Silicones, Hydration, and Why Formulation Balance Matters

Silicones are some of the most misunderstood ingredients in modern skincare.

In recent years, they’ve been unfairly villainized — often portrayed as harmful, “pore-clogging,” or somehow damaging to the skin. From a formulation and chemistry perspective, this narrative is overly simplistic and, in many cases, incorrect.

Silicones are not inherently bad ingredients.

In fact, they play a very clear and well-understood role in skincare formulations: they reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL). By forming a smooth, semi-occlusive film on the surface of the skin, silicones help slow the evaporation of water from the stratum corneum. This is a legitimate and often beneficial function, particularly for compromised or dry skin barriers.

Where confusion arises is in the difference between reducing water loss and increasing hydration.

Hydration, in a physiological sense, refers to the water content within the skin. Reducing TEWL helps preserve existing moisture, but it does not, on its own, increase water levels in the skin. Silicones are not humectants — they do not attract or bind water. They are best understood as protective components, not water-supplying ones.

Problems occur not because silicones are present, but when formulations rely too heavily on occlusion without sufficient humectants or barrier-supporting ingredients underneath. In those cases, products may feel immediately smooth and comforting, yet fail to support long-term improvement in skin hydration or function.

This distinction is important.

From a formulation standpoint, effective hydration is not achieved through a single ingredient category. It is achieved through systems:

• Water, to supply hydration

• Humectants, to bind and retain that water

• Barrier lipids, to support the skin’s natural structure

• Occlusion, used intentionally to reduce water loss

When one element dominates at the expense of the others, performance suffers over time.

This is why, in formulation testing, we don’t evaluate ingredients in isolation. We evaluate how they work together, how they are balanced, and how they support skin physiology over repeated use — not just how a product feels on first application.

Silicones, when used thoughtfully and in balance, can be excellent tools in skincare formulation. When used as a shortcut to create instant sensor

y appeal without adequate hydration systems beneath them, they simply cannot deliver long-term skin benefits on their own.

The conversation, therefore, should not be about “good” or “bad” ingredients.

It should be about formulation intelligence.

Understanding the difference between surface feel and skin function is what separates skincare that feels good temporarily from skincare that truly supports the skin over time.

In skincare, performance isn’t about trends or fear-based narratives — it’s about balance, systems, and respect for skin physiology.