Natural skin care is a rising trend in the cosmetics industry. Brands strive to develop products that bolster the skin’s innate ability to heal, utilizing naturally derived ingredients and forgoing harsh chemicals, toxins, synthetics, and other potentially damaging agents.
Silicones are synthetic ingredients that have been used in skin care for decades, but new brands are turning to silicone-free solutions.
This article explains the benefits of silicon-free skin care and recommends products that feature clean, medical-grade ingredients for healthy, vibrant skin.
Why Are Silicones Used in Skincare Products?
Silicones have a silky texture that helps easily spread the product and leave a smooth finish. They lock hydration into the skin and are cheap to produce. They also increase product stability and shelf life and create water-resistant sunblock.
Silicones might make your face look and feel nice in the moment, but the effects are temporary and do not provide long-term benefits. They may even exacerbate conditions like acne and dry skin, block the absorption of other ingredients, and pollute the environment due to their non-biodegradable nature.
Note: Learn why it’s best to avoid silicone in skin care.
Alternatives for Silicone in Skin Care
There are many healthier alternatives to silicones. Consider ingredients that are natural humectants and offer similar texture and benefits without the use of silicones. Examples include:
- Centella asiatica
- Squalane
- Snow mushrooms
- Shea butter
- Avocado oil
- Jojoba oil
- Aloe vera gel
- Bamboo isoflavones
- Seaweed extracts, etc.
These natural substances nourish and deeply hydrate the skin, helping to improve skin barrier function and revitalize the skin.
What Is Silicone-Free Skin Care?
Silicone-free skin care is formulated with naturally derived, silicone-free ingredients. It is usually also paraben-free, alcohol-free, and environmentally friendly. These products are formulated to infuse the skin with ingredients that feed the microbiome, repair skin cells, enhance collagen production, and balance the neurotransmitters affecting skin health.
Benefits of Silicone-Free Skin Care
The benefits of silicone-free skin care depend on the product’s exact formulation and active ingredients. Cosmetics without silicone typically include all-natural ingredients that have the following advantages over synthetic products:
- Break down faster and don’t pollute the environment.
- Allow the skin to breathe.
- Don’t clog pores.
- Enhance moisture levels and skin barrier function.
- Work synergistically with the skin’s innate ability to repair itself.
Challenges of Going Silicone-Free
Silicone is a convenient, cheap ingredient, and manufacturers who want to create a product without it face several challenges. They must find alternatives that are just as emollient, easily spreadable, and non-irritating as silicone but are also safe and provide long-lasting benefits for skin health. The process requires meticulous research and testing of different ingredients.
Silicone-Free Skin Care: Product Recommendations
Vibrant has created a premium-quality, medical-grade skincare line without silicone. These products are also:
- Free of synthetic fragrance
- Paraben-free
- Phthalate-free
- Cruelty-free
- Microbiome-friendly
- Mineral-oil free
- Vegan
Vibrant products are the result of emerging research on the importance of gut-brain-skin balance for healthy, radiant skin. Vibrant experts recommend the following silicone-free, all-natural solutions.
Vibrant Cleanse
Vibrant Cleanse is a dermatologist-tested face wash for all skin types. It is formulated with papaya and pineapple enzymes that gently break down the cellular glue that holds dead skin cells together and removes dirt, oil, and makeup, helping to clear and refresh the skin. It also helps maintain adequate moisture levels and a strong skin barrier thanks to prebiotics (inulin), probiotics (Lactococcus ferment lysate), and postbiotics (lactic acid). Finally, botanicals like raspberry fruit, neem, and kumquat extracts infuse the skin with potent antioxidants and energy-enhancing ingredients, helping to repair and revitalize the complexion.
Note: Learn how innovative, microbiome-friendly ingredients like prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics enhance skin health.
Vibrant Elevate
Elevate is a skincare powerhouse that soothes, hydrates, and prepares the skin for the environmental stressors of the day. It is packed with skin-loving, naturally derived ingredients, including the following moisture-generating ingredients:
- Cucumber extract - Keeps the skin moisturized.
- Deuterium oxide (D20, heavy water) - Delivers moisture deep into the skin and prevents trans-epidermal water loss.
- Microbiome-friendly prebiotics and probiotics - Promote a healthy skin barrier.
- Manuka honey – A natural humectant that promotes skin cell regeneration and restores the skin’s youthfulness.
Why ELEVATE is LED light therapy's best friend:
Elevate is especially useful after LED light therapy because it helps absorb the healing light and protects from free radical damage.
Chlorophyll has antioxidant properties that combat free radicals and can help break apart light during red light therapy to enhance the benefits.
Matcha green tea is rich in epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a powerful antioxidant that can help reduce pigmentation issues and promote a more even skin tone.
