Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating What Silicone to use in Leave-in Conditioner?

  • What Silicone to use in Leave-in Conditioner?

    Posted by Heath0o7 on February 25, 2024 at 4:42 pm

    I’m making a leave-in conditioner and this is what will be in my leave-in conditioner:

    Water

    Glycerin

    GHTC

    BTMS-25

    Cetearyl Alcohol

    Silicone

    GLDA

    Exyul k712

    Exyul PE 9010

    Fragrance

    These are the silicones I have on hand, which one would you recommend that would provide better conditioning and anti-frizz?

    1) Dimethicone 6cst, 350cst or 500cst

    2) Cyclomethicone & Dimethiconol

    3) Peg-12 dimethicone

    4) Amodimethicone

    Also, since I’m using Exyul k712, the pH would have to be under 5.5. What would you recommend it to be? My Shampoos pH is 5.5 and my conditioner’s is 4.5. Should I set it as my conditioner or go between 3.8-4?

    chemicalmatt replied 8 months ago 3 Members · 8 Replies
  • 8 Replies
  • Heath0o7

    Member
    February 25, 2024 at 4:44 pm

    I forgot to add that I have thick hair.

  • ketchito

    Member
    February 27, 2024 at 5:57 am

    I’d choose Amodimethicone and some of the Dimethiconol gum in Cyclopentasiloxane (#2). Btw, you could get rid of the glycerine here.

    • Heath0o7

      Member
      February 27, 2024 at 6:53 am

      How come? Doesn’t glycerin help provide moisture in leave-in conditioners?

      • ketchito

        Member
        February 28, 2024 at 6:17 am

        Your hair gets a lot of moisture from water during your shower. After that, what you want is to restore its hydrophobicity. That’s the one responsible for all the mechanical and optical features of a healthy hair.

        • Heath0o7

          Member
          February 28, 2024 at 9:41 am

          I see, thanks for the explanation. I don’t know how to hydrate GHTC without using glycerin though.

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    February 27, 2024 at 12:07 pm

    This has come up many times over the years. The 350cst dimethicone is the happy medium polymer chain length for hair and also skin care formula. It is not expensive either. However, I do agree with @ketchito on the amodimethicone addition here, perfect for color treated hair too. The blend with CETAC and trideceth-12 is the easiest with many clones available too.

    • Heath0o7

      Member
      February 28, 2024 at 9:44 am

      Do you recommend 350cst over Cyclomethicone & Dimethiconol? My Amodimethicone comes on its on, it’s not mixed with CETAC and Trideceth-12. However, I do have Trideceth-12 by itself that I can include in the formula?

  • chemicalmatt

    Member
    March 6, 2024 at 12:27 pm

    @Heath0o7 answer is negative. If you have amodimethicone pure then no need for the surfactants. Be sure to add a low temperature since amodimethicone is reactive.

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