CYCLOTETRASILOXANE

CAS Number	556-67-2 / 293-51-6
Chem/IUPAC Name:	2,2,4,4,6,6,8,8-octamethyl-1,3,5,7,2,4,6,8-tetraoxatetrasilocane
EINECS/ELINCS No:	209-136-7
COSING REF No:	33104

Cyclotetrasiloxane or Cyclomethicone 4 belongs to the family of liquid methyl siloxanes known as cyclomethicones. It is also called Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane and is a cyclosiloxane that is the octamethyl derivative of cyclotetrasiloxane. Cyclomethicone 4 is a super light silicone that is the small sister of the more commonly used 5-unit long cyclic structured Cyclopentasiloxane. It is used as an emollient and solvent in cosmetics.

Who supplies CYCLOTETRASILOXANE ?

AB Specialty Silicones

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BRB International BV

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Momentive Performance Materials

Dow

What is CYCLOTETRASILOXANE used for?

Cyclotetrasiloxane functions as a skin-conditioning, hair-conditioning agent, and solvent in cosmetics. It is a four-unit long, cyclic structured, extremely light silicone that is the little sister of the longer, more widely used Cyclopentasiloxane, which is a five-unit long, cyclic structured silicone. It is a 'volatile silicone,' meaning it evaporates off the skin and hair rather than remaining there.

Skin care: It has amazing silkiness and excellent spreading characteristics, just like other silicones. In order to achieve distinctive sensorial properties in the formula, it is frequently blended with other silicones. It is used to make cleaning solutions, surfactants, cosmetic products, and polishes. It is used up to a concentration of 19% in skincare products. Overall it can be used at a concentration of 0.0007-28%

Origin

Commercially Cyclotetrasiloxane is produced from dimethyldichlorosilane. Hydrolysis of the dichloride produces a mixture of cyclic dimethylsiloxanes and polydimethylsiloxane. From this mixture, the cyclic siloxanes including D4 can be removed by distillation.

What does CYCLOTETRASILOXANE do in a formulation?

Emollient
Hair conditioning
Skin conditioning
Solvent

Safety profile

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel (CIR) concluded that Cyclotetrasiloxane is safe in the present practices of use and concentration. The EU’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) reviewed the safety of D4 and D5 and concluded that cyclomethicones (D4 and D5) do not pose a risk for human health when used in cosmetic products.