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Peg-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone

What Peg-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone is & what it does

A silicone emulsifier that stabilizes water-in-silicone sunscreens with a smooth, long-wearing finish. It supports light, water-resistant textures.

What is Peg-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone and what does it do in sunscreen?

It is a silicone-based emulsifier. Its job is to hold water and silicone together in a stable blend, which lets brands make light, water-in-silicone sunscreens that spread smoothly and wear for a long time. It is largely responsible for the silky, non-greasy feel of many mineral and fluid sunscreens, and it supports water-resistant textures.

Is Peg-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone safe?

Yes, at the levels used in cosmetics. Silicone emulsifiers like this are well established in sunscreen and skincare and are generally well tolerated. They sit mostly on the surface of the skin doing a structural job in the formula.

Does Peg-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone clog pores?

Generally no. Silicone-based ingredients of this type are lightweight and breathable rather than heavy and occlusive, and this one is used in modest amounts as an emulsifier. It is an unlikely cause of clogged pores for most people.

Is Peg-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone a silicone?

Yes. Despite the PEG in the name, it is fundamentally a silicone emulsifier, a dimethicone backbone modified to also mix with water. That dual nature is exactly what lets it bind the water and silicone phases of a sunscreen into one smooth, stable cream or fluid.

Is Peg-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone natural?

No, it is synthetic. Silicones are made in a lab, and this one is further modified with PEG groups so it can act as an emulsifier. That manufactured structure is what gives it the smooth slip and long wear it is prized for.

Sunscreens with Peg-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone

We rate 121 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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