Home › Ingredients › Cyclopentasiloxane
Cyclopentasiloxane in skincare
D5 cyclic silicone; excellent skin feel; banned in rinse-off products in EU due to environmental persistence.
Found in both AM primers, SPF formulas, and PM serums as a lightweight carrier and texture enhancer. Evaporates from skin within minutes. EU banned in rinse-off and certain leave-on products at >0.1% since 2020. Check formulation compliance.
What it is
Cyclopentasiloxane (D5, Decamethylcyclopentasiloxane) is a cyclic volatile methicone that evaporates rapidly from skin, leaving a silky, powdery, non-greasy finish while delivering actives and improving spreadability. Widely used in primers, serums, sunscreens, and foundations for its unique skin feel. Environmental concern: D5 is persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic to aquatic organisms (PBT substance). EU banned D5 in wash-off cosmetics above 0.1% (Regulation EU 2018/35, effective January 2020) and is reviewing additional restrictions for leave-on products. The US and other markets do not yet have equivalent restrictions. From a human health standpoint, D5 is considered non-toxic at cosmetic concentrations. The concern is environmental, not dermal. Consumers seeking sustainable/eco-friendly products should avoid products containing D5.
The facts
| Category | Volatile Silicone / Carrier |
| Typical use | Morning and evening |
| Concentration YARAI treats as a full dose | 100% |
Why the amount matters, not just the presence
Most ingredient checkers tell you whether something is in the bottle. That is a smaller question than it sounds. Cyclopentasiloxane at 100% and cyclopentasiloxane at a trace level are not the same ingredient in any way that affects your skin.
An ingredient list is ordered by quantity, so position carries real information. YARAI reads that position and scores accordingly, which is why the same ingredient can land differently in two different products.
The honest limit: a list gives order, not percentages. Estimating concentration from position is an estimate. It is a better estimate than ignoring position, and it is still an estimate. We would rather tell you that than let a number look more certain than it is.
Common questions
What does cyclopentasiloxane do in a skincare product?
D5 cyclic silicone; excellent skin feel; banned in rinse-off products in EU due to environmental persistence.
How much cyclopentasiloxane should a product contain?
YARAI treats 100% as a full dose for this ingredient. Below that, the ingredient is present but is scored as contributing less. An ingredient list gives you the order of ingredients, not their percentages, so this is an estimate read from position rather than a measurement.
When should I use cyclopentasiloxane?
Found in both AM primers, SPF formulas, and PM serums as a lightweight carrier and texture enhancer. Evaporates from skin within minutes. EU banned in rinse-off and certain leave-on products at >0.1% since 2020. Check formulation compliance.
Check your own products
Point your camera at a product. YARAI identifies it from the label, finds that product's full ingredient list from published sources, and scores it. No barcode and no box needed, which is how it handles imported and small-brand products.
Concern level, category and thresholds on this page are read directly from the same data the YARAI app scores with, so this page and the app cannot disagree. EU figures cite Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009. Last built 2026-09-09. Nothing here is medical advice.