The Benefits of Reactive Silicones in Cosmetics

What are Reactive Silicones and How are they Used in Cosmetics?

Reac­tive sil­i­cones, also known as func­tion­al sil­i­cones, are a class of sil­i­cones that have unique prop­er­ties that make them ide­al for use in cos­met­ics. They con­tain reac­tive func­tion­al groups, such as hydrox­yl, amino, or methacry­loxy groups, which allow them to form chem­i­cal bonds with oth­er ingre­di­ents in a cos­met­ic for­mu­la­tion. This prop­er­ty makes them use­ful as con­di­tion­ing agents and emol­lients, as they can help to improve the feel and per­for­mance of cos­met­ic products.

In cos­met­ics, reac­tive sil­i­cones are often used as a blend with oth­er ingre­di­ents to improve the spread­abil­i­ty and tex­ture of the prod­uct. For exam­ple, they can be used to increase the slip and spread­abil­i­ty of lotions, creams, and serums, mak­ing them eas­i­er to apply and pro­vid­ing a silky, smooth feel on the skin. Addi­tion­al­ly, they can pro­vide mois­tur­iz­ing ben­e­fits by form­ing a pro­tec­tive bar­ri­er on the skin, help­ing to pre­vent water loss and main­tain skin hydration.

Types of Reactive Silicones

The most com­mon types of reac­tive sil­i­cones used in cos­met­ics are sil­i­cones con­tain­ing hydrox­yl, amino, and epoxy func­tion­al groups. Hydrox­yl-func­tion­al sil­i­cones, such as Sila­plane FM-4421 , are the most wide­ly used type of reac­tive sil­i­cone in cos­met­ics. They are hydropho­bic (water-repel­lent) and pro­vide a silky, smooth feel on the skin. They are also com­mon­ly used as a blend­ing ingre­di­ent to improve the spread­abil­i­ty and tex­ture of cos­met­ic prod­ucts, and to pro­vide mois­tur­iz­ing ben­e­fits. Hydroxy groups are bet­ter suit­ed for Ure­thane resin and Polyester.

Amino-func­tion­al sil­i­cones, such as Sila­plane FM-3325, are also wide­ly used in cos­met­ics. They are known for their abil­i­ty to pro­vide excel­lent con­di­tion­ing and detan­gling prop­er­ties to hair, as well as to enhance the spread­abil­i­ty and tex­ture of cos­met­ic prod­ucts. They can be found in hair care prod­ucts such as sham­poos and con­di­tion­ers, and are often used to improve the feel and man­age­abil­i­ty of hair, as well as to pro­vide a smooth and shiny appear­ance. Amino groups are flex­i­ble and com­pat­i­ble with Polyamide, Poly­imide, Epoxy and Urea resins.

Methacry­loxy-func­tion­al sil­i­cones, such as Sila­plane FM-7711, are less com­mon­ly used in cos­met­ics, but they have unique prop­er­ties that make them use­ful in cer­tain appli­ca­tions. For exam­ple, they can help to improve the adhe­sion of oth­er ingre­di­ents in a for­mu­la­tion, such as pig­ments or par­ti­cles, and can also improve the water resis­tance of sun­screens. Methacry­lox­ies are almost exclu­sive­ly com­pat­i­ble with Acrylics.

Physical Properties and Benefits of Reactive Silicones in Cosmetics

In addi­tion to their phys­i­cal prop­er­ties, reac­tive sil­i­cones can also enhance the per­for­mance of oth­er cos­met­ic ingre­di­ents. For exam­ple, they can help to improve the longevi­ty and sta­bil­i­ty of cos­met­ic prod­ucts by pre­vent­ing oxi­da­tion and evap­o­ra­tion of volatile ingre­di­ents. They can also serve as a deliv­ery sys­tem for active ingre­di­ents, help­ing to improve their effi­ca­cy and absorp­tion into the skin.

Over­all, reac­tive sil­i­cones play an impor­tant role in the for­mu­la­tion of many cos­met­ic prod­ucts, con­tribut­ing to their phys­i­cal and per­for­mance prop­er­ties. The spe­cif­ic type of reac­tive sil­i­cone used in a cos­met­ic for­mu­la­tion is typ­i­cal­ly cho­sen based on the desired prop­er­ties and per­for­mance require­ments of the final prod­uct. For exam­ple, hydrox­yl-func­tion­al sil­i­cones may be pre­ferred for their mois­tur­iz­ing ben­e­fits, while amino-func­tion­al sil­i­cones may be used for their con­di­tion­ing and detan­gling properties.

Over­all, reac­tive sil­i­cones are an essen­tial ingre­di­ent in many cos­met­ic prod­ucts, con­tribut­ing to their phys­i­cal prop­er­ties and per­for­mance. Whether used as a blend­ing ingre­di­ent to improve the spread­abil­i­ty and tex­ture of prod­ucts, as a con­di­tion­ing agent for hair, or as a deliv­ery sys­tem for active ingre­di­ents, reac­tive sil­i­cones have a wide range of appli­ca­tions in the cos­met­ics industry.

We sup­port a wide prod­uct range with mul­ti­ple mol­e­c­u­lar weights and vis­cosi­ties and we can pro­duce new grades after con­sul­ta­tion with our RnD depart­ment. Please con­tact us to dis­cuss your requirements.