What is DIMETHICONE anyway?
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Hello there,
So this post will be one of an educational purpose. As I have been in the hair and beauty industry for over 10 years now, and after my own diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, I began my journey into self-education around ingredients in mainstream beauty products. Fast forward to 2021, and I am now studying to gain my qualification as a Cosmetic Chemist.
The more I learn, the greater my understanding of the industry, and the ingredients that go into skincare, and cosmetics. And also which ingredients I would or wouldn't personally recommend or use in my products.
One of my 'pet-hates' is that brands make particular claims about their products, assuming that customers aren't aware of the marketing 'blindfold' put onto them. They focus on marketing themselves as 'natural' when in fact ingredients like Dimethicone are certainly not natural, they are synthesised.
One of the first ingredients that I want to raise your awareness about is DIMETHICONE. This can be interchangeably named SILICONE. I have seen products that claim to be silicone-free, and yet still contain Dimethicone. These are one and the same, and although they may be produced by different raw ingredient manufacturers, the name on the label represents the same ingredient.
Silicone's are added for the purpose of 'skin-feel', or 'smoothness', you will probably find dimethicone in the conditioner you use, or in your foundation.
Just give it a try, pick up your items and see if you can pick the silicone (aka dimethicone), and you may be often surprised that even in 'natural' products, it would have this sneaky ingredient in their formula.
Dimethicone aka silicones are not natural ingredients, they can often be an irritant, in terms of skincare, and makeup, they block the pores (therefore suffocating the skin), and by blocking the pores, they can cause whiteheads, blackheads if not sufficiently cleansed, and an overall dehydrated look to the skin.
"The literature indicates that they exhibit toxic effects, for example: cancerogenicity, modifications in proteins conformation, influence on the immune system, genotoxicity, skin irritations, intraocular pressure increase and teratogenicity" (Wang et al., 2013; Mojsiewicz-Pieńkowska, 2014).
My products do not contain Dimethicone, or any silicone, are hypo-allergenic (i.e. non-irritant), and non-comodegenic (i.e. pimple causing).
I invite you to make a switch to my products so you can see and feel the difference of using products without silicone.
Made with love, Gemma Vendetta
*small print - always read the labels, always discontinue use if irritation occurs.