SIMTHEICONE ●
TL;DR. It is an antifoaming and defoaming agent, used to suppress bubbles during manufacturing and reduce foam in finished formulas. In skin products, it can also contribute slip and a light protective feel.
What does SIMTHEICONE do in a cosmetic formula?
It is an antifoaming and defoaming agent, used to suppress bubbles during manufacturing and reduce foam in finished formulas. In skin products, it can also contribute slip and a light protective feel.
Is SIMTHEICONE clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, this ingredient has friction because it is silicone-based and commonly appears on restricted lists that limit non-biodegradable polymers. It is generally well tolerated on skin, so the concern is more standards alignment than irritation.
Is SIMTHEICONE sustainable?
This material is synthetic and petrochemical or mineral-derived, depending on the feedstocks and processing route. It is not readily biodegradable and may persist in wastewater pathways, which weakens its sustainability profile.
Is SIMTHEICONE COSMOS-approved?
It is not aligned with COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic formulas because synthetic silicone materials are not permitted in those standards. From a Green Chemistry lens, its low reactivity and skin tolerability are positives, but poor biodegradability and non-renewable sourcing are key drawbacks.
How does SIMTHEICONE work chemically?
The molecule is a silicone-based antifoam system, pairing a hydrophobic polysiloxane fluid with finely divided inorganic particles to destabilize air bubbles at liquid interfaces. It is typically used at low levels, often below 1%, is stable across a broad pH range, and is chemically inert in most cosmetic emulsions and surfactant systems.
Last updated 2026-05-15