DIMETHICONOL- ▸ Hair conditioning: Deposits a smooth film for shine, slip and detangling.
- ▸ Skin emollient: Softens and conditions in skin-care emulsions.
- ▸ Film former: Builds a water-repellent silicone film on hair and skin.
- ▸ Antifoam: Controls foam in formulation and process streams.
A grade-specific Safety Data Sheet (SDS) — with the complete hazard classification, handling precautions, and transport information — is supplied with every shipment and available on request. Confirm all safety and regulatory details against the SDS for your specific grade.
Request SDS →Dimethiconol is the INCI name for a silanol- (hydroxyl-) terminated polydimethylsiloxane — a high-molecular-weight silicone whose chains end in reactive –OH groups instead of the inert methyl caps of standard dimethicone. Those terminal silanols give it gum-like body and strong film-forming character, which is why it is a workhorse shine, slip and conditioning agent in hair and skin formulation and a film former and antifoam in industrial systems. It is identified by CAS 31692-79-2 (PubChem) and is most often supplied either as a high-viscosity gum or pre-dispersed in a flowable carrier such as low-viscosity dimethicone or cyclopentasiloxane — the familiar “dimethiconol and dimethicone” blends.
What is dimethiconol?
Dimethiconol is a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer terminated with silanol (–Si–OH) groups rather than trimethylsilyl caps. The reactive end groups raise the effective molecular weight and let the polymer build a continuous, substantive film, so dimethiconol behaves more like a silicone gum than a free-flowing oil. Because a true gum is hard to pump and emulsify, it is usually delivered to formulators as a blend — dispersed in low-viscosity dimethicone or in volatile cyclopentasiloxane — which carries the gum into a formula and then leaves the high-shine dimethiconol film behind as the carrier spreads or flashes off.
Applications by sector
Personal care — hair. Dimethiconol deposits a smooth, light-reflecting film that adds gloss and slip and helps lay down frizz and flyaways in conditioners, masks, leave-ins, serums and two-in-one systems. This describes formulation behavior — film, slip and optics — and is not a hair- or skin-health claim. Personal care — skin. It contributes a water-repellent emollient film and a silky, non-greasy after-feel in lotions, primers and color cosmetics. It is almost always formulated as a dimethiconol/dimethicone or dimethiconol/cyclopentasiloxane blend so the gum can be metered and emulsified. Industrial. The same film-forming, surface-active behavior makes dimethiconol useful as a film former and as a defoaming/antifoam silicone in non-aqueous and aqueous systems.
Dimethiconol vs dimethicone
Both are polydimethylsiloxane silicones; the difference is the chain end group, and it changes everything downstream.
| Dimethicone | Dimethiconol | |
|---|---|---|
| End groups | Methyl (inert, trimethylsilyl) | Silanol –OH (reactive) |
| Typical form | Free-flowing fluid across a viscosity ladder | High-viscosity gum, usually supplied as a carrier blend |
| Character | Spreading, slip, lubrication, even film | Film-forming, substantive shine and conditioning |
| Typical use | Carrier, slip/feel modifier, lubrication, release | Shine and frizz-control film, durable conditioning, film former |
For the straight dimethicone fluids by viscosity, see the silicone oil viscosity guide and the full bulk silicone supplier hub.
Forms and grades
Specify the form and the dimethiconol content on your RFQ. Dimethiconol is supplied as a high-viscosity gum for formulators who disperse it themselves, or — more commonly — as a ready-to-use blend in a stated carrier (for example a dimethiconol-and-dimethicone fluid at a given blend viscosity). Confirm the carrier, the active dimethiconol level and the target viscosity for your process; the CoA documents the grade you receive.
Handling and documentation
Dimethiconol is water-insoluble and is handled in the oil/silicone phase. Each lot ships with a Certificate of Analysis (CoA); request the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for physical-property, flammability and handling data, which are sourced from the SDS rather than reproduced here.
Bulk supply and RFQ
RawSource supplies dimethiconol — as a gum or as a dimethicone/cyclopentasiloxane blend — in drums and totes from domestic US stock for short lead times, to personal-care and silicone-blend manufacturers. Pricing is quote-based on grade, carrier, active level, volume and packaging. Related silicones: dimethicone (PDMS fluid), cyclopentasiloxane, phenyl trimethicone, amodimethicone.
Typical Properties
Typical reference values, not a specification; the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the lot governs.
| Property | Typical Value |
|---|---|
| INCI Name | Dimethiconol |
| CAS Number | 31692-79-2 |
| Chemical type | Silanol (hydroxyl)-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) |
| Appearance | Clear to translucent fluid or gum (clear flowable liquid as a carrier blend) |
| Molecular weight / viscosity | Grade-dependent — pourable fluids to high-viscosity gums |
| Solubility | Insoluble in water; miscible with silicones and many organic solvents |
| Flammability / handling | Refer to the current SDS |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is dimethiconol used for?
Dimethiconol (CAS 31692-79-2) is a silanol-terminated polydimethylsiloxane used in personal-care formulation as a shine, slip and conditioning film former for hair and skin, and in industrial systems as a film former and antifoam. It is usually formulated as a dimethiconol/dimethicone or dimethiconol/cyclopentasiloxane blend.
What is the difference between dimethiconol and dimethicone?
Both are polydimethylsiloxane silicones, but dimethiconol is hydroxyl-terminated (it carries reactive –OH end groups) whereas dimethicone is methyl-terminated. The terminal silanols give dimethiconol higher-molecular-weight, gum-like, film-forming behavior used for shine and durable conditioning, while dimethicone is a free-flowing fluid used for spreading, slip and lubrication.
Is dimethiconol water soluble?
No. Dimethiconol is a silicone fluid/gum and is not water soluble; it is used in the oil/silicone phase and deposits a water-repellent film. Refer to the SDS for physical-property and handling data.
How is dimethiconol supplied — gum or blend?
Both. It is available as a high-viscosity gum for formulators who disperse it themselves, and more commonly as a ready-to-use blend in a low-viscosity dimethicone or volatile cyclopentasiloxane carrier. Specify the carrier and the active dimethiconol content on the RFQ.
What is the CAS number and formula of dimethiconol?
Dimethiconol is identified by CAS 31692-79-2 (PubChem CID 14014); the indexed repeat-unit formula is C2H8O2Si. It is a polymer, so the molecular weight and viscosity are grade-dependent — specify the target grade when ordering.
How is bulk dimethiconol supplied and quoted?
RawSource supplies dimethiconol in drums and totes from domestic US stock, with CoA and SDS per lot. Pricing is quote-based on grade, carrier, active level, volume and packaging; request a current bulk quote.