11 Natural Dimethicone (Silicone) Alternatives for Skin & Hair
Dimethicone is an ingredient some natural formulators prefer to avoid. While it is generally considered well tolerated in cosmetics, individual reactions can still occur, as they can with many skincare ingredients.
When choosing a skincare ingredient, some formulators prefer silicone-free options for their skin and hair products.
So why do many companies use dimethicone, and what alternatives can natural formulators choose?
Let’s learn more about dimethicone safety and natural alternatives you can use to still get that silky feel in your skin and hair products!
What is dimethicone?
Dimethicone is a silicone-based ingredient that is often found in beauty products and is used as a smoothing agent. It is an ingredient that can be found in many skincare and hair care products.
It is used to form a protective barrier over skin or hair and increase the spreadability of products.
Is dimethicone a natural ingredient?
Dimethicone is a silicone, which means that it is not a natural ingredient. It is a synthetic ingredient; the good news is that there are natural alternatives to dimethicone and other silicones that are used in skin care and hair care products!
Choosing a silicone-free formula doesn't have to mean you think dimethicone is unsafe. Many formulators simply prefer plant-based or naturally derived ingredients because they fit the kind of products they want to create. That's the approach we're taking here: looking at natural alternatives based on the formulation benefits they can provide, not because natural automatically means safer.
Where can dimethicone be found?
Dimethicone can be found in a variety of cosmetic products and personal care products, including:
Dimethicone is a widely used cosmetic ingredient in beauty products because it makes them easier to apply and gives hair or skin a smoother feeling.
Dimethicone in skin care products
So what is dimethicone actually supposed to do?
Dimethicone and other silicones do a few things in skin products. It helps products go on smoothly and provide something called “slip.’
On your skin, it can help skin look smoother; it also helps lock in moisture by forming an occlusive film on the skin's surface.
All-in-all, dimethicone is meant to give your skin the appearance of being smooth without solving any underlying conditions that may be causing dry or uneven skin.
It is thought to help reduce transepidermal water loss as well.
What is slip in skincare?
Slip is a term given to skincare products and ingredients that help other ingredients spread onto skin and absorb into skin more readily.
Is silicone bad for your skin? Allergic reactions? Sensitive skin?
Silicone is found in so many products, but is it actually bad for skin?
Dimethicone is generally considered well tolerated in cosmetic products, but individual sensitivities can occur with any ingredient or finished formulation. If you have very sensitive or reactive skin, patch testing a new product can help you evaluate how your skin responds.
Dimethicone is generally well tolerated and has useful cosmetic functions, including improving slip, spreadability, and skin feel. Even so, some formulators prefer to achieve those same sensory benefits with plant-based or naturally derived alternatives, which is what we're exploring here.
Dimethicone in hair products
Dimethicone in hair products is meant to give hair a silky texture and help smooth unruly flyaways. It can be found in most box store shampoos and conditioners as well as other hair products.
Is silicone bad for hair?
Just like in skincare, silicone in hair products is only meant to give hair a silky-smooth texture and make application smoother.
Dimethicone side effects
Dimethicone is generally considered well tolerated when used in cosmetic products. However, individual skin responses vary, and irritation attributed to a finished product may also involve other ingredients in the formulation.
People with sensitive or acne-prone skin may still prefer to evaluate products individually. Dimethicone itself is not considered inherently pore-clogging, and whether a finished product causes irritation or breakouts depends on the complete formulation and the individual using it.
Dimethicone is also used in products intended for sensitive or compromised skin, including some diaper-rash products, because its occlusive properties can help form a protective barrier and reduce moisture loss.
If a product containing dimethicone causes itching, irritation, breakouts, or another unwanted reaction, discontinue use and consider the complete ingredient list rather than assuming dimethicone is necessarily the cause.
Let’s learn about some natural alternatives to dimethicone so you can ditch silicones in your products!
11 Natural silicone alternatives
If you are leaning towards natural skin and hair care and want to avoid synthetic ingredients, there are several natural oils that can be used as alternatives that provide the same smoothing benefits and slip to your products!
1. Abyssinian Seed Oil
This oil adds slip to formulations and helps give skin and hair a smooth, conditioned feel. Its lightweight sensory profile can make it a useful silicone-free option when you want improved spreadability and a less greasy finish. As with any cosmetic ingredient, suitability depends on the complete formulation and individual skin or hair needs.
2. Bamboo Bioferment
This natural alternative to silicone is a sustainable ingredient that provides excellent slip. It creates a glossy shine in hair and can be used in many products to replace dimethicone!
3. Bamboo Isoflavones
This ingredient can not only replace dimethicone, but it also provides strong antioxidant protection. This means that it can protect your hair and skin from free-radical and environmental damage.
4. Broccoli Seed Oil
This powerful moisturizer also has great slip and is a skin protectant. It creates a barrier on skin to help heal and protect it. It is also safe to use on oily skin since it is not likely to clog pores and can help balance dry skin.
Broccoli seed oil is also an excellent ingredient in anti-aging skincare because it can help smooth fine lines and wrinkles.
5. Coco Caprylate
Coco caprylate is an emollient that moisturizes, softens, and soothes skin. It can be found in many products and helps improve spreadability and gives formulations a light, silky, non-greasy feel.
6. Daikon Radish Seed Extract
This is a relatively new oil in the skincare world; it is a powerful emollient and has good absorption and slip. This makes it a great, natural alternative to dimethicone and other synthetic silicones.
