Silicone elastomer gels for cosmetics and personal care · Crosspolymer content and carrier fluid, loose versus tight crosslinking, penetration and refractive index, emulsifying PEG-crosslinked gels, D4/D5/D6 limits from 2027 in EU leave-on products, residual cyclics and safety assessment
An elastomer gel in daily chemicals is a cosmetic raw material in which a crosslinked silicone polymer (a crosspolymer) is swollen in a carrier fluid to form a translucent paste; formulators add it to skin care, make-up, sunscreens and antiperspirants to thicken them and give a soft, smooth or matte skin feel. Ask three things first: which crosspolymer and how much of it the gel contains, which carrier fluid it is swollen in, and which markets and product types (leave-on or wash-off) the finished cosmetic will be sold into, because the carrier decides regulatory fit.
Silicone elastomer gels for cosmetic and personal-care formulation: dimethicone, phenyl and PEG-modified crosspolymers supplied pre-swollen in carrier fluids. Silicone gels for medical scar or wound care (see medical silicone gels), silicone rubbers and sealants, aqueous hydrogels and carbomer gels, and finished cosmetic products are outside this page except where compared.
01
Shin-Etsu's KSG gel data sheets show how grades differ by crosspolymer content and carrier. KSG-15, INCI dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer with loose crosslinking, is a colourless transparent paste of 4–10% active in 90–96% D5 (cyclopentasiloxane), specific gravity 0.96, refractive index 1.397 and penetration 420. KSG-16, the same INCI with tight crosslinking, is 20–30% active in 70–80% 6 cSt dimethicone, refractive index 1.400 and penetration 330; both are listed as thickening agents with a soft skin feel and matte effect for make-up and skin care. [1] [2]
KSG-18A, a diphenylsiloxy phenyl trimethicone/dimethicone/phenyl vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, is 10–20% active in the diluent KF56A, with a refractive index of 1.495, penetration 340 and good compatibility with various oils, listed for sunscreen, make-up and skin care. Each sheet states storage below 25 °C in the unopened package, a 12-month shelf life from shipment, and that the values are not for specification purposes. [3] [1]
Editorial calculation: a formula containing 10% KSG-15 adds about 0.4–1.0% crosspolymer and 9.0–9.6% D5; the same 10% of KSG-16 adds 2–3% crosspolymer in dimethicone. Compare grades on crosspolymer delivered, not on gel added. [1] [2]
Give the supplier the product type (cream, foundation, sunscreen, antiperspirant), the oil phase it must thicken and be compatible with, target feel and clarity, required carrier (dimethicone, phenyl silicone, hydrocarbon or ester), whether it must emulsify water, target markets, and the specification items to be guaranteed (active %, penetration or viscosity, refractive index, residual cyclics, microbial limits).
02
Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/1328 amends REACH entry 70 so that D4, D5 and D6 (octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, decamethylcyclopentasiloxane and dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane) shall not be placed on the market in mixtures at 0.1% by weight or more of each; for D4 and D5 in wash-off cosmetics this applied after 31 January 2020, and for all other cosmetic products it applies after 6 June 2027. The regulation's derogations for D4/D5/D6 present as residues from silicone polymers cover uses such as sealing, coatings, devices and 3D printing, not cosmetics. [5]
Editorial note: a gel carried in 90–96% D5 cannot meet a 0.1% D5 limit in an EU leave-on cosmetic placed on the market after 6 June 2027, and gels in dimethicone or other carriers should be checked for residual D4, D5 and D6 from the silicone polymer; ask the supplier for the residual cyclics content of each lot. [5] [1]
On safety, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel reviewed 62 dimethicone crosspolymer ingredients — functioning as absorbents, bulking agents, film formers, emollients, slip modifiers and nonaqueous viscosity-increasing agents — addressed residual monomers, and concluded they are safe in the practices of use and concentration described in its 2014 assessment. [6]
Ask for the INCI name, CAS numbers, residual D4/D5/D6 per lot, REACH and other inventory status, transport classification (one D5-based gel is classed as a combustible liquid), safety data sheet and any restrictions on medical or food use.
