Cyclohexasiloxane
AKA: Silicone
Synthetic
Emollient
Solvent
Skin Conditioner
Hair Care
Silicone
Not Clean
Dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane
Formula
C12H36O6Si6
Mol. Weight
444.92
CAS #
540-97-6
Form
Liquid
State
Liquid
Functions
Hair Conditioning
A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.
Skin Conditioning
A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.
Emollient
Fills in the tiny cracks between skin cells to make everything feel smooth and soft. The "silky finish" ingredient.
Solvent
Dissolves other ingredients so they distribute evenly in the formula. Often the invisible "base" everything else is mixed into.
Locks In Moisture
Traditional Use
A cyclic silicone developed in the 1950s-1960s during silicone polymer research. Used in cosmetics as a non-greasy emollient and spreading agent, offering an alternative to traditional oil-based ingredients.
EWG
3
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
Restricted By
CIR Safety Findings
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Regulatory Agencies
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
General
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
The paper trail
🔬Peer-reviewed1 paper →
⚖️Regulatory1 listing →
🛡️Safety-assessed2 reviews →
Counts, not a verdict. A listing isn't a study. The trail, you decide.
Verified Jun 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR