Cyclopentasiloxane in Skincare: What's the Best Natural Alternative?

As consumers are increasingly prioritizing sustainability and including more natural ingredients in their beauty routines, the skincare industry faces a significant challenge: finding genuine alternatives to traditional silicones like cyclopentasiloxane (D5).

This volatile silicone has been favored in hair and skincare formulas due to its ability to provide a silky, emollient feel and enable smooth product application. However, as the environmental impact awareness about makeup grows, brands are recognizing the need to use bio-based solutions.

So, why are so many companies distancing themselves from cyclopentasiloxane? What qualities should a cyclopentasiloxane skincare alternative possess to make sure that products remain effective and enjoyable to use?

Join us as we delve into the reasons behind this and explore how RE: CHEMISTRY's NEW320 sustainably meets the industry's evolving needs.

Why Is Cyclopentasiloxane Dangerous?

Cyclopentasiloxane, often referred to as D5, is commonly used as an emollient and carrier in skincare cosmetics. You can find it in nearly every personal care product, including conditioners, serums, sunscreens, and similar items.

D5 is responsible for giving these products a smooth, non-greasy texture. While it remains widely used, the main concerns surrounding the use of D5 in skincare relate to its environmental persistence and regulatory issues. Cyclopentasiloxane is a stable and non-reactive compound, meaning it degrades very slowly in nature.

Researches indicate that D5 can persist in water and soil for years, with detectable amounts found in surface waters and, more alarmingly, in living organisms such as fish, birds, and mammals. One report estimates that several tons of silicones, including D5, enter EU waterways each year.

This environmental concern prompted regulatory action: in 2018, the EU limited D5 to 0.1% in rinse-off cosmetics from early 2020 and in 2024 in all the other cosmetic products (including leave-on) after 6 June 2027.The last restriction applies to other silicones as well, namely D4 (octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane) and D6 (dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane): both D4 and D6 have persistent and bioaccumulative properties, with D4 also suspected to cause fertility issues.Moreover, the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) deemed the use of D5 unsafe in hair styling aerosols and sun care spray products, since, for these products, at the maximal declared concentrations, exposure to D5 may lead to unsafe airborne concentrations and, with that, local aerosol deposition toxicity.

Therefore, while D5 is safe in precise dosages, As a result, in view of its environmental impact and the strict limitations adopted by the EU, personal care formulators started to develop further innovations in plant-derived solvents and emollients

Key Qualities of a Cyclopentasiloxane Alternative

To justify a D5 alternative with natural personal care ingredients, it's important to note that this substitute should boast all the D5 benefits while avoiding its drawbacks. Here are the key performance attributes to consider:

Light Texture and Fast Evaporation

The alternative should deliver a light, non-tacky feel. It should spread quickly and dry down smoothly, leaving a soft, powdery finish. This requires a very low viscosity and low vapor pressure, allowing the liquid to evaporate quickly without any greasy residue. For instance, our NEW320 has a viscosity of approximately 3.5 mPa·s and a vapor pressure of around 0.0039 kPa at 20°C, effortlessly matching the fast-drying profile of D5.

Excellent Solvency Power

The ideal bio-based solvent must effectively dissolve oils, UV filters, and other active ingredients. This means it should be able to solubilize common organic ingredients found in sunscreens, pigments, or fragrances. RE:CHEMISTRY's plant-based solvents offer excellent solubilizing properties that are compatible with a wide range of actives.

Soft, Silky Sensory Effect

A significant part of D5's appeal is the velvety skin feel it provides to personal care products. Consequently, an alternative should also offer a soft, silky touch with a matte finish without any greasiness. Our NEW320 delivers this effect, providing a soft, silky touch and an excellent matte finish in skincare formulations.

Broad Ingredient Compatibility

The right replacement for D5 must mix well with a variety of ingredients, including oils, esters, emulsifiers, pigments, and fragrances. In this regard, the NEW320 solvent is highly compatible with other formulation ingredients, working well with organic UV filters, pigments, fragrance oils, fatty acids, and more.

Safe and Sustainable Source

NEW320, as a biomass by-product, is ultimately biodegradable. Moreover, it is non-flammable and non-toxic to aquatic life, making it safer for handling and disposal. This combination of safety and sustainability makes NEW320 a reliable choice for formulators, contributing to an eco-friendly beauty industry.

