Silicone is a very popular ingredient in a number of skincare products. It helps to smooth the appearance of skin, leaving it feeling silky-soft. But while silicones certainly have their benefits in skincare, they also play a big part in pilling.
“Watch out for using too much silicone,” warns Helen Cowan, senior skin therapist at Dr Nestor’s Medical Cosmetic Centre, Edinburgh. “Silicone doesn’t absorb into the skin. When you apply a serum or moisturiser followed by makeup products that contain silicones, the skin doesn’t absorb the products, causing them to pill.”
Most commonly found in skin-smoothing primers, pre-makeup moisturisers and SPFs, silicones can hide in unlikely places. If a product feels particularly smoothing and silky, there’s a high chance it’s formulated with silicone. Look out for ingredients that end with “methicone” on INCI lists to spot a silicone. Dimethicone is one of the most commonly occurring silicones.)
In order to avoid pilling, it is best to avoid silicone-heavy skincare products. However, if you particularly like the way they feel on the skin, when layering skincare, be sure to use lightweight layers.
Tagged: skin