excellent cheap silicone base cream - mattifies shiny skin

[orangehrzn]

Monistat soothing care - chafing relief powder gel 1.5 OZ, $7 at CVS.
active ingredient: dimethicone 1.2%
other ingredients: cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone, crosspolimer, silica, tocopheryl acetate, trisiloxane

Dr. Todorov recommends Aveeno for DIY cream base but it clogged my pores after several days of usage - probably due to the petrolatum it contains.

The above silicone base is the same one used in Olay's Regenerist daily serum (the one with Matrixyl). The people using Regenerist praise the 'silky smooth feel' of the serum. It is solely due to the silicons. It will make your shiny oily skin look matte, dry and healthy without someone being able to tell there is cream on your face. The only thing I dont like is that the base is still a little overprised ($7 for 42 grams of silicons - c'mon ...) but otherwise I can't get it directly from manufacturer ...

Let me know if you know how to get the same base even cheaper? Only silicones please, no petrolatum or other junk !

[Susan0001]

I don't know the answer to your question, but I am definitely in the market for a base cream that will not clog pores. Any recommendation will be greatly appreciated!

[orangehrzn]

Then you have to try the silicone base Susan. My pores clog from almost everything but never from silicone base. You gotta try it for yourself and see ...

[guest]

yes I think it would all save us time & money to have names of base cream , prices ....

[drtodorov]

[Susan0001]

That is exactly the reason that we need some help. I am ok with using just about any lotion on my body. Using a cream on my face is a totally different situation.
Different creams can cause me to have breakouts and I don't have any idea which ingredient(s) are responsible. It just seems overwhelming to start buying creams after I have worked so hard at getting my skin to behave, not to mention I hate to keep dumping money into creams.
I have started using some of your dIY recipes on my body but continue to use my expensive SkinCeutical ingredients on my face because I do not break out with them.
My other worry is what if I pick a cream that contains ingredients that render the active ingredients that I am adding either inactive, or even harmful.
So, that is why, for me, that having some suggestions for facial base creams would be appreciated.

[drtodorov]

Which active ingredient do you plan to use the base for?

[orangehrzn]

I apply a water solution of Matrixyl and wait for it to dry out. That makes my skin a little shiny since the Matrixyl comersial solution contains lots of glycerin. My combination skin does not like it but unfortunately I can't find Matrixyl without glycerin - anyone knows ????

Then I apply Monistat Powder Gel on top to mattify and it does AMAZING job - my skin looks like just washed and dried out - not a single trace of oil. Applying the mattifier on top eliminates any concern that the powder gel will inhibit absorbtion of your active ingredients. You could use it to mattify any cream, lotion or gel - I use it even to mattify my sunscreen ...

Please note that the powder gel just makes your skin LOOK good. It is a MAKEUP effect. It does not improve your skin in any respect. The consumers using Olay's Regenerist observed similar makeup effect - 'soft smooth feel', 'my skin looked younger from the first application' - but they attributed it wrongly to Matrixyl (it will take months, not a single day and not a few weeks as these consumers claim, to erase a wrinkle by stimulating collagen production, if Matrixyl has any effect at all ...).

Due to the makeup effect of silicone bases like this one, many products on the market that actually don't do anything to your skin, just make it LOOK good are OVERPRICED. I know an 'oil absorbing gel' that is equivalent to the powder gel in ingredients and is being sold for $22 / oz on a website for acne treatment products. Another example is 'The Present clear makeup' made by Philosophy - it is $25/2oz and is a simple silicone base - at least Philosophy honestly calls it 'makeup' ... I think producing a silicone base is DIRT cheap but the cosmetics companies hype it up as if it is made of GOLD lol

[drtodorov]

Another simple and even more cost-effective moisturizer/base with dimethicone is Curel (original formula). It is not comedogenic for most people. But it does contain a relatively small amount of pertrolatum, which could make it mildly comedogenic in the the small proportion of users.

[guest]

I bought the Monistat powder gel posted & you are right .... it is very silky & not oily . Now I know why so many people like the Regenerist ( silicone ) would be nice to know if we can use it as a base cream with the active ingredients ?

[orangehrzn]

Dr. Todorov, are there any general considerations for or against using a silicone base for a facial cream?

Are there studies comparing the absorbtion of the active ingredients for silicon and non-silicon bases?

[drtodorov]

I am not aware of any studies of the effect of silicone based vehicles on absorption, etc. So I can only speculate.

On one hand, silicon reduces evaporation from the skin and keeps it more moist. Therefore, water-soluble active ingredients remain in solution and possibly penetrate better. If silicone reduces the contact of oxygen with the skin surface, perhaps oxidative damage may be slightly reduced (although most oidative damage comes from cellular respiration, not from air)

On the other hand, silicon matrix may affect diffusion of ingredients into the skin and impede absorption. Also, if silicone reduces the contact of oxygen with the skin surface, certain microorganisms may grow better.

Whether these pros and cons add up to a net benefit for the skin, I do not know since the studies are lacking and speculation, whether clever or nor, remains an educated guess at best. It is known, however, that dimethicone and other forms of silicone act as a skin protector against harsh environment, surfactants and orther irritants. Certain forms of silicone have been shown to improve scars, although the mechanism remains unclear.

[Victoria]

Dr Todorov,
do you remember the plastic surgeon with his C booster serum for $300 .
You mentioned in the post that is was the silicone..... & we can do the same with dimethicone & silicone.... to look for a base cream with dimethicone - the closer dimethicone is to the beginning as an ingredients.
I guess this one is similar to his $ 300.00 booster serum ?

[drtodorov]

You don't need silicone to make anhydrous vitamin C serum, you can just use glycerin. But that silicon based cream might work too -- if it is anhydrous.

[guest]

Dr Tod,
everybody is raving about this silky cream ! would like your opinion about this Monistat powder gel cream ? tks