7. LexFeel Natural
This extremely light emollient is palm-free and also helps hydrate skin. It has great slip and is lightweight, making it well suited to sensitive-skin formulations.
8. LexFeel N350
This natural alternative to dimethicone glides on smoothly and spreads easily across skin and hair, leaving no greasy or oily residue.
9. Lexfeel N5
This product is great for adding slip and is known to help improve the texture and feel of skin after application of products. No more greasy, oily, or sticky feeling after applying your favorite products.
10. NatraSil
This plant-based alternative is made from olive oil components. It offers emollient properties to help moisturize and hydrate your skin and hair while adding slip to any product.
11. Neossance Hemisqualane
This sustainably sourced sugarcane product is an emollient that is light and dries quickly leaving behind no residue. It is great for skin and won’t weigh your hair down!
Which Alternative Should I Use?
Not every alternative on this list does the same job. Some are most useful for slip and spreadability, while others add emollience, a lighter skin feel, or hair-conditioning benefits. Here's a simple way to narrow down your options.
| Ingredient | Best Fit | Main Formulation Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Abyssinian Seed Oil | Skin & hair formulas | Lightweight emollience and slip |
| Bamboo Bioferment | Hair formulas | Slip and shine |
| Bamboo Isoflavones | Skin & hair formulas | Slip with antioxidant properties |
| Broccoli Seed Oil | Skin & hair formulas | Emollience and silicone-like slip |
| Coco-Caprylate | Skin formulas | Light, silky feel and spreadability |
| Daikon Radish Seed Extract | Skin formulas | Emollience and slip |
| LexFeel Natural | Skin formulas | Lightweight emollience and slip |
| LexFeel N350 | Skin & hair formulas | Dry-feel glide and spreadability |
| LexFeel N5 | Skin formulas | Non-greasy slip and improved skin feel |
| NatraSil | Skin formulas | Plant-derived emollience and slip |
| Neossance Hemisqualane | Skin & hair formulas | Lightweight spreadability and dry-touch feel |
These aren't necessarily one-to-one replacements for every function of dimethicone. Choose an alternative based on what dimethicone was doing in the original formula — such as adding slip, improving spreadability, changing the skin feel, or conditioning hair.
Now that we've covered 11 natural silicone alternatives, let's answer a few questions that might come up!
Dimethicone FAQs
Is dimethicone the same as silicone?
Dimethicone is technically a polymer that is silicone-based. What does that mean? Dimethicone is more of a silicone oil that has been made to have certain properties that make it popular in today’s cosmetics and beauty products.
Is dimethicone a microplastic?
Not in the regulatory sense typically meant by the term microplastic. Current EU restrictions define synthetic polymer microparticles around solid polymer-containing particles. Dimethicone used in lotions, creams, and hair products is a silicone fluid rather than a solid microplastic particle. Some other silicone compounds have separate environmental concerns, but those should not be generalized to dimethicone.
Does dimethicone build up on skin?
Dimethicone forms a film on the skin's surface that helps reduce moisture loss. Current evidence does not support the claim that dimethicone inherently traps bacteria or causes clogged pores and breakouts. As with any skincare product, how a finished formula works for your skin depends on the complete formulation and your individual response.
Should I avoid products with dimethicone?
While dimethicone is widely regarded as a safe ingredient, we always prefer to use natural ingredients when possible. Dimethicone is generally considered well tolerated in cosmetic products and does not inherently clog pores. Individual reactions are still possible, and whether a finished product causes irritation or breakouts depends on the complete formulation and the person using it. If you prefer silicone-free formulations, natural and naturally derived alternatives can be useful options. Natural does not automatically mean gentler or safer, so ingredient choice should still be based on the complete formula, intended use, and individual tolerance.
Does dimethicone cause dryness?
Dimethicone is not generally considered a drying ingredient. It is used as an occlusive, which means it helps reduce moisture loss from the skin. How a product in your skincare routine feels and performs can still vary depending on the complete formula and your individual skin.
Does dimethicone cause hair loss?
There isn’t good evidence that topical dimethicone can cause hair loss. Non-water-soluble silicones can build up on hair with repeated use and may leave some hair feeling weighed down, but that is different from causing hair loss.
Does dimethicone cause build-up on hair?
Standard dimethicone is not water-soluble, so it can build up on hair with repeated use. However, not all silicones behave the same way, and buildup depends on the specific ingredient, the overall formula, how much product is used, and the hair-care routine.
Are natural alternatives automatically safer than dimethicone?
Not necessarily. Natural doesn't automatically mean gentler or safer, and synthetic doesn't automatically mean harmful. Some people simply prefer silicone-free or naturally positioned formulas because they fit their formulation philosophy or ingredient preferences. If you have sensitive skin, your response to the complete formula matters more than whether a single ingredient is natural or synthetic.
Dimethicone is common in skin care and hair care products because it provides slip, smoothness, and an occlusive film that can help reduce moisture loss. It is generally considered well tolerated in cosmetics, although individual responses to any finished product can vary. For formulators who prefer silicone-free or naturally derived ingredients, the alternatives above offer several ways to create similar sensory effects.
If you prefer to formulate without silicones, there are plenty of natural and naturally derived alternatives to experiment with. They are not automatically safer or better for every person, but they can provide useful properties such as slip, spreadability, conditioning, and a silky skin or hair feel.
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