Database/Film Forming/Polysilicone-14
Mostly natural · ISO 16128

Is Polysilicone-14 natural?

Mostly. The silk protein keeps its natural-origin mass even though it is bound into a silicone polymer; only the silicone and silane parts count as 0.00.

INCI namePolysilicone-14
FunctionFilm Forming · Hair Conditioning
FeedstockHydrolysed silk protein is derivatised with 2,3-dihydroxypropyl and…

How we scored it

Hydrolysed silk carrying a hydroxypropylsilanetriol linker, condensed with alkyl- and methylsilanetriols and a dimethicone-terminated silane. The silk protein is natural; the silicone parts are 0.00. Composition is not published. In Seiwa Kasei's patent for these silylated-peptide/silane copolymers (US 6,228,968, Example 1) a 1,750 Da collagen peptide carrying one silane linker is condensed with 5 equivalents of dimethylsiloxane units: peptide 26.5 g of 35.4 g = 0.75. The silane linker, siloxane and alkyl silanes count 0.00. With the extra alkyl and dimethicone silanes in this INCI, taken as about 0.70.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Hydrolysed silk protein is derivatised with 2,3-dihydroxypropyl and hydroxypropylsilanetriol groups and condensed with alkyl- and methylsilanetriols and a dimethicone-terminated silane. Only the silk protein is natural-origin; no alternative route is known.

In plain English

A silicone polymer that carries pieces of hydrolysed silk protein, used to leave a thin film on hair and condition it. It is made in a factory; the silk-derived part is natural protein, while the silicone and linking groups are not.

CosIng definition: Protein hydrolysates, silk, N-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)-, monoether with 3-hydroxypropylsilanetriol, polymer with C6-10-alkylsilanetriol, methylsilanetriol, and silane, poly(dimethylsiloxane)terminated

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References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 2POLYSILICONE-14. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3POLYSILICONE-14. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=POLYSILICONE-14