03
The types below are drawn from the data sheets reviewed.
| Type | What a source shows | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Dimethicone crosspolymer in D5 | 4–10% active; loose crosslinking. [1] | EU 2027 leave-on limit. |
| Dimethicone crosspolymer in dimethicone | 20–30% active; tight crosslinking. [2] | Residual cyclics, feel. |
| Phenyl crosspolymer gel | 10–20% active in KF56A; RI 1.495; oil compatible. [3] | Clarity with your oils. |
| PEG-crosslinked emulsifying gel | Dimethicone/PEG-10/15 crosspolymer; quick-breaking creams. [4] | Water phase, stability. |
04
The companies in the manufacturer list below show this product on their own websites. Confirm the legal seller, factory and scope for your order.
05
This is a functional reference built from the sources cited; it is not one maker's formula.
| Part | Role | Fix in the order |
|---|---|---|
| Crosspolymer | Three-dimensional network giving body and feel. [1] [2] | INCI, active %, crosslinking. |
| Carrier fluid | Swells the network; sets feel and regulation. [1] [2] [5] | D5, dimethicone, phenyl or organic. |
| Hydrophilic groups | PEG units make the gel emulsify water. [4] | Emulsifying or not. |
| Residual monomers and cyclics | Left from polymer production. [6] [5] | Limits per lot. |
06
An elastomer gel quotation needs values for your formula and markets. The table explains each field, gives published values where a reviewed source states them, and says what to obtain from the supplier.
| Field | What it means and published values | Ask the supplier for |
|---|---|---|
| Active (crosspolymer) content | 4–10%, 10–20% or 20–30% by grade. [1] [3] [2] | Range guaranteed. |
| Carrier | D5, 6 cSt dimethicone or KF56A. [1] [2] [3] | Carrier and residual cyclics. |
| Consistency (penetration) | 330–420 across three grades. [2] [1] | Method and specification range. |
| Viscosity | No reviewed value; one maker uses penetration. | Value and method if used. |
| Refractive index | 1.397–1.495 by grade. [1] [3] | For clarity matching. |
| Specific gravity | 0.93–0.96 in two grades. [4] [1] | Value at stated temperature. |
| Volatile content | 10% max in one emulsifying gel. [4] | Method and limit. |
| Shelf life | 12 months below 25 °C, unopened. [1] | Retest date and storage. |
| Elastic modulus, hardness, tensile, elongation | Not stated on the reviewed sheets. | Whether any rheology data apply. |
| Water content and pH | Not stated on the reviewed sheets. | Specification if required. |
07
Paste it into your enquiry below or into an email to a maker, then replace every bracket.
Formula: [product type; oil phase; water phase; gel level] Gel: [crosspolymer; active %; carrier; emulsifying or not] Feel and look: [matte; silky; clarity; RI] Markets: [EU leave-on or wash-off; other regions] Specification: [penetration; residual D4/D5/D6; microbial] Supply: [pack size; shelf life; documents]
This company lists this product on its own website.
Its website lists silicone elastomer blends for daily chemical use, RH-5601 and RH-5602.
Product scope checked 2026-10-12
Explore company information and manufacturing capabilities, then discuss the scope of your project with a relevant supplier.
A crosslinked silicone polymer swollen in a carrier fluid, supplied as a paste; one maker's grades hold 4–30% crosspolymer. [1] [2]
From 6 June 2027 EU rules bar D5 at 0.1% or more in leave-on cosmetics, which a gel carried in 90–96% D5 would exceed. [5] [1]
The CIR Expert Panel concluded 62 dimethicone crosspolymers are safe in the practices of use and concentration it reviewed. [6]
Sources checked 2026-10-11. Shin-Etsu's data sheets describe one maker's gels and state they are not specifications; the EU regulation and CIR assessment are public regulatory and safety documents. Values for your gel must come from the supplier offered.
Ask for use case, specification boundaries, supplier type, and RFQ preparation information for this product.
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