Application
Personal Care & Body Cleansing
Silicone Selection for Cleansers, Shaving Products and Body Care
Silicones in personal care and body cleansing are used to soften the after-feel of surfactant cleansers, enrich and stabilize foam, and take the tack out of leave-on body products without adding weight. Manta supplies water-soluble silicones and a water-soluble silicone wax for body washes, facial cleansers, liquid soaps and shaving products, together with alkyl fluids and elastomer gels for body lotions, butters and hand care.
Antiperspirants and deodorants have their own carrier logic and are covered separately on the antiperspirants and deodorants page.
Body Washes, Cleansers and Shaving Products: Water-Soluble Silicones
Surfactant-based cleansers—body washes, facial cleansers, liquid soaps and shaving creams—can strip the skin’s natural lipid barrier, leaving a tight, dry after-feel. Manta’s water-soluble silicones act as hydro-emollients that counteract surfactant harshness while improving foam density and texture.
F1039
PEG-12 Dimethicone for Clear Cleansers
Manta F1039 (PEG-12 Dimethicone) dissolves readily in cold water to form clear solutions and has a cloud point of at least 90 °C. It acts as a foam stabilizer and density enhancer, making foam creamier in cleansing systems, while depositing a soft, breathable, antistatic conditioning film that leaves the skin feeling hydrated. It is suited to transparent liquid soaps, body washes and facial cleansers where product clarity is required.
PEG-12 Dimethicone →F1019
PEG/PPG-15/15 Dimethicone for Shaving Creams and Foams
Manta F1019 (PEG/PPG-15/15 Dimethicone) uses a dual PEG/PPG modification that balances water solubility with sustained lubricity and skin substantivity. The PPG component extends the conditioning effect beyond the rinse, which makes it a good fit for shaving creams and body washes where skin comfort must last through the whole routine. In aerosol shaving foams, it works as a foam stabilizer when added to the base concentrate before propellant charging, giving a dense, uniform foam.
PEG/PPG-15/15 Dimethicone →W330
Water-Soluble Silicone Wax
Manta W330 (PEG-17 Dimethicone) is a water-soluble wax supplied as a milky white semi-solid with a melting point of 33–40 °C. Its recommended use level is 1–5%: in bath products it stabilizes foam and reduces surface stickiness, in facial cleansers it improves spreadability, and in deodorants and antiperspirants it adds lubricity.
PEG-17 Dimethicone →Body Lotions, Butters and Hand Care: Taking Out the Tack
Leave-on body products fail on feel long before they fail on stability: heavy organic oils and butters deliver the occlusivity but leave a greasy, tacky film. Alkyl-modified silicones and elastomer gels are the usual fix — they cut tack and improve spreadability without thinning the formula down.
G703B
Heat-Stable Elastomer Gel for Body Butters
Manta G703B (Dimethicone (and) Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer) is a non-volatile elastomer paste, >70% non-volatile content, 250,000–580,000 mPa·s. It holds its rheology and sensory profile through hot dispensing and elevated processing temperatures, which is what silky body butters and massage gels need. Add to the oil phase with high-shear mixing; recommended at 1.0–30.0%.
Dimethicone (and) Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer →F1042
Semi-Volatile Emollient for Body Lotions
Manta F1042 (Caprylyl Trimethicone), 2.0–4.0 mPa·s, pairs a caprylyl chain with a branched trimethicone backbone. It is compatible with organic oils and esters and reduces the tackiness of heavy lipids in body lotions and lightweight creams, with a semi-volatile profile that keeps the finish light. Recommended at 0.5–20.0%.
Caprylyl Trimethicone →F10412
Non-Volatile Dry Emollient and Co-Solvent
Manta F10412 (Lauryl Dimethicone), 5.5–7.0 mPa·s, gets its dry feel from spreadability and rapid absorption rather than evaporation, so it gives play time for spreading and then a light, non-greasy finish. Its lauryl modification makes it an effective co-solvent for organic oils and waxes in hand creams and body products. Recommended at 0.5–20.0%.
Lauryl Dimethicone →Recommended Manta Silicones for Personal Care & Body Cleansing
| Function | Manta Grade | INCI | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foam enhancer and hydro-emollient | F1039 | PEG-12 Dimethicone | Clear cleansers, denser foam |
| Dual-action cleansing modifier | F1019 | PEG/PPG-15/15 Dimethicone | PPG-extended lubricity, shave comfort |
| Water-soluble wax | W330 | PEG-17 Dimethicone | Foam stability, reduced surface stickiness |
| Heat-stable elastomer gel | G703B | Dimethicone (and) Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer | Body butters, massage gels, hot fill |
| Semi-volatile emollient | F1042 | Caprylyl Trimethicone | Cuts tack of heavy organic oils |
| Non-volatile dry emollient | F10412 | Lauryl Dimethicone | Dry finish without evaporation |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which silicone improves foam in a clear body wash?
Manta F1039 (PEG-12 Dimethicone) dissolves in cold water to form clear solutions and acts as a foam stabilizer and density enhancer, making foam creamier while leaving a soft conditioning film. Manta W330 (PEG-17 Dimethicone) is a water-soluble wax used at 1–5% in bath products to stabilize foam.
Which silicone is used in shaving creams and foams?
Manta F1019 (PEG/PPG-15/15 Dimethicone). The dual PEG/PPG modification balances water solubility with sustained lubricity and skin substantivity, and the PPG component extends conditioning beyond the rinse. In aerosol shaving foams it works as a foam stabilizer when added to the base concentrate before propellant charging.
How do I reduce the greasy feel of a rich body butter?
Two routes. Manta G703B is a heat-stable elastomer gel that adds a silky, cushioned break without thinning the base, and survives hot dispensing. Manta F1042 (Caprylyl Trimethicone) is a semi-volatile emollient that cuts the tackiness of heavy organic oils. They are often used together — the gel for body, the alkyl fluid for the dry-down.
Will a water-soluble silicone survive the rinse in a body wash?
Partly, and that is the point. Manta F1039 and W330 are polyether-modified, so they stay in the water phase during use and deposit a thin, breathable film on rinse rather than building up. For conditioning that lasts beyond the rinse in a shaving product, use F1019, whose PPG component increases substantivity.
Where are antiperspirant and deodorant grades covered?
On the antiperspirants and deodorants application page. That format family is built on volatile carriers — the linear Manta F1006 ladder from 0.65 cSt to 2 cSt — plus F1012 for aluminium salt wetting and F1230 for powder suspension, which is a different selection problem from surfactant cleansing.
Explore Other Applications
Formulating for Personal Care & Body Cleansing?
Send your formulation system, process temperature and target market. Our technical team will shortlist grades and arrange samples with full documentation.