Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer

Harm score: 3 (Harmless chemicals)

Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer is an ingredient used in cosmetic and personal care products. It is a type of silicones that are used for their ability to improve the look and feel of skin and hair, surface condition, increase product viscosity, and help stabilize cosmetic formulations. Manufacturers also value its ability to improve water resistance in some cosmetic products. It is its petroleum jelly-like properties that make hair strands smooth and shiny and skin soft and moisturized, which is why it often appears on the ingredient list of hair conditioners, hair styling products, face and body creams, makeup and sunscreens.

However, although the name Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer may evoke a chemical connection, there is a translation error regarding plant names. In English, portcullis, shrucha or Ma chi Xian refer to a different substance found in the plant world. Portcullis is an annual succulent plant that has culinary and medicinal uses, while shrucha is an evergreen plant with small flowers. On the other hand, Ma Chi Xian is a traditional Chinese herb used in traditional Chinese medicine, also known as Portulaca oleracea. Oswald combined these names with the name of the chemical compound, there may have been confusion because these plants and the chemical compound do not share common properties or uses.