Silicones—A Key Ingredient in Cosmetic and Toiletry Formulations

Silicone is a generic name for many classes of organo-silicone polymer that consist of an inorganic siloxane (Si-O) backbone with pendant organic groups (usually methyl). It is this structure that gives silicones their unique combination of properties and, in particular, their surface properties (Fig. 1 and Table 1).