PEG 12 Dimethicone

Product Information

CosmySupplies supplies PEG-12 Dimethicone cosmetic grade (INCI: PEG-12 Dimethicone, CAS 68937-54-2) in India. A fully water-soluble silicone-PEG copolymer fluid used as a conditioning agent, emulsifier, surface tension modifier, wetting agent, and foam stabiliser in conditioning shampoos, rinse-off conditioners, skin care lotions, leave-on hair products, and colour cosmetics. Viscosity 250 to 500 mPa.s at 25 degrees Celsius. Adds directly to water phase below 70 degrees Celsius. Use level 0.5 to 3%. COA available on request. Shipped from Bengaluru across India. Available at cosmysupplies.com.

INCI: PEG-12 Dimethicone | CAS: 68937-54-2 | COSING REF: 57431 | Grade: Cosmetic

Form: Colourless to pale yellow transparent fluid | Viscosity (25°C): 250 to 500 mPa.s

Chemical description: Silicone glycol copolymer. Dimethicone backbone with ethoxylated PEG-12 side chains. Water-soluble.

Functions (EU CosIng): Emollient, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emulsifying, Surfactant

Primary applications: Conditioning shampoos, rinse-off conditioners, skin care emulsions, leave-on hair products

Secondary applications: Aerosol foam products, colour cosmetics, shaving products, hand sanitisers, sunscreens

Water phase addition. No heating required for most applications. Below 70 degrees Celsius.

NOT PERMITTED in COSMOS, ECOCERT, or Natrue certified formulations.

Benefits

Water-soluble silicone

Standard dimethicone is insoluble in water and must be incorporated into the oil phase or pre-emulsified before use. This creates formulation complexity: dimethicone emulsions require specific emulsifiers, high-shear processing, and careful stabilisation. PEG-12 Dimethicone solves this by combining the conditioning and smoothing performance of dimethicone with complete water solubility. It can be added directly to the water phase at temperatures below 70 degrees Celsius with simple stirring — no oil phase, no high-shear emulsification, and no special emulsifier required for the silicone itself. For a small-batch formulator or startup brand without high-shear equipment, this water-phase addition capability is the primary practical advantage of PEG-12 Dimethicone over standard dimethicone.

Silky, soft skin and hair feel without greasiness or build-up

PEG-12 Dimethicone imparts the characteristic silky, smooth, soft after-feel associated with silicone ingredients without the heaviness or build-up associated with high-molecular-weight dimethicone at higher concentrations. In conditioning shampoos at 1 to 2%, it delivers improved wet and dry combability, reduced frizz, and a soft, manageable hair feel without the waxy or coated sensation that some silicones produce after repeated use. In skin care formulations, it contributes a light emollient feel that improves spreadability and leaves skin with a silky, smooth finish. The Clearco PEG-12 Dimethicone product brochure specifically confirms: provides wet and dry combing in addition to imparting a silky, soft feel to the hair without build-up even after repeated wash cycles.

Surface tension reduction: 

PEG-12 Dimethicone significantly reduces the surface tension of aqueous formulations. This surface tension reduction has practical formulation consequences: it improves the wetting of skin and hair by the formulation, meaning the product spreads more evenly and penetrates the surface more efficiently. In shampoos and cleansers, it improves the spreading and lathering of the product through the hair. In skin care lotions, it reduces the effort required to spread the product across skin. In aerosol and foam products, it improves foam formation and stability. 

Emulsifier for silicone oils and other oil-phase ingredients

PEG-12 Dimethicone is an effective emulsifier for dimethicone, phenyl trimethicone, and other silicone oils into aqueous systems. When used alongside a non-ionic co-emulsifier, it can bring silicone oils into stable aqueous emulsion without the use of conventional non-silicone emulsifiers. It is also effective at emulsifying non-silicone oils at concentrations of 1 to 3%. This emulsifying function makes PEG-12 Dimethicone particularly useful in two-in-one conditioning shampoo formats where silicone deposition from the aqueous shampoo base is required, and in O/W lotions and creams where a light silicone emollient is desired alongside an aqueous emulsion base.

