Cyclotetrasiloxane
Severity 7/10emollient · also known as d4
Is Cyclotetrasiloxane safe?
Cyclotetrasiloxane carries significant published concerns (environmental impact, hormone disruption).
In plain language
The most problematic cyclic silicone — now prohibited in EU cosmetics as both an environmental pollutant and a suspected reproductive toxicant. Mostly appears today as a trace impurity of other silicones.
A Caredermis plain-language explanation to help you read the label — not a regulator statement. The sourced facts are the classifications and status shown on this page.
Documented concerns
Each concern below is drawn from official data — see the cited sources ↓
Environmental impact
7/10PBT/vPvB classified; restricted in EU rinse-off since 2020 and now prohibited in cosmetics (Annex II).
Hormone disruption
6/10Classified toxic to reproduction (suspected) in the EU.
Official regulatory status
Pulled directly from official regulatory datasets and expert reviews — not our own judgement.
Guidance by skin profile
Caredermis editorial guidance based on the concerns above — checked against the official records on every build, but not itself a regulator statement.
- Sensitive skinNo specific concern
- Oily & acne-proneNo specific concern
- Dry skinNo specific concern
- PregnancyUse with caution
- Babies & kidsNo specific concern
- Eczema-proneNo specific concern
Sources
Each authority below is shown only because our ingested copy of its data lists Cyclotetrasiloxane — not because we asserted it. Follow a link to verify the classification or regulation directly.
CIR conclusion from the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Quick Reference Table — cir-safety.org (snapshot in data/sources/)(point-in-time snapshot; CIR's live record may have been updated since).
See our methodology for how these map to concern levels. Informational only — not medical advice.
Related ingredients
Ingredients with a similar role or shared type of concern — useful for comparing what's on your label.
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