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The Truth Behind The Common Cosmetics Ingredient, Dimethicone

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Re: The Truth Behind The Common Cosmetics Ingredient, Dimethicone

I do not do links from the forums - had a virus a few years back and just quit.

In the meantime - who's the doc and what's the publication he's in?

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Re: The Truth Behind The Common Cosmetics Ingredient, Dimethicone

It was interesting, but not actually facts. Just could bes, maybes, it's possibles...reminded me of Dr Oz's "fact".

Because I was with him, thinking perhaps he has a real point until I came to this-

"Much better to use nourishing ingredients that help keep your skin hydrated naturally! (Speaking of, check out my new skin care line here!)"

The sales pitch.

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Re: The Truth Behind The Common Cosmetics Ingredient, Dimethicone

I don't give credence to people who use titles like "The TRUTH...." because it's so often just misinformation or fear-mongering. But I particularly don't give credence to people who don't cite sources or studies or any factual data. Plus, his sales pitch, following immediately on the heels of his suppositions, clinched it for me.

Just about any ingredient could potentially not agree with a person, whether it's the texture that they don't like or possible irritation or breakouts (which, btw, are notoriously difficult to correlate accurately with cause).

Here is LINK to a study presented to the Society of Cosmetic Chemists that rated just about every ingredient imaginable as to causing irritation and clogging pores (comedogenic). You will find silicones toward the end of the chart. Two of the three silicones tested rated a 1 for irritation (with 5 being the highest). All three silicones rated 0 for being comedogenic.

Paula Begoun rates silicones as "good" in her Cosmetic Dictionary and explains why, with sources cited. She debunks the idea that they clog or suffocate or doing anything of the sort to the skin. Here is a LINK.

Again, it is IMPORTANT to reiterate that each of us has to decide what works or doesn't work for our skin. Some of us have no problem and even like silicones; others do not like them for various reasons.


~Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle~ Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
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Re: The Truth Behind The Common Cosmetics Ingredient, Dimethicone

On 9/23/2014 suzyQ3 said:

I don't give credence to people who use titles like "The TRUTH...." because it's so often just misinformation or fear-mongering. But I particularly don't give credence to people who don't cite sources or studies or any factual data. Plus, his sales pitch, following immediately on the heels of his suppositions, clinched it for me.

Just about any ingredient could potentially not agree with a person, whether it's the texture that they don't like or possible irritation or breakouts (which, btw, are notoriously difficult to correlate accurately with cause).

Here is LINK to a study presented to the Society of Cosmetic Chemists that rated just about every ingredient imaginable as to causing irritation and clogging pores (comedogenic). You will find silicones toward the end of the chart. Two of the three silicones tested rated a 1 for irritation (with 5 being the highest). All three silicones rated 0 for being comedogenic.

Paula Begoun rates silicones as "good" in her Cosmetic Dictionary and explains why, with sources cited. She debunks the idea that they clog or suffocate or doing anything of the sort to the skin. Here is a LINK.

Again, it is IMPORTANT to reiterate that each of us has to decide what works or doesn't work for our skin. Some of us have no problem and even like silicones; others do not like them for various reasons.

I came to post almost the exact same response, but SuzyQ3 covered most of it.

He did cite sources, but they're useless. One was a study that I don't think backs up his claims, but seems to refute them. It was a study which concluded that a foam made of dimethicone and glycerin "greatly or moderately improved chronic hand dermatitis in a sizable number of individuals with previously uncontrolled dermatitis despite continuing in their regular occupation."

His other sources are a blogger and the MDS sheet for dimethicone. Why would a medical doctor cite a blogger for information on medical and health claims. She does not claim to be a scientist or a doctor, she's a consumer who reviews products for her blog. That rings all kinds of bells suggesting a lack of credibility.

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Re: The Truth Behind The Common Cosmetics Ingredient, Dimethicone

On 9/23/2014 Dusty1 said:

It was interesting, but not actually facts. Just could bes, maybes, it's possibles...reminded me of Dr Oz's "fact".

Because I was with him, thinking perhaps he has a real point until I came to this-

"Much better to use nourishing ingredients that help keep your skin hydrated naturally! (Speaking of, check out my new skin care line here!)"

