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Lauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone

What Lauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone is & what it does

A silicone-based emulsifier used to blend oil and water into one smooth, stable mixture, especially in water-in-silicone sunscreens and cushion formulas. It helps the product spread evenly and feel light on the skin, and it supports a smooth, non-greasy finish. It works on the surface as a texture and stability ingredient, not an active.

What is Lauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone and what does it do in sunscreen?

It is a silicone-based emulsifier: it blends the oil and water phases of a formula into one stable, even mixture. It is especially common in water-in-silicone sunscreens and cushion products, where it keeps the texture smooth and helps the product spread and set lightly. Its job is texture and stability, so it sits in the background rather than acting on the skin like a UV filter or active.

Is Lauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone safe?

Yes. It is a silicone emulsifier that works on the surface of the skin and is well tolerated in cosmetics. It is not known as a common irritant or allergen, and it is used in small amounts to hold the formula together. As with any emulsifier, very reactive skin can occasionally respond, but it is not a notable concern in a well-made sunscreen.

Does Lauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone clog pores?

Generally no. It is a lightweight silicone emulsifier used in small amounts, not a heavy oil or wax, so it is not one of the classic pore-clogging ingredients. Silicone-based emulsifiers like this one tend to feel light and rinse cleanly. If you are breaking out, the richer emollients elsewhere in a formula are more likely the cause.

Is Lauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone a UV filter?

No. Despite the long name, it is an emulsifier, not a sunscreen active. It does not absorb or block UV light; it simply blends oil and water so the actual UV filters stay evenly dispersed in the product. Protection comes from the labelled filters, while this ingredient keeps the texture stable.

Is Lauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone natural?

No, it is synthetic. It is a silicone-based emulsifier built in the lab, combining a silicone backbone with polyglyceryl and fatty (lauryl) groups so it can bridge oil and water. The finished ingredient does not occur in nature, and that is fine for its texture and stability role.

Sunscreens with Lauryl Polyglyceryl-3 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone

We rate 145 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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