Application
Antiperspirants & Deodorants
Silicone Selection for Sticks, Soft Solids, Roll-Ons and Aerosols
In antiperspirant sticks, soft solids, roll-ons and aerosols, the silicone carrier does three jobs at once: it disperses the aluminium salt uniformly, it delivers that active onto the skin, and it then evaporates cleanly so the product dries without tack and without leaving residue on clothing. Choosing between grades is therefore mostly a question of evaporation rate — and, increasingly, of whether the carrier is cyclic or linear.
Manta supplies the full linear F1006 volatility ladder from 0.65 cSt to 2 cSt, plus the alkyl and carbinol fluids that wet aluminium salts and hold powders in suspension in anhydrous bases. Cyclopentasiloxane is also available where a formula is still built on D5.
Picking the Carrier: the Linear F1006 Volatility Ladder
Each F1006 grade is a linear (non-cyclic) volatile that gives a dry-touch finish. They differ in how quickly they flash off, which is what sets dry-down time, play time during application and the flash point you have to design the filling line around. Sensory and evaporation behaviour differ from D5, so confirm the final choice with stability and sensory testing in your own base.
F1006 0.65cSt
0.65 cSt — Aerosol Carrier
Manta F1006 0.65 cSt (Disiloxane) is hexamethyldisiloxane, 0.65–1.20 cSt, with a flash point of −1 °C. It distributes actives uniformly and then flashes off completely, leaving no tackiness, which makes it the primary carrier for aerosol deodorants and antiperspirants that have to feel dry immediately. The flash point has to be taken into account in handling, filling and storage.
Disiloxane →F1006 1cSt
1 cSt — Fast Roll-On and Spray Base
Manta F1006 1 cSt (Trisiloxane) is octamethyltrisiloxane at ≥99% purity, 0.9–1.10 cSt, flash point 29 °C, boiling point 153 °C. It sits between the aerosol grade and the stick grades: fast enough for pump sprays and light roll-ons, with a higher flash point than the 0.65 cSt grade.
Trisiloxane →F1006 1.5cSt
1.5 cSt — The Usual D5 Replacement for Roll-Ons and Sticks
Manta F1006 1.5 cSt (Dimethicone) is decamethyltetrasiloxane, 1.4–1.6 cSt, flash point 63 °C. Its evaporation profile and silky dry-down are comparable to D5 cyclopentasiloxane in roll-on deodorants and antiperspirant sticks, which makes it the usual starting point when a D5 formula has to be reformulated onto a linear carrier.
Dimethicone →F1006 2.0cSt
2 cSt — Extended Play Time
Manta F1006 2 cSt (Dimethicone) is dodecamethylpentasiloxane, 1.8–2.2 cSt, flash point 80 °C (closed cup). It dries more slowly than the 1.5 cSt grade, which gives longer play time during application — useful in soft solids and in sticks where the user expects a glide phase before the dry-down.
Dimethicone →Anhydrous Sticks and Soft Solids: Wetting, Suspension and Skin Feel
A stick or soft solid is a suspension, not a solution. The aluminium salt and any talc or starch have to stay evenly dispersed from filling through to the end of shelf life, and the finished bar has to glide without dragging. The grades below cover those three jobs.
F1012
Aluminium Salt Wetting Agent
Manta F1012 (Lauryl Dimethicone), 2.0–6.0 mPa·s, is a low-viscosity alkyl silicone that coats aluminium salt particles and prevents agglomeration. Uniform wetting of the active is what keeps efficacy consistent across the bar and stops the gritty feel that comes from agglomerated salt.
Lauryl Dimethicone →F1230
Powder Suspension Agent
Manta F1230 (Bishydroxyethoxypropyl Dimethicone) is a carbinol-functional silicone, 60 cSt, capped with polar alcohol-ether groups. The polar end groups help keep powders suspended and stable in stick formats, which reduces settling and sedimentation during storage.
Bishydroxyethoxypropyl Dimethicone →F1042
Lightweight Anhydrous Emollient
Manta F1042 (Caprylyl Trimethicone), 2.0–4.0 mPa·s, is a semi-volatile emollient with a branched trimethicone backbone and a caprylyl chain. It improves skin feel in anhydrous formulas, is compatible with organic oils and esters, and reduces the greasiness that heavier lipids bring into a stick base.
Caprylyl Trimethicone →F10412
Non-Volatile Dry Emollient
Manta F10412 (Lauryl Dimethicone), 5.5–7.0 mPa·s, reaches its dry sensory profile through spreadability and rapid absorption rather than evaporation. Because it does not flash off, it can carry light conditioning into a deodorant without the build-up that higher-viscosity dimethicones leave behind.
Lauryl Dimethicone →W330
Lubricity in Pressed and Emulsified Formats
Manta W330 (PEG-17 Dimethicone) is a water-soluble silicone wax, milky white semi-solid, melting point 33–40 °C, used at 1–5%. In deodorants and antiperspirants it adds lubricity; because it is water-soluble it is the option for emulsified roll-ons rather than for anhydrous sticks.