The sales pitch.

It's not HIS sales pitch, it's the person who wrote the blog -- Britta Aragon. She was the one presenting this guy's findings (and links are provided, by the way). It has nothing to do with the physician whose info she is sharing.

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Re: The Truth Behind The Common Cosmetics Ingredient, Dimethicone

I used to like products with dimethicone -- makes skin feel so good -- but grew to think "ewww" for some reason. I've pretty much thrown up my hands in surrender, though, because so many products seem to contain some. Just can't tolerate the dimethicone-heavy stuff like Dr. D's or PTR's moisturizing products. Or I choose not to.

This weekend Dimitri said something about dimethicone affecting moisture in products? I don't recall exactly. Don't know if it's accurate but since I'm not in love with any dimethicone-laden products, not too concerned. (He has it in some of his products, by the way -- way down in the decks, but there nonetheless.)

AND I don't consider him OR Paula to be the final words. They're both WAY wrong about sunscreens, IMO.

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Re: The Truth Behind The Common Cosmetics Ingredient, Dimethicone

On 9/23/2014 MarenSeattle said:

I used to like products with dimethicone -- makes skin feel so good -- but grew to think "ewww" for some reason. I've pretty much thrown up my hands in surrender, though, because so many products seem to contain some. Just can't tolerate the dimethicone-heavy stuff like Dr. D's or PTR's moisturizing products. Or I choose not to.

This weekend Dimitri said something about dimethicone affecting moisture in products? I don't recall exactly. Don't know if it's accurate but since I'm not in love with any dimethicone-laden products, not too concerned. (He has it in some of his products, by the way -- way down in the decks, but there nonetheless.)

AND I don't consider him OR Paula to be the final words. They're both WAY wrong about sunscreens, IMO.

Hi Maren, just wondering what Dimitri said about sunscreens. I bought a couple of his kits this weekend and have been pretty satisfied with his stuff. Was considering his sunscreen when I run out of what I have and wondered what he said. Don't mean to hijack the thread!

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Re: The Truth Behind The Common Cosmetics Ingredient, Dimethicone

Oops -- I meant to respond to Phantom41

I'm a Skinn devotee, but he uses chemical sunscreens in his SPF (Paula has some chemical sunscreens and also lists others among her "best").

The problem with chemical sunscreens is multifold (IMO). Particularly avobenzone (which he uses) -- it's a top-notch UVA protector, but they found it actually degrades when exposed to UV. So then they have to add more chemicals to counteract the degradation.

Chemical sunscreens need to be absorbed, and it's thought that the longer you have them on, the more they dissipate and become ineffective. There is much debate about the safety and environmental impact of chemical screens, but I'm just speaking solely about the protection factor.

Dimitri is late to the sun protection game, so although he NOW recommends and uses protection, I don't think he's done the research he should have.

So he didn't actually discuss any particulars, but the ingredients in his product are pretty dismal, I'm sorry to say.

That being said, SOMETHING is better than NOTHING! :-)

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Re: The Truth Behind The Common Cosmetics Ingredient, Dimethicone

On 9/23/2014 MarenSeattle said:

Oops -- I meant to respond to Phantom41

I'm a Skinn devotee, but he uses chemical sunscreens in his SPF (Paula has some chemical sunscreens and also lists others among her "best").

The problem with chemical sunscreens is multifold (IMO). Particularly avobenzone (which he uses) -- it's a top-notch UVA protector, but they found it actually degrades when exposed to UV. So then they have to add more chemicals to counteract the degradation.

Chemical sunscreens need to be absorbed, and it's thought that the longer you have them on, the more they dissipate and become ineffective. There is much debate about the safety and environmental impact of chemical screens, but I'm just speaking solely about the protection factor.

Dimitri is late to the sun protection game, so although he NOW recommends and uses protection, I don't think he's done the research he should have.

So he didn't actually discuss any particulars, but the ingredients in his product are pretty dismal, I'm sorry to say.

That being said, SOMETHING is better than NOTHING! :-)

Thanks for the reply. I always get so confused about physical vs. chemical!