In premium personal care formulations, the "hydrophilic modification degree" of silicone elastomer gels directly dictates their compatibility in water-based systems and skin feel performance. Conventional vinyl-crosslinked silicone elastomers (e.g., KSG-15/18 series) offer velvet dry-touch but are strongly hydrophobic, tending to agglomerate in water-containing formulas, causing roughness or syneresis. While common polyether-modified silicones are hydrophilic, they lack elasticity and fail to provide "resilient filling" for blurring effects. As consumers demand "non-tacky, oil-absorbing yet non-drying, water-feel blurring" effects, sourcing a silicone gel with PEG-10 hydrophilic segments, >15% solid content, 400-600 Pa·s viscosity, and balancing hydrophobic elastomer network with hydrophilic spreadability has become the core gap for domestic hydrophilic silicone elastomer localization.
Addressing this "hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance" pain point,
Anhui IOTA Silicone Oil Co., Ltd. (IOTA) officially launches
Hydrophilic Silicone Elastomer Gel IOTA 9610 (INCI: Dimethicone (and) PEG-10 Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer). Characterized by "transparent to translucent gel, >15% solid content, 400-600 Pa·s (25℃), 0.1-80% ultra-wide dosing," and backed by "PEG-10 hydrophilic bridging + vinyl elastomer net sebum absorption + dry-touch tack reduction," it serves as the "hydrophilic anchor" for oil-control creams, water-feel sunscreens, blurring primers, and refreshing hair products.
Molecular Architecture: PEG-10 Bridging + Vinyl Elastomer Net Dual-Nature Logic
The core competitiveness of IOTA 9610 stems from its "hydrophilic-hydrophobic hybrid" crosslinked network structure:
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PEG-10 Hydrophilic Bridging: PEG-10 Dimethicone (avg. 10 EO units) is introduced as hydrophilic side chains grafted onto the vinyl-crosslinked PDMS network backbone. These polyether chains act as "tentacles" reaching into the water phase, significantly lowering interfacial tension, enabling the inherently hydrophobic silicone net to disperse uniformly in water-based systems—solving the "water-triggered agglomeration" issue of traditional elastomers.
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Vinyl Elastomer Net Sebum Absorption: Retaining the 3D network structure of Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer provides micron-scale porosity. This porous net physically caches sebum and oils, delivering immediate matte effect upon application. Due to network resilience, the touch feels "soft yet resilient," superior to the "dry-chalky" feel of pure oil-absorbing powders.
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High-Solid Low-Viscosity Balance: >15% solid content ensures conditioning efficacy per dosage, while 400-600 Pa·s viscosity (between IOTA 96004's 150-500k cP and IOTA 96451's 250-500k cP) provides oil-phase thickening without the dispersion difficulty of higher-viscosity gels, achieving a balance of "thickening without clumping, spreading without effort."
Performance Leap: From "Hydrophobic Agglomeration" to "Hydrophilic Tack Reduction"
Incorporating IOTA 9610 enables qualitative leaps in formulations:
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Water-Based Oil-Control Thickening: In O/W or W/Si systems, 0.5-5% addition significantly lifts oil-phase viscosity, imparting "yogurt texture" to creams; PEG-10 segments ensure uniform dispersion without grittiness, solving "syneresis" in high-internal-phase emulsions.
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Dry-Touch Tack Reduction: Upon application, PEG-10 segments offer watery spread, while the elastomer net absorbs sebum, leaving a "dry-matte" after-feel. It effectively reduces formula tackiness and accelerates absorption—ideal for summer oil-control products.
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Broad Active Compatibility: The hydrophilic-hydrophobic hybrid structure ensures good compatibility with various lipophilic actives (e.g., VA/IPCA, CoQ10, botanical oils), acting as a carrier for uniform delivery, preventing "oil-water separation" or "active precipitation."
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Blurring Makeup Enhancement: In primers or foundations, the elastomer net fills fine lines and pores, while PEG-10 segments improve powder adhesion, leading to smoother subsequent base makeup and longer wear. Its hydrophilic modification prevents post-makeup "tight-dry" flaking.
Application Penetration: From Oil-Control Creams to Water-Feel Sunscreens
IOTA 9610 covers formulation sectors doubly sensitive to "hydrophilicity + blurring":
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Skincare: Oil-control lotions, refreshing creams, pore-minimizing primers, sleep masks, men's skincare lines.
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Sun Care: Water-feel sunscreen milks, sunscreen gels, kids' water-resistant sunscreens (requiring low irritation, high spreadability).
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Color Cosmetics: Long-wear foundations, cushion compacts, setting powders (improves pressing properties), lip products (reduces tack).
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Hair Care: Refreshing conditioners, hair gels, scalp treatment essences (oil-control without hair tack).
IOTA Technical Guide: High-Shear Emulsify, Stepwise Addition
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Dispersion Process: Due to PEG-10 hydrophilic segments, add during water phase premixing or early emulsification stage. Use high-shear emulsification equipment (homogenizer, high-speed stirrer) to ensure full dispersion and prevent agglomeration.
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Addition Strategy: Stepwise addition is recommended: Pre-blend the gel with a portion of oil or water phase into a slurry, then add to the main batch. Avoid dumping large quantities directly into high-viscosity bases to prevent uneven dispersion.
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Temperature Control: Process at 40-60℃, avoiding >100℃ (high heat may oxidize PEG segments or damage the crosslinked network). If heating is necessary, use sealed vessels to prevent water loss.
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Low-Dose Application: For dosages <1%, pre-dilute with a small amount of hydrophilic silicone (e.g., PEG-12 Dimethicone) or propylene glycol before adding to the formula to ensure homogeneity.
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Red Lines: 40kg/180kg iron drums, non-haz; store sealed in cool dry place, moisture-proof, away from acids/alkalis/ignition sources; reseal strictly after use; 24 months shelf life.
Industry experts note that as the market shifts from "ingredient-watching" to "sensory-experience," hydrophilic silicone elastomers are becoming key materials balancing "active delivery" and "sensory pleasure." IOTA 9610, with its "PEG-10 hydrophilic bridging + vinyl elastomer net sebum absorption" hybrid design,
fills the domestic mass-production gap for hydrophilic silicone elastomers in water-based oil-control and blurring makeup effects, providing formulators a flexible technical path to develop "water-feel dry-touch" premium personal care products. This confirms domestic cosmetic silicone gels are advancing steadily along "structural hybridization → process adaptation → scenario landing," with growing say in hydrophilic modified silicone material technologies.
