PSA: My lovely ones with sensitive skin. It is summer! Please stay out of the sun. I just uploaded a silicone free mineral sunscreen post. Keep your skin safe and young!
(Last updated June 8th 2019)
With my skin going CRAZY with oil after a change in hormone medications… I have suddenly become ridiculously sensitive to Silicones. Silicones are ingredients in make up and skin care used as a filler, or as a smoothing agent. It gives you that glide making application easy! It is also the main ingredient in pore filling, and oil control primers as it creates a “film” between your skin and the foundation so that it (hopefully) doesn’t break down the foundation when your oils seep through.
If you’re like me and you have COPIOUS amounts of oil (we’re taking 4+ blotting sheets per day just to stay sane, people) that “film” that silicones create can be a nightmare because it blocks those natural oils that would normally drip out… and instead they become giant pustule pimples!!!! So until I can figure out my hormones issues with medical professionals… I have decided to go Silicone Free… which let me tell you… is HARD. EVERYTHING has silicones! So while I do my research, I wanted to help out any of you guys with the same problem!
Below you will see 3 lists “Silicone Free”, “Low silicone”, “Medium silicone”, and “High silicone”… I can usually use things on the Low silicone issues with 0 problems. Can use medium silicones for short periods of time, and High silicones I know WILL break me out… As I try new products I will add the asteriks (*) and what I think of the product for my sensitive skin.
To understand the list:
You need to know that ingredients on the back of packaging are listed in a certain order. The first ingredient is the one that comprises the GREATEST percentage in your product. (ex. Water listed first means water is used more than anything else to make the product) The last ingredient is the ingredient used the LEAST. So, since all ingredients are in order, you can use the list to determine how much silicone is used relatively based on it’s place in the list. The further down, the less silicone
I will be updating this list frequently so give it a like, follow my blog, and send me some comments so I know that you want to be updated!
LETS DO THIS!
Silicone Free List
(I also started a silicone free list for face powders! Click here to check it out!)
Foundations
Top recommendations:
List Alphabetical by Brand:
ANTONYM: Skin Esteem Organic Liquid Foundation $50-60/ 1.06 ounces
– Looking at the ingredients, no silicones, but it does have super moisturizing ingredients in it… careful if you have oily skin!
BareMinerals: BareSkin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 20 $22-30/ 1 ounce
– Also looks like it might have some super moisturizing ingredients… I read some reviews saying that this makes even dry skinned people greasy…
Burt’s Bees: Goodness Glows Liquid Makeup $10-17/ 1 ounce
– One of the few drugstore liquid foundations on this list. Again has some oils so unsure how it would do with oilier skin types.
DERMABLEND: Cover Creme $33-39/ 1 ounce
– No silicones, but has talc. This foundation has oil/wax and is not suitable for oily skin
ELF Moisturizing Foundation Stick $7.99-14.99/ 1 ounce
– Silica is the 2nd ingredient, but I’ve used products with silica before, and my ultra sensitive skin doesn’t hate it! I like it better as a under eye/cream spot concealer because its not the best with oil control.
EVXO Natural Liquid Mineral Foundation Click here for a review & wear test $25.99/ 1 ounce
– I really like this foundation I found on amazon. Smells strongly of baked goods but I think that might be the Shea butter. Lasts pretty well throughout the day despite having moisturizing ingredients. Expect a review soon!
Estee Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup for Face and Body $42.00/ 1 ounce
– I’m a little scared to give this body make up a try, especially on my face… but if you were looking for an option to cover up body imperfections, tattoos, etc this stuff is supposed to be FULL coverage to the max.
Harvest Natural Beauty: Perfecting Organic Liquid Foundation $24.00/ 1 ounce
– Never heard of this brand before but after deep amazon-ing I found this Organic, Vegan, and Gluten Free foundation… cool!
JUICE BEAUTY: Phyto-pigments Flawless Serum Foundation $44.00/ 1 ounce
– Yet another foundation serum that seems to be marketed towards dry skin… lucky girls with dry skin… =( Also heard this has sheer-light coverage
LAWLESS: Woke Up Like This Flawless Finish Foundation $48.00/ 1 ounce
– Not marketed towards oily, but looks like it can do a combo skin type… *sigh* oily skin girls want silicone free too!
MILK Makeup Blur Liquid Matte Foundation. Click here for my review and wear test! $40.00/ 1 ounce
– One of my favorite liquid foundations with NO silicones! Can also be found at Sephora. A little pore-clogging as an everyday foundation, especially if you don’t have a heavy duty make up remover.