Foam stabiliser and foam quality enhancer

The Cosroma TDS confirms excellent breathability and foam stability. In foaming products including shampoos, body washes, and facial cleansers, PEG-12 Dimethicone at 1 to 2% stabilises the foam structure and produces a denser, more long-lasting lather compared to the base formula without it. The foam contains a silicone conditioning effect that is delivered directly to the hair or skin surface during the lathering step, before rinsing. This conditioning-during-foaming mechanism is one of the key consumer experience advantages of silicone-containing shampoos.

Antistat and breathability in skin and hair formulations

PEG-12 Dimethicone has antistatic properties, reducing static charge build-up on hair and skin. The hydrophilic PEG chain provides moisture management and breathability — unlike standard dimethicone which can form an occlusive barrier, PEG-12 Dimethicone allows moisture exchange through its surface film due to the water-attracting PEG component. This breathability advantage makes PEG-12 Dimethicone preferable to standard dimethicone in formulations where occlusion is not desired, such as lightweight skin care for oily or combination skin, and in scalp care products where breathability supports scalp health.

Applications and Usage Rates

For conditioning shampoos and two-in-one products

Use at 0.5 to 2% in conditioning shampoos. Add to the water phase below 70 degrees Celsius with stirring before adding other ingredients. PEG-12 Dimethicone is compatible with anionic and amphoteric surfactants. In an SLES-based conditioning shampoo at 1 to 1.5%, it delivers wet and dry combability, reduced frizz, and a silky post-wash hair feel. It is stable in high-surfactant systems and does not require a separate emulsification step for the silicone component.

For rinse-off conditioners

Use at 1 to 3% in rinse-off cream conditioners. PEG-12 Dimethicone disperses in the water phase and adds a silky smoothness to the conditioner that complements the fatty quaternary ammonium conditioning agents. It improves combability and smoothness without the heaviness associated with higher-MW silicones at these concentrations.

For leave-on hair products

Use at 0.5 to 2% in leave-in conditioning sprays, hair serums, and hair styling products. PEG-12 Dimethicone is fully water-soluble and forms a clear, non-tacky film on hair at these concentrations. In a leave-in spray, it adds a silky slip and luster without weighing the hair down. In a hair serum, it provides the characteristic silicone gloss and smoothness.

For skin care lotions, creams, and serums

Use at 0.5 to 2% in O/W skin care emulsions, adding to the water phase. At 0.5 to 1%, PEG-12 Dimethicone improves the spreadability and silky feel of the emulsion without significantly altering the emulsion structure. At 1 to 2%, it contributes a noticeable silicone emollient effect — lighter and less occlusive than standard dimethicone, making it appropriate for lightweight moisturisers for normal to oily skin.

For sunscreens and colour cosmetics

Use at 0.5 to 2% in sunscreen emulsions and colour cosmetics. In sunscreens, PEG-12 Dimethicone improves the elegant, non-greasy application feel and helps distribute UV filters evenly across the skin. In foundations and BB creams, it contributes a silky application feel and improved spreadability. At 1 to 3% in aerosol foams and mousses, it stabilises the foam structure.

For shaving products and hand sanitisers

Use at 0.5 to 2% in shaving gels, creams, and foams for blade glide and post-shave skin conditioning. Use at 0.5 to 1% in hand sanitisers for skin feel improvement alongside the alcohol active. The water-solubility makes PEG-12 Dimethicone particularly compatible with high-alcohol systems where standard dimethicone would not disperse.

How to Use

Water phase addition 

PEG-12 Dimethicone is fully water-soluble and is added directly to the water phase of formulations. This is the core process advantage over standard dimethicone. Add below 70 degrees Celsius with simple paddle stirring or slow-speed mixing. No high-shear emulsification, no oil phase incorporation, and no separate silicone pre-emulsification step is required. 