PEG-17 Dimethicone →Cyclic or Linear: What the Regulation Actually Says
D4, D5 and D6 are on the REACH SVHC candidate list as vPvB substances. Regulation (EU) 2024/1328 limits each of them to below 0.1% in leave-on cosmetic products placed on the EU market from 6 June 2027 — and an antiperspirant stick, soft solid, roll-on or aerosol is a leave-on product. D4 and D5 have additionally been restricted in rinse-off cosmetics since 31 January 2020 under Regulation (EU) 2018/35.
That makes the carrier question concrete rather than theoretical for anyone selling into the EU. Manta supplies both routes and states cyclic siloxane content per batch, so the decision can be made on evidence rather than on a label claim.
F1045
Cyclopentasiloxane Where a Formula Is Still Built on D5
Manta F1045 (Cyclopentasiloxane) is a high-purity volatile cyclic fluid, 3.0–5.0 cSt, with low surface tension and a low heat of vaporisation, so it evaporates without the cooling sensation some linear volatiles give. It super-spreads, then leaves a dry, tack-free finish. Note the 2024/1328 leave-on limit above when planning the EU lifecycle of a D5-based antiperspirant.
Cyclopentasiloxane →The Linear Route
The F1006 grades above carry the INCI names Disiloxane, Trisiloxane and Dimethicone: linear siloxanes, not cyclosiloxanes. Manta supplies them without added D4, D5 or D6; cyclic siloxane content is stated per batch. Matching the sensory profile of a D5 formula usually means starting at 1.5 cSt and adjusting with 2 cSt for play time.
Recommended Manta Silicones for Antiperspirants & Deodorants
| Function | Manta Grade | INCI | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fast-evaporating aerosol carrier | F1006 0.65cSt | Disiloxane | Instant dry feel, aerosol base |
| Linear volatile carrier | F1006 1cSt | Trisiloxane | Pump sprays and light roll-ons (0.9–1.10 cSt) |
| D5 alternative (moderate dry) | F1006 1.5cSt | Dimethicone | Roll-on and stick base, silky dry-down |
| D5 alternative (extended dry) | F1006 2.0cSt | Dimethicone | Longer play time in sticks and soft solids |
| Aluminium salt dispersant | F1012 | Lauryl Dimethicone | Al-salt wetting, anti-agglomeration |
| Powder suspension agent | F1230 | Bishydroxyethoxypropyl Dimethicone | Powder stability in sticks |
| Lightweight anhydrous emollient | F1042 | Caprylyl Trimethicone | Skin feel, organic compatibility |
| Non-volatile dry emollient | F10412 | Lauryl Dimethicone | Light conditioning without build-up |
| Water-soluble silicone wax | W330 | PEG-17 Dimethicone | Lubricity in emulsified roll-ons |
| Cyclopentasiloxane carrier | F1045 | Cyclopentasiloxane | Super-spreading, no cooling sensation |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which volatile silicone is used in aerosol antiperspirants?
Manta F1006 0.65 cSt (Disiloxane) evaporates rapidly and leaves no tackiness, making it the primary carrier for aerosol deodorants and antiperspirants. Its flash point is −1 °C, which has to be designed into handling, filling and storage.
What can replace D5 in an antiperspirant stick or roll-on?
Manta F1006 1.5 cSt (decamethyltetrasiloxane) offers an evaporation profile and silky dry-down comparable to D5, while F1006 2 cSt (dodecamethylpentasiloxane) dries more slowly for longer play time. Both carry the INCI Dimethicone and are supplied without added D4, D5 or D6, with cyclic siloxane content stated per batch.
How do I keep aluminium salts evenly dispersed in a stick?
Use Manta F1012 (Lauryl Dimethicone), a low-viscosity alkyl silicone that coats aluminium salt particles and prevents agglomeration, and add Manta F1230 (Bishydroxyethoxypropyl Dimethicone) to help keep powders suspended in the stick.
Which F1006 grade should I start from when reformulating off D5?
Start at 1.5 cSt. Its evaporation profile is the closest of the ladder to D5 in roll-ons and sticks. If the reformulated product dries too fast for the applicator, blend in 2 cSt; if it dries too slowly for an aerosol, move down to 1 cSt or 0.65 cSt. Confirm with stability and sensory testing in your own base — the ladder gives you the direction, not the answer.
Do the cyclic restrictions apply to antiperspirants?
Yes. Antiperspirant sticks, soft solids, roll-ons and aerosols are leave-on products, so Regulation (EU) 2024/1328 limits D4, D5 and D6 to below 0.1% each from 6 June 2027 for products placed on the EU market. D4 and D5 are already restricted in rinse-off cosmetics under Regulation (EU) 2018/35 since 31 January 2020. Manta states cyclic siloxane content per batch for the linear grades.
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