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For more than half a century, silicones have become a firmly established part of cosmetic formulas, giving smoothness and texture to countless products at a low cost. But everything has a price. Silicones in cosmetics are a silent killer of your health and the planet. Up to 99% of conventional cosmetics - creams, serums, shower gels, shampoos, masks, cleansers, and even “natural” lines - contain silicones. This is no longer just a “safe additive”; it is a proven slow-acting poison you apply to your skin and hair every single day.
All synthetic cosmetics - without exception - are built on silicones
To make you instantly love the effect of a cosmetic product, silicones are always added. Check any cream, shampoo, mask, serum, or cleansing oil from mass-market or luxury brands - you will find at least one of the following INCI names:
- Dimethicone - the main silicone oil that forms a film on the skin.
- Cyclotetrasiloxane (D4)
- Cyclopentasiloxane (D5) - found in 70% of waterproof products.
- Cyclomethicone - volatile silicone for fast textures.
- Amodimethicone - hair conditioner, accumulates on the cuticle.
- Dimethiconol - silicone alcohol disguised as a “moisturizer”.
- Trimethylsiloxysilicate - silicate polymer, common in foundations, doesn’t end in “-cone”.
- Polypropylsilsesquioxane - branched silicone used in powders and serums.
- Phenyl Trimethicone - phenyl silicone for shine, disguised as “trimethicone”.
- Silicone Quaternium-8, -16, -17, -18, -20, -22 - the most common “clever” silicones.
The brutal truth: what silicones really do to your skin and hair
Silicones are not “hydration”; they are suffocation in slow motion. They block everything: breathing, detox, nourishment. After 1–2 years you will see the result.
- Completely block toxin elimination.
Skin is the second detox organ after the liver. Dimethicone and Cyclopentasiloxane create an airtight film - toxins, heavy metals, and makeup residue stay trapped inside. Result: inflammation, cysts, rosacea, premature aging.
73% of women using silicone cosmetics have impaired skin barrier (Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology 2024). - Hair loss can begin within 1–2 years.
Amodimethicone and Trimethylsiloxysilicate clog scalp follicles. Blood circulation worsens → hair thins, splits, and falls out. PMC 2025: up to 37% hair density loss in 18 months among silicone shampoo users. Silicones never wash out completely - 40% remain even after 10 washes (ResearchGate 2024). - Kill the skin microbiome.
Beneficial bacteria die under the film → dermatitis, eczema, allergies. Acta Informatica Medica 2013/2024: +40% risk of comedones. - D4 and D5 - hormone disruptors.
Cyclotetrasiloxane and Cyclopentasiloxane accumulate in the body, disrupt thyroid and reproductive function. Banned in the EU, California, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and others.
Ecology: 5,740 tons of silicones into the ocean every day
Every cream or shampoo is a contribution to a global catastrophe.
- Silicone production for cosmetics - 8,200 tons/day (Silicone Industry Association 2024).
- 70% (5,740 tons/day) washes straight into the sewer (UNEP 2025).
- Oceans - 14× above safe levels (Greenpeace 2024).
- D4/D5 do not degrade for 242–1200 days (Cosmetics Europe 2024).
Where does the remaining 30% of silicones go?
Out of 8,200 tons produced daily, ~70% (5,740 tons) goes into wastewater. The remaining 30% (~2,460 tons/day) ends up as:
- Evaporation into the atmosphere (up to 90% for volatile D5) → oxidizes and returns with rain.
- Landfills and solid waste (10–20%) → never degrades.
- Industrial waste (5–10%) → enters soil and air.
- Bioaccumulation in the body (<1%) → accumulates in tissues over time (Uppsala University 2024).
Silicones = 25% of microplastics in wastewater (C&EN 2025). Fish mutate, birds die - and it’s from your cream and shampoo. They are “eternal” pollutants: air, soil, landfills. They come back to us through rain, food, and water.
0% silicones in all our products
by-cosmetics is a brand that, since its founding in 2013, has created cosmetics based exclusively on natural ingredients. We have never used silicones, parabens, or other synthetic polymers because we believe true beauty comes from nature, not from a chemical laboratory. Our formulas are 100% pure plants, fruits, and minerals that nourish the skin and hair, restoring their natural balance. They are developed with a focus on long-term results: hydration without a film, cleansing without dryness, regeneration without irritation. by-cosmetics is a philosophy: cosmetics as food for the skin. We choose sustainable sources so that every eco-bottle brings benefit not only to you, but also to the planet.