NudebyNature: Flawless Liquid Foundation $28.00-40.00/ 1 ounce
– This looked like… chalk on my oily skin. Light coverage, and dries so fast leaving streaks everywhere (even with my nicest brushes). Blending sponges make the coverage barely visible… if you can make this one work…. let me know how!
Pacifica: Alight Clean Foundation. $16.00/ 0.9 ounce
– Pacificia in general seems to be a brand that uses good ingredients… I haven’t tried much from them because in the past the shade range has been very limited… but this new foundation seems to have an awesome range! Expect a review coming soon!
(It’s probably easiest to go with mineral/powder make up! I have sensitivities to Talc as well.. do this will be the “Talc-Free” list as well:
IT Cosmetics: Celebration Foundation spf 50
– Main ingredient: Mica
*Physician’s Formula: Mineral Wear Mineral Loose Powder
– Main ingredient: Mica
TARTE: Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation
– Main ingredient: Mica
ULTA: Mineral Powder Foundation
– Main ingredient: Mica
Tinted Moisturizers
Kiehl’s Since 1851 Skin Tone Correcting & Beautifying Cream Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 50 $38.00/ 1.35 ounce
REN: Satin Perfection BB Cream Sunscreen
Moisturizers
Avalon Organics: Intense Defense Renewal Cream
– Too thick for day time, but great as a night cream
Many of the Burt’s Bees Moisturizers:
Burt’s Bees Daily Face Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin
Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Day Lotion
Caudalie: Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet $39.00/ 1.3 ounce
– This is also a tested favorite. Very lightweight and perfect for day time use!
Garnier SkinActive Balancing 3-in-1 Face Moisturizer
– I love that this is affordable and doesn’t go overboard on oils. However it’s a GIANT tub and I hate having to dip my fingers in it each time… doesn’t seem sanitary. Hasn’t broken be out so far!
Glow Recipe Watermelon Pink Juice Moisturizer
KENZOKI: Melt-In Moisturizing Lotion
Kora Organics: Soothing Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin
KORRES: Pomegranate Balancing Cream-Gel Moisturiser
– KORRES as a brand is made without petrolatum, mineral oil, silicones, propylene glycol and ethanolamines… and my sensitive skin loves it!
TonyMoly Wonderbutter Nutirition Cream
Sephora Collection Moisturizer
Skinfix Facial Hydrating Lotion
– This is an affordable brand at Ulta and on Amazon that is all silicone free!
Many of the “Yes To” Moisturizers:
Yes to Blueberries Age Refresh daily Repairing Moisturizer
Yes to Tomatoes Clear Skin Daily Balancing Moisturizer
Essences (watery pre-moisturizing/toning step)
ERNO LASZLO White Marble Essence Lotion
Primers
BareMinerals Prep Step Mineral Shield Daily Prep Lotion
– This is the best primer/sunscreen if you use powder/mineral foundations. It adds a silicone-like slip, but without the silicones… I don’t understand! Not mattifying, but such a good spreading primer (with sunscreen!)
Catrice Prime & Fine Pore Refining Anti-Shine Base
– One of the only things on this from the drug store… look for a review coming soon!
Jouer: Anti-Blemish Matte Primer
KORRES: Pomegranate Mattifying Primer
Laura Mercier: Foundation Primer – Oil free
LORAC: I’m so sensitive soothing face primer
MURAD MattEffect Blotting Perfector
– (Does contain polysilicone-11… not a traditional silicone utilized in beauty products) I really like this Murad primer…. it’s SUPER expensive but when used before make up it’s the only mattifying primer that doesn’t break me out… Check out my review and wear test of MURAD matteffect
MILK Makeup Blur Stick
Low Silicone List
Foundations
Holika Holika: Aqua Petit Jelly BB Cream
– Dimethicone 6th ingredient… it smells like shampoo, and I think my skin hates the fragrances in it.
Flower Beauty Light Illusion Liquid Foundation
– Works best on dry or mature skin types to blur imperfections.
Moisturizers
*Atomy: Nutrition Cream
– Dimethicone 19th ingredient
All other “Yes to” moisturizers with SPF:
Yes to Grapefruit Even Skin Tone Moisturizer SPF 15:
– Magnesium Aluminum Silicate 8th ingredient
*Derma E: Hydrating Day Cream with Hyaluronic Acid
– 20th ingredient
*Atomy Nutrition Cream: Been using this for months (at night), and been through a couple of these tubs, never breaks me out! Love it and would definitely recommend
*Derma E: Hydrating Day Cream with Hyaluronic Acid: I think it was a little too hydrating for my oily skin.. if you have dry skin you may love this. I might finish up the travel size I have using it at night, or during the winter.
