2028 D4 Prohibition Deadline Triggers Low-Cyclic Ethyl Silicone Oil Demand Surge

China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) announced on January 12, 2026, that cyclotetrasiloxane (D4) has been added to the list of prohibited cosmetic ingredients, sending shockwaves through the silicone oil supply chain. The regulation takes full effect on January 1, 2028, allowing a two-year transition period for industry adjustment.

D4, a common cyclic siloxane byproduct in conventional silicone oil production, is restricted to trace levels below 0.1% (w/w) when technically unavoidable as an impurity. This aligns China's cosmetic safety standards with international regulations such as the EU REACH framework, which classified D4 as a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) in 2018.

For ethyl silicone oil producers, this regulation represents both a challenge and an opportunity. The 0.1% D4 limit is a strict threshold that many conventional production processes cannot meet without significant modification.

Industry responses are focusing on two technological pathways: optimizing polymerization catalysts to minimize cyclic byproduct formation at the source, and implementing post-treatment processes such as short-path molecular distillation to remove residual cyclics from finished products.

While technically demanding and cost-intensive, these upgrades are increasingly viewed as essential investments. Producers capable of supplying low-cyclic ethyl silicone oil are poised to capture significant market share in the premium personal care segment, as brand owners intensify supply chain audits ahead of the 2028 deadline.