PEG-12 Dimethicone
PEG-12 Dimethicone is a silicone-based ingredient used in many UK skincare, haircare and makeup products. It acts as a lightweight emollient and conditioning agent that helps products glide smoothly onto skin or hair while leaving a silky, non-greasy finish. Shoppers often find it in moisturisers, serums, primers, conditioners and foundations.
How it works in skincare
In cosmetics and skincare PEG-12 Dimethicone is a water-soluble silicone copolymer that reduces surface tension and improves spreadability. It forms a breathable, flexible film on skin and hair that locks in moisture without occlusion, enhances product slip and delivers a soft-focus, silky after-feel. Formulators value it for its ability to stabilise emulsions, reduce tackiness and give a luxurious sensory profile to both rinse-off and leave-on products.
Key benefits
- Improves product spreadability and glide
- Delivers a silky, smooth after-feel
- Helps retain moisture on skin and hair
- Reduces frizz and adds shine to hair
- Gives a soft-focus effect on skin
- Enhances the luxurious texture of creams and serums
Best for
dry skin, normal skin, sensitive skin, mature skin
Where it comes from
PEG-12 Dimethicone is a synthetic ingredient produced by reacting dimethicone with polyethylene glycol. It is not derived from plant, seed, flower or mineral sources but is manufactured in a controlled laboratory environment.
Products with PEG-12 Dimethicone
Not every product on UK Lips lists a full ingredient breakdown — so there may be many more formulas that contain PEG-12 Dimethicone than we can show here. These are the comparisons where we’ve confirmed it in the listed ingredients.