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CeraVe Skincare Dimethicone

Products Formulated
with
Dimethicone

Need more knowledge about Dimethicone?

Dimethicone is the oldest and most prevalent silicone-based ingredient in skincare, haircare, and cosmetics, and it’s frequently found in moisturizers, as well as in other skin-softening and smoothing emollients.1,2 It has a silky texture that enables it to glide luxuriously over skin. Because of its consistency and matte finish, it can also be helpful for concealing redness and blemishes, as well as helping disguise enlarged pores and fine lines.2 Other dimethicone uses include helping to maintain moisture in your skin and keeping environmental irritants out by supporting your skin’s protective barrier.1

 

While there are varying opinions on the use of dimethicone in skincare, experts agree that silicones are safe and do not pose a risk to humans when used in skincare products. In fact, dimethicone is frequently used to both help manage and prevent skin issues, like dry skin and minor skin irritations, with minimal to no risk of side effects.2,3

 

The restorative qualities of dimethicone make it a highly sought-after skincare ingredient in moisturizers and creams. Below, discover which CeraVe products feature this beneficial ingredient.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have questions about what dimethicone is, wonder what some dimethicone for skin benefits are, or feel like getting to the bottom of other dimethicone myths, check out our frequently asked questions about the ingredient below.

  • Dimethicone is a fluid type of silicone with a highly flexible synthetic makeup, and it’s the oldest and most used silicone in skincare, haircare, and cosmetic products.1,2 Dimethicone cream, dimethicone ointment, and dimethicone lotions are widespread and can be especially helpful for those with oily, acne-prone skin, or sensitive skin. This is because dimethicone is frequently in oil-free skincare and can help your skin retain moisture without leaving a greasy feel or clogging your pores. It’s also hypoallergenic, has minimal to no risk of side effects, and is used to help manage or prevent certain skin conditions.3,4 Based on its protective, hydrating, and soothing properties, it’s no surprise why products with dimethicone are so popular.5

  • Dimethicone has both emollient and occlusive properties, meaning it softens and smooths skin, helps lock in hydration, and improves skin barrier function.4,6 Interestingly, although dimethicone won’t dissolve in water, water vapor can penetrate it, so it does a great job of retaining moisture in the skin without suffocating it.1 It also has a silky matte texture, which helps hide redness, blemishes, enlarged pores, and fine lines, and a consistency that effortlessly glides across skin.2

     

    Other benefits of dimethicone in skincare are that it’s hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and won’t clog your pores. It’s present in some body washes, too, since it helps improve creaminess, stability, and the overall quality of foamed up lather.1 In haircare, dimethicone is often found in two-in-one shampoo/conditioners, because it can protect the hair shaft during washing and help boost volume.

  • What dimethicone is used for in skincare centers around its ability to help with moisturization, which is tied to its skin-softening and barrier-supporting properties. It also helps visibly smooth the appearance of skin, such as with enlarged pores and fine lines, and camouflages redness and blemishes.1,2

  • Dimethicone is a type of silicone called a “linear polysiloxane” or “polydimethylsiloxane.” It’s a very strong and resilient ingredient yet it’s also flexible. Some other features of silicones, like dimethicone, are that they’re noncarcinogenic, nontoxic, hypoallergenic, odorless, and colorless.

  • There are myriad products that contain dimethicone in skincare. Some of the most prevalent products are moisturizers, as well as dimethicone cream and dimethicone ointment. This is because the ingredient helps keep skin hydrated, soothed, and protected against damage.1,5 But dimethicone isn’t just limited to skincare. It also has a place in many cosmetic and haircare formulations, especially as a protectant in two-in-one shampoo/conditioners.1,2

     

    At CeraVe, you can find dimethicone in several of our therapeutic products, like CeraVe Therapeutic Hand Cream. Using dimethicone, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and three essential ceramides as its star ingredients, this formula helps repair dry, chapped, chafed, or cracked hands. It also helps support your skin’s protective barrier while quenching its thirst, leaving it feeling soft and looking healthier.

     

    If itchy skin is a concern of yours, try CeraVe Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Cream, which contains its namesake hydrocortisone (1%) and dimethicone, along with ceramides, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid. It provides temporary yet lasting itch relief. Alternatively, if psoriasis is causing your skin to feel itchy and uncomfortable, give CeraVe Psoriasis Moisturizing Cream a try. This gently exfoliating formula, which features 2% salicylic acid with lactic acid, niacinamide, dimethicone, helps calm and relieve your skin while smoothing its appearance and helping to prevent future flare-ups.

     

    For your anti-aging skincare routine, you’ll find dimethicone in CeraVe Skin Renewing Day Cream, along with hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and a broad-spectrum SPF 30. It works to visibly improve fine lines and help support your skin barrier over time.

  • In short, yes, dimethicone in skincare can work well on oily skin. It’s commonly used in oil-free moisturizers to help lock in moisture without suffocating your skin, leaving it feeling greasy, or clogging your pores.2,4

  • The National Eczema Association recognizes dimethicone as a skin protectant that helps improve the skin’s protective barrier.7 Plus, it specifically recommends some dimethicone skincare products, going so far as to give them the NEA Seal of Acceptance. This includes a number of CeraVe products. The CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, CeraVe Daily Moisturizing Lotion, CeraVe Hydrocortisone Anti-Itch Cream, and CeraVe Therapeutic Hand Cream are all accepted by the NEA.

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