Astaxanthin is one of the most potent antioxidants, capable of neutralizing free radicals up to 6,000 times more effectively than vitamin C. Astaxanthin supports skin elasticity and minimizes signs of aging, enhancing the rejuvenating effects of LED therapy.
SPINTRAP is an intelligent antioxidant - instead of destroying free radicals, it converts them into useful oxygen.
Vibrant Tone
Tone is another silicone-free formula in the Vibrant collection that brings the skin closer to its natural radiance. It reduces redness, tightens pores, and supports the skin barrier thanks to probiotics, vitamin C, niacinamide, and soothing plant extracts. The Vibrant team’s favorite ingredient in Tone - lemongrass hydrosol - helps to reduce stress, calm nerves, and uplift and refresh the skin.
Desert Vibe Serum
Desert Vibe Serum is a potent blend of nourishing, revitalizing ingredients, including beta-glucan, gotu kola (centella), wild indigo (neurophroline), prickly pear, and snow mushroom. They reduce oxidative damage, increase hydration, regenerate collagen, and enhance skin immunity, visibly improving aging signs and skin health.
Desert Vibe also contains Bamboo Isoflavones PF, a natural alternative to silicone with the added benefit of strong antioxidant protection. The bamboo plant contains about 70% organic silica, making it an excellent substitution for silicone.
Vibrant C Serum
Vibrant C is a luxurious, rejuvenating, and skin-brightening serum. Vitamin C and glutathione are the star ingredients, helping to reverse wrinkles, dark spots, acne, and promote a stronger skin barrier. Ingredients that complement the skin-enhancing effects of this antioxidant duo include:
- Camu Camu - A fruit native to the Amazon rainforest, it has one of the highest natural concentrations of vitamin C, delivering potent antioxidant protection.
- Kakadu plum extract - Derived from Australian fruit with one of the highest natural vitamin C concentrations. It offers exceptional antioxidant protection, skin-brightening effects, collagen synthesis, anti-aging properties, and skin repair benefits.
- Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) - It can regenerate glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that plays a crucial role in protecting the skin from oxidative damage.
- Ferulic acid: Provides antioxidant protection and anti-aging benefits.
- Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) - It can slow the aging process by reducing glycation and preventing skin cell damage from free radicals.
- Amino acids (lysine, glycine, proline, hydroxyproline) – Support collagen production.
Vibrant Defense
Defense is a serum for blemish-prone skin, which reduces oiliness and provides strong protection against internal and external stressors. It is formulated with retinal (retinaldehyde vitamin A derivative) and plant-based bakuchiol, which exhibits retinoid properties. They stimulate cellular turnover and collagen production, balance oil production, and help unclog pores. This product also includes ingredients that help treat blemishes at the source:
- L. plantarum - A specific probiotic strand that reduces skin lesions and inhibits skin inflammation induced by Cutibacterium acnes.
- Bio Fense - A ferment with a probiotic-like activity that favors the beneficial bacteria while discouraging harmful bacteria and yeast overgrowth.
- Beta-glucan - Provides anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties that can help with acne and wound healing, potentially aiding in scar tissue reduction.
Vibrant Spot On
Another all-natural blemish spot treatment, Spot On is packed with anti-inflammatory, soothing, and balancing ingredients that help heal blemishes and blemish stains:
- Totarol – An active phytochemical against acne-causing bacteria and a potent antioxidant.
- Licorice root extract – Kills pathogenic bacteria and helps control oil production.
- Black BeeOme™ and BioFense™ - Probiotic formula for stronger skin immunity and barrier function.
- Vanilla fruit extract – Provides antibacterial and antioxidant protection, helping to prevent breakouts and soothe irritated skin.
- Niacinamide – Reduces inflammation, regulates sebum production, and brightens the skin.
Vibrant Restore
Restore is a clarifying moisturizer for normal and oily skin. It is designed to help balance sebum production, reduce blemishes, strengthen the skin’s microbiome, calm redness, and provide natural hydration. This nourishing formula contains soothing, hydrating, and antioxidant ingredients like cucumber fruit water, allantoin, bisabolol, jojoba oil, totarol, beta-glucan, niacinamide, calendula, and more.
Vibrant Mud
Mud is a facial mask infused with kaolin clay, bentonite clay, and activated charcoal, which deeply cleanses the pores of toxins and impurities and helps balance oily, acne-prone skin. It also contains anti-inflammatory, soothing, and barrier-strengthening ingredients like willow bark, calendula, cranberry fruit extract, prebiotics, and probiotics.
Apply it to clean skin, leave it on for ten minutes, and rinse with warm water. Use it weekly for the best results.
Conclusion
There is a growing demand for natural, environmentally-friendly cosmetic products. Consumers are interested in healthier alternatives to synthetic ingredients like silicone. Look for products that truly enhance skin health and appearance - Vibrant’s new skincare line has all you need for a youthful, glowing complexion.