Compatibility

PEG-12 Dimethicone is compatible with anionic, cationic, amphoteric, and non-ionic surfactants. It is miscible with water in any ratio. It is soluble in water, ethanol, and hydroalcoholic systems. This wide compatibility makes it suitable across all standard aqueous cosmetic formulation types.

Penetration enhancement consideration

The Cosroma TDS states that PEG-12 Dimethicone promotes penetration. This is consistent with the surface tension reduction mechanism: by reducing interfacial tension, PEG-12 Dimethicone can increase the skin absorption rate of co-formulated actives. When formulating leave-on products that contain high-concentration actives where increased dermal absorption is not desired, be aware of this effect and factor it into the product safety assessment.

Claims You Can Make

For your label:

Water-Soluble Silicone | Conditioning Agent | Hair Conditioning | Skin Conditioning | Anti-Static | Silky Feel | Improved Combability | Foam Stabiliser | Emulsifier | Surface Tension Modifier

For your formulator brief:

INCI: PEG-12 Dimethicone | CAS 68937-54-2 | COSING REF 57431 | Viscosity 250 to 500 mPa.s at 25 degrees Celsius  | Appearance: colourless to pale yellow transparent fluid | Functions: Emollient, Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emulsifying, Surfactant | Water-soluble, miscible with water in any ratio | Addition: water phase below 70 degrees Celsius  | Use level 0.5 to 3% | Shelf life 12 months  | Storage 10 to 35 degrees Celsius, sealed, away from light

For formulation support or sample requests, contact the CosmySupplies team.

WhatsApp | Email: info@cosmysupplies.com

Technical Information

Pairs Well With

Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES)

Primary anionic surfactant in conditioning shampoos. PEG-12 Dimethicone is compatible with SLES systems and adds silky feel, foam stability, and anti-static conditioning to the shampoo base at 1 to 2%.

Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride

Plant-derived cationic conditioning polymer. GHTC and PEG-12 Dimethicone work synergistically in conditioning shampoos: GHTC provides the cationic polymer deposition and silicone delivery; PEG-12 Dimethicone provides additional silicone silky feel and surface tension reduction. The combination produces a premium conditioning shampoo with both polymer and silicone conditioning.

Dimethicone

Standard silicone emollient for skin care. PEG-12 Dimethicone at 0.5 to 1% can act as a co-emulsifier to help disperse small amounts of standard dimethicone into O/W emulsion systems, bringing additional silicone feel without increasing the dimethicone load.

Panthenol

Hair conditioning active. Panthenol at 1 to 2% alongside PEG-12 Dimethicone at 1% in a conditioning shampoo builds a dual conditioning system: panthenol provides moisture conditioning and repair; PEG-12 Dimethicone provides silicone smoothness and combability.

Glycerin

Humectant for skin care emulsions. Glycerin at 3 to 5% in the water phase alongside PEG-12 Dimethicone at 0.5 to 1% builds a lightweight moisturiser with both humectant moisture and silicone emollient properties.

Behentrimonium Chloride

Cationic fatty conditioning agent for rinse-off conditioners. Behentrimonium chloride provides the emollient conditioning; PEG-12 Dimethicone adds the silicone silky feel and improved combability.

Important Information

PEG-12 Dimethicone promotes penetration of co-formulated ingredients. By reducing the surface tension of the formulation, it may increase the skin absorption rate of other ingredients present in the same product. Formulators building leave-on products with high-concentration actives should factor this into the product safety assessment.

Shelf life is 12 months from manufacture date under correct storage conditions (10 to 35 degrees Celsius, sealed, away from light). This is shorter than most other ingredients in the CosmySupplies catalogue. Monitor stock date and rotate accordingly.

Store at 10 to 35 degrees Celsius. Do not freeze and do not store above 35 degrees Celsius. High-temperature storage may affect viscosity and product quality.

COA is available on request. No download link. Contact us via WhatsApp or email.