
- Surfactant – emulsifying
- Helping suspensions or dispersions of liquids in a second liquid by reducing the surface tension of the substances to be emulsified.
- Hair conditioning
- Enhancing the appearance and feel of hair. Leaving the hair easy to comb, supple, soft and shiny and/or imparting volume, lightness, gloss, texture, etc.
- Skin conditioning
- Maintaining the skin in good condition.
EU regulation
This ingredient is not listed in the annexes of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 in the CosIng data.