PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a nonionic emulsifier, surfactant, and conditioning agent. It helps disperse water and oil phases, improves slip, and can stabilize leave-on formulas with a smooth, cushiony feel.
What does PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a nonionic emulsifier, surfactant, and conditioning agent. It helps disperse water and oil phases, improves slip, and can stabilize leave-on formulas with a smooth, cushiony feel.
Is PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it has friction because it is a synthetic organosilicon polymer with ethoxylated and propoxylated segments, and those chemistries can carry processing-residue concerns if not well purified. Skin irritation is generally low, but many restricted-list programs flag this family because of persistence and sourcing rather than acute skin tolerance.
Is PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone sustainable?
This material is primarily petrochemical and mineral-derived, with limited renewable-content alignment. It is not considered readily biodegradable, and polymeric organosilicon materials can persist in the environment.
Is PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards. Its fit with Green Chemistry is weak because it relies on synthetic organosilicon chemistry and petrochemical polyether building blocks, with poor biodegradability compared with plant-derived emulsifier systems.
How does PEG/PPG-14/4 Dimethicone work chemically?
The molecule is an amphiphilic graft copolymer, with a hydrophobic organosilicon backbone and hydrophilic polyether side chains made from ethylene oxide and propylene oxide units. It is typically used at low single-digit levels as an emulsifier, dispersant, or sensory modifier, and it is broadly stable across common cosmetic pH ranges.
Last updated 2026-05-15