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Tapioca Starch Polymethylsilsesquioxane

What Tapioca Starch Polymethylsilsesquioxane is & what it does

A silicone-coated starch that absorbs oil and gives a soft, dry, blurring finish. It mattifies while refining the look of the surface.

What does Tapioca Starch Polymethylsilsesquioxane do in skincare?

Tapioca Starch Polymethylsilsesquioxane is a hybrid ingredient combining plant-derived tapioca starch with a silicone resin. It is used as a texturizing and oil-absorbing powder that gives a soft, smooth, mattifying feel. In sunscreens it can help reduce greasiness and improve the finish.

Is Tapioca Starch Polymethylsilsesquioxane comedogenic?

Specific comedogenicity data for this hybrid powder is limited, so a definitive rating is not available. Starch-and-silicone powders generally sit on the surface and absorb oil, but breakout potential depends on the whole formula. Patch testing is reasonable if your skin is acne-prone.

Is Tapioca Starch Polymethylsilsesquioxane natural or synthetic?

It is a hybrid of both. The tapioca starch portion is plant-derived from cassava root, while the polymethylsilsesquioxane portion is a synthetic silicone, combined into a single processed ingredient.

Sunscreens with Tapioca Starch Polymethylsilsesquioxane

We rate 9 sunscreens that contain it:

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