Primers
Cane + Austin: Prime & Protect Mattifying Primer with Broad Spectrum SPF 50
– Cetyl PEG/PPG 10/1 Dimethicone 6th ingredient, Cyclomethicone 7th ingredient, Dimethicone Crosspolymer 8th ingredient
BAREMINERALS: Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30
– Silica 6th ingredient, Silica Dimethyl Silylate 19th ingredient
*Becca: Velvet Blurring Primer Perfecting Base
-Cetyl PEG/PPG 10/1 Dimethicone 15th ingredient
* I like this Becca primer.. I can wear it for a week straight before I feel like my pores are a little congested (which is honestly pretty good for a primer on my skin). It makes my skin FEEL less oily, but my foundation does slip around my face in the glasses area unflatteringly. Ideal for more normal skin than oily skin I believe. It corrects texture slightly.
Medium Silicone List
Moisturizers
Clinique: Moisture Surge 72-Hour Auto-Replenishing Hydrator
*Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream, Normal/Combo Skin:
– Dimethicone, 4th ingredient
OLEHENRIKSEN: Counter Balance Oil Control Hydrator
Foundations
Clinique: Beyond Perfecting Foundation + Concealer
– Dimethicone 3rd ingredient
FIONA STILES: Matte Finish Foundation Concentrate:
– Methyl Trimethicone 3rd ingredient, Dimethicone 4th ingredient.
IT Cosmetics: Your Skin But Better CC Cream with SPF 50+
– Phenyl Trimethicone 3rd ingredient, Dimethicone 4th ingredient
Tarte: Rainforest of the Sea Water Foundation
– Cyclopentasiloxane 3rd ingredient, phenyl trimethicone 4th ingredient
*Garnier SkinActive Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream, Normal/Combo Skin: I really love how lightweight this feels on my skin, and I’ve been using this for years. I don’t think it makes me break out… BUT if I use other products also with silicones I notice its a bit too much for me. I feel like if you’re less sensitive to silicones I’m sure this would be an awesome primer for dry skin.
High Silicone List
Foundations
*Covergirl: Clean Matte BB Cream
– Cyclopentasiloxane 2nd ingredient, Dimethicone 5th
*L’Oreal Infallible: Pro Matte
-Dimethicone 2nd ingredient, Silica 6th ingredient, PEG-10 Dimethicone 8th ingredient
*Maybelline: Dream Liquid Mousse
– Cyclopentasiloxane 3rd ingredient, Dimethicone 4th, Cyclohexasiloxane 6th
*Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 foundation + concealer
– Cyclopentasiloxane 2nd ingredient, Dimethicone 4th ingredient
*Rimmel Stay Matte: Liquid Mousse Foundation
– Cyclopentasiloxane 1st ingredient, Dimethicone 8th ingredient
*Covergirl Clean Matte BB Cream feels similar to the Loreal pro matte foundation.. but slightly less matte. I always have comedogenic bumps on my skin when I used this… click here for the review and all day wear test
*L’Oreal Infallible Pro Matte: so long wear… makes me have so many new pimples =(
*Maybelline: Dream Liquid Mousse: Though the 3rd ingredient is silicone instead of the first 2… I feel like every other ingredient is silicones… and my skin definitely reacts to this like it is HIGH HIGH in silicones, ultra dewy –> greasy… would not recommend unless you have dry skin like a dessert. Click here for the review and all day wear test
*Milani Conceal + Perfect 2-in-1 foundation + concealer: does not wear very well, but the fact that oils break it down makes it less comedogenic on my skin… it doesn’t clog too much! It just scoots out of the way… but I do get some little bumps after a whole day of wear. Click here for the review and all day wear test
PSTT! Still having trouble with acne? Check out my other acne related posts!
******FULL DISCLOSURE: This are my personal experiences and thoughts. I am not being paid by the brand or the company to review this product or talk about any claims. This product was not sent to me. Links in this post are a part of the amazon affiliates program.*******
Feature image courtesy of (shuttershock) grist.org
RicaIsHungry 
Thank you for this list. I absolutely want to be updated! I had never considered that silicone may be contributing to my adult acne. I am going to give some of these products a try.
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I found that it only became an issue after I became a more oily skin type. Hope it helps!
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So..I recently started using the Boscia Porefecting White Charcoal Mattifying Treatment Primer – and in just a few weeks, it’s made an incredible difference in my skin’s reaction to makeups. It hasn’t totally mattified my skin, but I definitely reach for fewer blotting sheets over the course of the day now.
