Bis-Peg-15 Methyl Ether Dimethicone is an inorganic chemical compound, a Dimethicone by-product.

The name describes the structure of the molecule

• "Bis" indicates that there are two groups or units of a certain molecule or structure in the compound.
• "PEG" stands for "Polyethylene Glycol". It's a polymer of the monomer ethylene oxide. In cosmetics, PEG derivatives are often used to enhance solubility or alter the sensory properties of a product.
• "15" indicates the average molecular weight or the number of repeating units of ethylene oxide in the polymer. In this case, there are 15 repeating units of ethylene oxide.
• "Methyl Ether" indicates the presence of a methyl ether group (-OCH3) in the compound.
• "Dimethicone" is a type of silicone used in many cosmetic and skincare products for its emollient and protective properties.

Description of raw materials used in production

• Dimethicone - A type of silicone oil that provides the base structure for the compound.
• PEG (Polyethylene Glycol) Methyl Ether - Used to modify the silicone structure, making it more water-soluble and enhancing its compatibility with other cosmetic ingredients.

Step-by-step summary of its industrial chemical synthesis process. 

• Functionalization of Dimethicone: The hydrophobic dimethicone is functionalized by attaching PEG methyl ether groups. This is typically done through a process called "PEGylation."
• Purification: After the reaction, the product is purified to remove any unreacted materials and by-products.
• Quality Control: The synthesized Bis-Peg-15 Methyl Ether Dimethicone is then subjected to various quality control tests to ensure its purity and quality.

It appears as a transparent viscous liquid.

What it is used for and where

Cosmetics

Hair conditioning agent. A large number of ingredients with specific purposes can co-exist in a hair shampoo: cleansers, conditioners, thickeners, mattifying agents, sequestering agents, fragrances, preservatives, special additives. However, the indispensable ingredients are the cleansers and conditioners as they are necessary and sufficient for hair cleansing and manageability. The others act as commercial and non-essential auxiliaries such as: appearance, fragrance, colouring, etc. Hair conditioning agents have the task of increasing shine, manageability and volume, and reducing static electricity, especially after treatments such as colouring, ironing, waving, drying and brushing. They are, in practice, dispersing agents that may contain cationic surfactants, thickeners, emollients, polymers. The typology of hair conditioners includes: intensive conditioners, instant conditioners, thickening conditioners, drying conditioners.

Skin conditioning agent. It is the mainstay of topical skin treatment by restoring, increasing or improving skin tolerance to external factors, including melanocyte tolerance. The most important function of the conditioning agent is to prevent skin dehydration, but the subject is rather complex and involves emollients and humectants.

Surfactant - Cleansing agent. Cosmetic products used to cleanse the skin utilise the surface-active action that produces a lowering of the surface tension of the stratum corneum, facilitating the removal of dirt and impurities.

Surfactant - Emulsifying agent. Emulsions are thermodynamically unstable and are used to soothe or soften the skin and emulsify, so they need a specific, stabilising ingredient. This ingredient forms a film, lowers the surface tension and makes two immiscible liquids miscible. A very important factor affecting the stability of the emulsion is the amount of the emulsifying agent. Emulsifiers have the property of reducing the oil/water or water/oil interfacial tension, improving the stability of the emulsion and also directly influencing the stability, sensory properties and surface tension of sunscreens by modulating the filmometric performance.

Safety

Dimethicone ((polydimethylsiloxane) is a chemical compound, a high molecular weight polymer derived from silicone, a chemically inert mixture of linear methylated siloxane polymers. The term 'dimeth' denotes two methyl groups bonded to the silicone molecule that provide the formation of dimethicone. It possesses a pronounced viscoelasticity characteristic and is hydrophobic, thus adding shine and slipperiness when applied to hair or skin. It forms a kind of barrier that prevents exogenous substances from entering the stratum corneum and at the same time prevents water loss. It is also UV-resistant, non-greasy and cost-effective. At low concentrations it is considered by the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to be a skin protector with a good degree of safety.

It is therefore considered safe when formulated to be non-irritating in cosmetic products as, given its high molecular weight, it is poorly absorbed by the skin or scalp.

https://www.tiiips.com/m/tiiips/home?action=viewObject&oID=26173

And now let us talk about PEGs.

Since the PEG (Polyethylene glycol) family is very numerous and can be found in cosmetic, industrial, pharmaceutical, medical and other products, we need to make an introductory statement on the subject, which is rather complex from a safety point of view because these products not only come into contact with the skin, but, as in the case of medical products, are ingested.

PEGs (polyethylene glycol) polymerise condensed ethylene oxide and water and are referred to as polyethylene glycols, but are actually complex chemical components, polymers bonded together. For example, plastic is polyethylene and has a hard consistency, while polyethylene combined with glycol forms a liquid. PEGylation is produced not only as etherification, but also as transesterification, which is the transformation of an alcohol by an ester.

The number appearing after the abbreviation PEG represents the molecular weight and the higher this number is, the less it penetrates the skin.

Safety

The term 'eth' refers to the ethoxylation reaction with ethylene oxide after which residues of ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane, chemical compounds considered carcinogenic, may remain. The degree of safety therefore depends on the degree of purity of the compound obtained. No manufacturer appears to provide this information on the label, at least as of the date of this review.