The price increase of organic silicon does not affect cosmetics

In late October, the Shanghai Securities News China Securities Network announced that the supply of organic silicon in the market was tight, and the price continued to rise sharply. The price rose from 17,600-18,200 CNY/ton at the beginning of the month to 20,000-20500 CNY/ton, an increase of 11.9%-12.6%. . The reporter verified that many people in the industry said that the use of silicon-based raw materials is limited, and the price of related cosmetics has not been raised due to the price increase of raw materials.

Organic Silicon involves many categories, but the single product "silicon" content is limited

Silicone is not a raw material, but a general term. The reporter's inquiry found that the "Catalog of Names of Cosmetic Ingredients Used" (2015 Edition) had a total of 333 raw material names related to "silicon". Zhang Taijun, R&D director of Quanzhi Beauty Biotechnology Research Institute, told reporters: "These 333 are related to "silicon". Of the raw materials, 95% of which are silicones, which are usually called “Polydimethylsiloxane”; 95% of these 95% polydimethylsiloxanes are derivatives of silicone oil, in simple terms It is the deep-processed product of silicone oil. In the field of cosmetics, we can roughly understand silicone as polydimethylsiloxane or silicone oil."

It is understood that silicones are mostly used in aerospace, construction, electrical and electronic fields, and the earliest use of silicones in cosmetics began with the hand cream produced by Dow Corning in 1950. Today, the silicone components that have been successfully developed and can be used in cosmetics include: dimethyl polysiloxane, methyl phenyl polysiloxane, Hydrogen-containing silicone oil, cyclic polysiloxane, methyl polysiloxane emulsion, Polyether-modified silicone oil, alkyl-modified silicone oil, amino-modified silicone oil, silicone wax, silicone resin and silicone-treated powder, etc. These silicone derivatives have been widely used in perfumes, hair waxes, and cosmetics. Hair care, lipstick, shaving cream, deodorant sweat agent, eyeshadow cream, nail polish, sunscreen and other cosmetics fields.

"Since silicone has excellent properties such as lubricity, hydrophobicity, physiological inertness, resistance to ultraviolet radiation and compatibility, it accounts for a little more in conditioner products, and shampoo accounts for about 1.5%-2.0%. Skin creams and lotions account for only 0.5%-3%." Zhang Taijun added.

Although silicones are used in many washing and personal care products, they are not ranked first in the product ingredient list, and there are many derivative ingredients and the amount is very limited.

Silicon oil price increases are insufficient, and raw material vendors ask for inventory

Cosmetic prices are not affected

As a bulk commodity at the beginning of the raw material, organic silicon needs to undergo heavy processing by downstream industries to synthesize polydimethylsiloxane and other ingredients before it can become a cosmetic raw material that is allowed to be added. Whether its price increase can really touch the price of the end product is still worth considering .

Chen Xiaoyan, manager of the raw material supply department of Lilong Daily Chemical, told reporters: “Although the prices of cosmetic raw materials will be fine-tuned with bulk commodities, the production cost of cosmetics is only part of the impact of the terminal price. The raw material price only accounts for a small part of the production cost. Methyl siloxane occupies more of the ingredients of a certain product, and it will basically not affect the large fluctuations in its terminal price."

During the interview, the reporter also learned that not only will there be no shortage of organic silicon raw materials, but on the contrary, raw material vendors want to destock. Chen Xiaoyan told reporters: Before the "Double Eleven" sales peak came, the raw material vendors had already made up the raw materials two months ago. Therefore, the price increase in the upstream industry of silicone will not affect the existing single products on the market. The price has an impact, but it is more hoped that the terminal brand will increase sales, increase purchases, and reduce inventory.

Autumn and winter are the peak seasons for hand cream sales. Polydimethylsiloxane is an indispensable additive for hand cream products. Tony, the operation director of Taiwan UNICAT, said: "If the raw material supplier does not increase the price significantly, The price of the product will not increase because of a certain raw material. At present, the price of the face-changing cat hand cream series has not changed, only the change in the exchange rate of the US dollar against the RMB has led to an increase in the purchase cost of goods."

In addition to moisturizing and moisturizing, the washing and care products are also categories with more silicone ingredients. The reporter learned through interviews with Du Xiaohua, Director of Lafang Supply Chain Center and Dow Corning, Wacker and other brand silicone raw materials agents: this year is affected by the epidemic , The sales of most of the sanitizer companies are generally stable with a decline. Among them, the sales of sanitary products have increased significantly, and the sales of shampoos and shower gels have decreased significantly. In general, the amount of silicone oil added and consumed by the disinfection products is not large, and the demand for silicone oil is weak. In the short term, the price of silicone oil is insufficient.

Not only that, in the cosmetics field, if the price of silicone products remains high, some downstream customers will choose other traditional materials for processing and substitution.