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Is there a foundation you find works well with it? I’ve tried that primer, but it always makes my foundations break up funny on top of it. Great for no make-up days though!
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I want to applaud you good work done and also add my 2cents contribution. Take a look at this list from BAREMINERALS Prep Step Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Mineral Shield Daily Prep Lotion: Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Phenoxyethanol. and Silica, are all silicons. The companies are getting smarter
.Titanium dioxide 4.1%, Zinc oxide 23.8% Sunscreen. Inactive: Coconut Alkanes, Caprylyl Caprylate/Caprate, Water, Squalane, Adipic Acid/Neopentyl Glycol Crosspolymer, Polyglyceryl-2 Diisostearate, Silica, Glycerin, Propanediol, Sorbitan Sesquiisostearate, Isostearic Acid, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Gentiana Urnula Flower Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract, Butylene Glycol, Magnesium Hydroxide, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Polyester-1, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Disodium Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol. May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides
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Thanks for the proof reading Nkor! I didn’t know that Phenoxyethanol was a silicone since it has the ending a lot of alcohols share. I’ll move this one over to the “Low Silicone” list
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Thank you for sharing your experience. Have you tried Drunk Elephant skincare? a lot of their skincare is silicone free. I use about 4-5 of their products now and I have noticed a difference in my skin is looking and feeling better. I want to try The Ordinary products, heard good things and their price point is great. have you tried them?
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I haven’t tried Drunk Elephant skincare because the price point seems so high. But if it’s good I might venture into it! I have tried The Ordinary skincare, and it’s coming to Sephora soon! Their acids have been my favorite so far (Salicyclic acid serum and treatment)
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Dimethicone is the 2nd ingredient listed in the Clinique Moisture Surge 72-Hour, and trisiloxane is the 4th. How is it listed as silicone free?
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Linked the wrong product ! It’s been corrected, thanks !
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Very helpful thank you
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I’m glad it could help! I’ll keep updating the list as I review more products!
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Wow such a good list. Would you be interested in adding body moisturizers? Or even hair products? Im trying to cut out silicones for sure
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Ive been looking into hair products for sure, (as my hair is always rubbing all over my face) its definitely difficult to find more affordable silicone free options. The skin on the rest of my body is not as sensitive so I couldn’t review the products but a list is certainly not out of the question =)
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Which blotting sheet is in the picture at the top of your post? I haven’t been able to find one that big. Thanks!
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Boscia! They make giant blotting sheets.
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silica is not a silicone but silicate ( quartz / sand / glass )
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That makes so much sense why it doesn’t bother my skin. Thanks for your comment!
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I came across your blog in my research to go silicone free, thank you for this great resource. I wanted to share this brand with you – Priia. They seem relatively unknown but like they are a holy grail possibility. Their stick creme foundation has not just silicone free ingredients, but not a single harmful ingredient and even the oils used in it are high linoleic acid oils that are good for acne prone skin. The company actually is geared towards acne-prone skin, which is amazing in itself. But, this Foundation is supposed to actually be true medium to full coverage, they have a huge shade range , and after extensively researching all of the foundation options with their ingredient lists, they have the absolute best along with true medium to full coverage. I am ordering a few samples from them now. You should check them out!
https://www.priia.com/face/creme-mineral-foundation-stick/
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The brand 100% Pure also has products completely silicone free. Actually free from just about everything and all natural, hence the name 100% Pure. I just found their products on Dermstore, as I’m trying to go silicone free myself, so I’m interested to see how it works, but I thought it’s an option you can add to the list.
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Hi this is a great list, thanks for sharing it I’m going to try the bare minerals foundation as haven’t been able to wear foundation due to silicones. Do you have any ideas about a silicone free SPF? I’ve been searching for ages for one for my oily acne prone skin, seems impossible to find any!
Jessica
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Hey Jessica! It’s definitely a tougher find with SPF. I have some tips in another blog post from last Summer: https://ricaishungry.com/2018/07/10/sunscreen-tips-and-tricks-for-sensitive-skin/
Hope that helps!
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Ok that’s brilliant thankyou. I have the anthelios one already funnily enough, but it’s the UK version with Dimethicone in which I’ve only just realised. It has been breaking me out for ages. I’ll try and order the US version. Have you managed to find any silicone free concealers? I have been using Rimmel hide the blemish, but looked up the ingredients and it has Polyethylene in. Not sure if it’s like silicone or not as it’s a plastic. So hard to find any product without silicone in it seems.
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