PEG-15/Lauryl Dimethicone Crosspolymer ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is primarily a texture and emulsion stabilizer, especially in water-in-oil and silicone-rich formulas. It helps thicken the oil phase, improve slip, disperse pigments, and stabilize droplets.
What does PEG-15/Lauryl Dimethicone Crosspolymer do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is primarily a texture and emulsion stabilizer, especially in water-in-oil and silicone-rich formulas. It helps thicken the oil phase, improve slip, disperse pigments, and stabilize droplets.
Is PEG-15/Lauryl Dimethicone Crosspolymer clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it has friction because it is a synthetic, ethoxylated silicone-based polymer rather than a simple biodegradable material. It is generally low-irritation, but clean frameworks may flag ethoxylation residues and silicone persistence.
Is PEG-15/Lauryl Dimethicone Crosspolymer sustainable?
This material is synthetically produced from silicon-based and petrochemical feedstocks. It is not readily biodegradable, and crosslinked silicone polymers are associated with environmental persistence concerns.
Is PEG-15/Lauryl Dimethicone Crosspolymer COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards because silicone polymers and ethoxylated materials do not fit the standard’s allowed chemistry. Its Green Chemistry profile is weak due to nonrenewable feedstocks, limited biodegradability, and more complex processing.
How does PEG-15/Lauryl Dimethicone Crosspolymer work chemically?
The molecule is a crosslinked organosiloxane elastomer modified with hydrophilic ethoxylated chains and long-chain alkyl groups, which gives it both emulsifying and oil-phase structuring behavior. It is typically used at low single-digit percentages, is broadly pH-stable in anhydrous and emulsion systems, and is often paired with volatile or lightweight emollients to build a smooth gel network.
Last updated 2026-05-13