The issue of silicone in skin care products when you have sensitive, acne-prone skin doesn’t come up often… until it does. It then opens up a whole discussion ranging from silicones in skin care in general, to silicone-free skin care brands, personal experiences versus what science says, and more.
But let me address one aspect of this (often controversial) skincare ingredient and what it means for you if you have sensitive, acne-prone skin.
When someone experiences sensitive skin on their face, it is usually a result of the breakdown of the skin’s protective barrier. This breakdown can be caused by various factors such as environmental factors, dehydration, underlying skin conditions or genetic predisposition.
Naturally, we reach for a soothing cream to deal with the sensitivity, but does that help?
One of the most common ingredients you’ll find in face moisturizers and “soothing” face creams provides a silky smooth feel when applied to sensitive skin along with a short layer of protection, however…
… doesn’t do your skin any favors in the long run.
In fact, in my 14 years of experience helping people find the right solutions to calm, balance, and extinguish the flames of inflammation so their skin finally feels cool and comfortable, there’s one thing that comes up time and time again. .
9 times out of 10, every glowing rebel who found their way to Grounded Sage used creams that provided only temporary relief at best and significant dehydration and discomfort at worst.
Common to all products is a group of ingredients.
If you use products that are not from Ground sage, go get any of your face creams or moisturizers you have and come back to this position. Once you have the creams (and have located the ingredients list on the package), check the ingredients list for silicones. For example, dimethicone and cyclopentasiloxane.
Here’s the thing about silicones in skin care…
They appear in so many formulas. At this point, if I read the ingredient list from a drugstore brand or even a high-end brand, I’m surprised if I don’t see silicones included. I’m even more surprised if they aren’t listed at the beginning of the ingredient list (ingredients are listed from highest to lowest concentration on the label).
Since silicones provide a pleasant texture when you swipe a skin care product over the skin, they are a key ingredient for companies to quickly (and cheaply) provide a good “user experience” during application.
I’m all for that velvety feeling of applying a lux skin care cream. However, what I’m not interested in is covering up skin conditions.
If my skin is trying to tell me something is wrong or sending out SOS signals (or outright hurting), I want to know!
I want to work towards a solution and give my biggest organ (my skin!) all the support it needs to heal. A quick texture experience won’t cut it.
A quick fix versus long term improvement.
While I’m not here to say that silicones aren’t safe or that they’ll cause skin conditions that aren’t already there, I am saying that they mask symptoms that make it harder to closely monitor inflammation, hydration levels, triggers, etc. etc. .
For glowing rebels who have skin like me—that is, skin affected by an autoimmune disease—masking symptoms is nice sometimes, but symptoms that aren’t treated with soothing, supportive skin care can quickly get out of hand. And once the spiral begins, we all know how much harder it is to return to a comfortable baseline.
It makes more sense to avoid masking the symptoms and treat them.
Have you been staring at a handful of skin care products with silicones and want to try a new approach?
If you’re currently struggling to cool and comfort sensitive skin, my #1 (and silicone-free) recommendation is Calendula & Oats Moisturizing Face Cream.
If you’re looking for additional recommendations to create a relaxing skincare routine that doesn’t mask symptoms (so you know when you’re on the right track), start with the basics, mix and match as much as possible, and give these products a go:
One more thing…
This time of year is when I see more of the silicone trend in skincare.
I suspect it has to do with people with sensitive skin increasing their use of products with silicones (aka symptom masking formulas that make it harder to know what your skin is really like). While they may not use silicone products during the rest of the year, the sunscreen they use in the summer is full of them (even if usual sun protection It does not suit).
Just something to keep in mind if you’re struggling to keep your sensitive skin comfortable this season (especially since there are silicone-free sunscreen options available).
It’s here to soothe the skin, clear the sky and calendula 🌼!
💚 Jamie
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