When you think of silicone, you most likely think about the industrial uses such as sealants in plumbing and coatings for electronic components. Did you know that silicone is found in personal care products? They are widely found in skin care products, cosmetics and hair products.
Some silicones are great for conditioning purposes. They can improve the feel of hair, lessen frizz and make hair feel soft and smooth. The silicones that are used in hair products are called amines and are effective for use in dyeing industries. These amines are also found in many drugs in the pharmaceutical industry, including antihistamines, chlorpheniramine, clomipramine and desipramine. Controlled substances that contain amines include amphetamine, methamphetamine and opiates such as morphine, codeine and heroin!
Phenyltrimethicones are another family of silicones that are used in colour-correcting hair products as they increase shine and help to make the hair glossy. Shaving foam is another personal care product that contains this material. For Silicone Hose Manufacturers, visit https://www.goodflexrubber.com/pages/silicone-hose-manufacturer
In skin care products, the unique fluid properties of silicone give it a great feel and it can make skin feel like silk, increase emollience and acts as a good water-binding agent even when skin becomes wet. Leave-on skin care products and hair-care products use numerous forms of silicones. Silicones remain on the skin and the other active ingredients are able to seep through into the lower layers of the skin. Silicone forms the base formula in which other ingredients can be suspended and then absorbed. The creams don’t feel heavy or cloggy because of its molecular structure. Silicones have large molecules with wide spaces between each one which helps it to feel light.
Silicones are also used in lubricants and greases for applying on things like cycle chains, engines and any other type of moving mechanism. It is great for this purpose as it evaporates after application and doesn’t attract dirt like other oil-based or wet lubricants. It’s also used in more personal types of lubrication! Silicone rubber is the best material for adult toys too as its soft, cleanable, durable and doesn’t degrade with the use of lubricants.
Silicone is also safe enough to be found in baby bottle teats. It offers cleanliness and is easily moulded into aesthetically pleasing shapes. As baby bottles need to be sterilized, silicone offers great resistance to high temperatures so won’t be damaged during the sterilization process. Teats come in different sizes and with differing flow rates based on the age of the baby. The teats either have more or larger holes as the baby gets older.
The properties that allow silicone to be used for so many different applications include:
- Low toxicity
- Ability to repel water and form water tight seals
- Low chemical reactivity
- Low thermal conductivity
- Does not support the growth of microbes
- Resistant to UV light
- High gas permeability (useful in medical applications but not for anything requiring a gas-tight seal)
Thankfully such a useful material is also safe for the environment. There have been no findings of silicones causing a harmful effect on organisms or the environment.