At RE:CHEMISTRY, we've achieved all these features without harming the environment. By choosing bio-based solvents like NEW320 as a formulator, you will gain a massive advantage while reducing the environmental footprint at the same time, aligning with the growing demand for sustainable beauty products.

Bio-Based Alternatives to Cyclopentasiloxane

In recent years, several alternatives to D5 have emerged, and many brands have begun using ingredients like glycerin, esters, and silicone mimetics to partially replace it. However, few of these alternatives match D5's performance.

Pure botanical oils, such as jojoba and argan oil, offer moisturizing benefits but can feel heavy and greasy on the skin when compared to the fast-evaporating nature of silicones. While water-soluble silicones are available, they can be costly and come with certain limitations.

On the other hand, our bio-based solvent substitute, NEW320, is a safe and high-performing plant-based alternative to cyclopentasiloxane, delivering a soft, silky touch and an excellent matte finish for skincare products, matching D5's performance.

Key Attributes of NEW320:

- Plant-Based Origin: Our feedstock is partially derived from non-food biomass, and NEW320 is ultimately biodegradable, making NEW320 the perfect choice for formulators looking for ingredients with a green profile.

- Silicone-Like Fluidity: Its physical properties closely resemble those of D5, with a low viscosity of 3.52 mPa·s and a low vapor pressure of 0.0039 kPa at 20°C. This allows NEW320 to spread and dry as quickly as cyclopentasiloxane without leaving a greasy residue.

- High Compatibility: Similar to cyclomethicones, NEW320 dissolves organic UV filters, pigments, and oils, allowing for even distribution of active ingredients. This compatibility makes adaptation to existing formulas effortless.

- Safety Advantages: NEW320 is non-flammable and not classified for aquatic toxicity, emphasizing its benign ecological profile and ease of handling and disposal, as opposed to petrochemical solvents.

In summary, NEW320 combines the cyclopentasiloxane benefits with a natural, eco-friendly foundation. It represents a new class of plant-based solvents designed for personal care, providing formulators with a genuine green alternative.

Use Cases in Skincare with NEW-320

Our NEW-320 solvent belongs to the eco-conscious industrial chemicals designed for the personal care industry, offering a sustainable ingredient that does not compromise performance.

Formulators collaborating with us have successfully incorporated NEW320 into a wide range of products. Here are some key examples:

Sunscreens

NEW320 excels at solubilizing oil-soluble UV actives, making it an excellent replacement for petroleum or palm oil-derived solvents in sun care formulations. It is particularly effective at dissolving organic filters in sunscreens, enabling formulators to create greener sun care products without sacrificing SPF performance.

Skin Creams and Serums

In daily moisturizers and serums, NEW320 imparts a light, dry feel that mimics the texture of silicone oils. This allows formulators to eliminate cyclopentasiloxane and dimethicone while maintaining a smooth application. By integrating NEW320, formulators can enhance their product's naturality and sustainability metrics.

Color Cosmetics

NEW320 aids makeup product formulators in evenly dispersing pigments in foundations, lipsticks, and powders. Its strong solvency power ensures that pigments are easily wetted, preventing clumping and resulting in a smoother application with significantly improved coverage.

Makeup and Nail Polish Removers

Thanks to its solvency, NEW320 is perfect for makeup and nail polish removal formulas. It dissolves oily makeup and nail polishes, allowing efficient cleansing without the harshness of petroleum-based solvents.

Deodorants

NEW320 improves the deodorant sprays and cream textures, providing a silky feel that consumers appreciate. It offers slip and mild emolliency, allowing products to glide on the skin. The low odor and light texture are suitable for natural and conventional deodorant formulas.

Of course, NEW320's applications are not limited to these categories. Its compatibility with various ingredients means it can be utilized in virtually any personal care product that requires a silicone-like solvent. More importantly, in all cases, formulators can have the D5 benefits without harming the environment.

Choose Sustainably

Moving away from D5 doesn't mean that you need to compromise the products. On the contrary, RE: CHEMISTRY's NEW320 demonstrates that safety, sustainability, and sensory quality can coexist harmoniously.

We encourage cosmetic formulators and ingredient buyers to consider NEW320 for their next formulations. By partnering with RE:CHEMISTRY, you gain access to eco-friendly, plant-based solvents that are non-flammable, non-toxic, and high-performing.

We look forward to assisting you in creating high-performance, sustainable skincare that stands out in the market.