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(Decamethyl)cyclopentasiloxane, also D5 or cyclomethicone, is a silicon that is used in a variety of skin care products with an oily component such as serums/oils, foundations (BB cream), treatments and concealers. However, it is also popular in deodorants and hair care products. As a silicon, it is largely inert and does not interact with the skin as it stays on its surface and evaporates quickly.
It is comparatively cheap and in skincare it is generally considered safe, however as it remains on the skin surface, it also has little benefit.
Less common ingredients with similar properties are Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) and Dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane (D6). At the moment, D4 is investigated as being toxic in accumulated doses.
Does the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) consider Cyclopentasiloxane (D5) safe as cosmetic ingredient?
The SCCS considers Cyclopentasiloxane (D5) in cosmetic products as safe at the reported concentrations, except for use in hair styling aerosols and sun care spray products.
Does the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) consider Cyclopentasiloxane (D5) safe as cosmetic ingredient?
For these products, at the maximal concentrations, exposure to D5 may lead to air concentrations that may be locally toxic. Exposure to D5 coming from hair styling spray products also triggers high level of aggregated exposure and unsafe concentrations.
Cyclopentasiloxane has raised significant environmental concerns. In our database, it was the most common suspected microplastic of all ingredients.
The EU considers it as a substance of very high concern since it is a Persistent, Bioaccumulative and Toxic substance. This means, after being used as cosmetics it accumulates in the environment and harms in particular aquatic life. This is especially a problem in rinse-off products. Since Januar 2020, rinse-off products with a concentration above 0.1% of cyclopentasiloxane are prohibited in the EU.
