Silica Dimethyl Silylate
Silica Dimethyl Silylate is a lightweight, silky-feeling powder used in UK beauty products to improve texture and absorb excess oil. It gives cosmetics a smooth, non-greasy finish and is commonly found in primers, foundations, dry shampoos and mattifying skincare.
How it works in skincare
In cosmetics and skincare, Silica Dimethyl Silylate is a modified form of silica that has been treated with dimethyl silyl groups to make it hydrophobic. This allows it to absorb sebum and moisture while preventing ingredients from clumping together, creating a soft-focus effect and velvety after-feel in pressed and loose powders, creams and lotions.
Key benefits
- Controls shine and mattifies skin
- Improves product texture and spreadability
- Gives a soft-focus, blurred finish
- Helps keep makeup in place longer
- Adds a silky, non-greasy feel to formulas
- Enhances the performance of dry shampoos and setting powders
Best for
oily skin, combination skin, acne-prone skin, sensitive skin
Where it comes from
It is derived from silica, a naturally occurring mineral found in quartz, sand and certain plants such as horsetail and nettles. The silica is then chemically modified in a lab to create the silylated form used in cosmetics.
Products with Silica Dimethyl Silylate
Not every product on UK Lips lists a full ingredient breakdown — so there may be many more formulas that contain Silica Dimethyl Silylate than we can show here. These are the comparisons where we’ve confirmed it in the listed ingredients.
We haven’t matched this ingredient to a product ingredients list yet — check back as more pages are enriched.