Q: Consumers are also demanding products that are ethical – can silicones deliver here?
A: In reality, silicone-based raw materials have already been a crucial contributor in the natural, clean, and ethical products category. A search in Mintel’s Global New Products Database between 1998 and June 2018 has revealed that silicone elastomers are included on ingredient labels of 12,856 skin care and makeup consumer products designated in the “naturals” category. Further, findings demonstrate significant growth between 2012 and 2017 of products containing silicone elastomers which make claims around “ethical and environmental” marketing positions. These findings make a lot of sense given the mineral-origin, safety and reliability of silicone materials. 

Q: Free-from claims have played a part in the spread of negative publicity. Is this likely to continue?
A: You may see less and less of the silicone-free stamp soon enough. The EU’s cosmetics regulations are monitoring free from claims, as detailed in the “Technical documents on cosmetic claims.” Unless an ingredient has proven negative health effects, it will be impermissible to claim “free from” on the label. 

Q: What do you predict for the future of silicones in personal care?
A: The future of silicones is still growing today. Safety and efficacious are all attributes that silicones have. If you look at the ongoing trends today, you may have noticed that consumers are pushing more on the ‘Clean Beauty’ concept. Which, in small summarisation, pushes for only safe and efficacious ingredients in products. Origins will also be a big must in the future of this industry, and as research shows, silicones are derived from quartz, commonly known as sand, which makes them inherently sustainable. Because they’re never animal-derived, they are vegan and cruelty-free by default. As much as rival consumers will try to bring down the name silicone, the silicone industry will still have the upper hand in being multi-functional, safe, clean, efficacious, and of course, great sensory.