Evaporation of Active Ingredients in Volatile Bases (Silicone, Alcohol) vs. Water Bases

Regarding your question about whether active ingredients evaporate with volatile bases like silicones and alcohol, compared to water-based formulations:

Based on general chemical principles, active ingredients typically do not evaporate along with the base unless the active ingredient itself is inherently volatile.

• Volatile Bases (Silicone, Alcohol): When a volatile base evaporates, it transitions from liquid to gas phase. Non-volatile active ingredients dissolved or dispersed in the base are left behind on the surface (e.g., skin). The base's evaporation rate affects how quickly the active ingredient is delivered to the surface, but it doesn't cause a non-volatile active to evaporate.
• Non-Volatile Bases (Water, without volatile components): In a non-volatile base, the base remains on the surface longer (or is absorbed). The active ingredient remains within the base until the base is absorbed or dries.

Therefore, the volatility of the base primarily affects the feel and delivery speed, not whether a non-volatile active ingredient evaporates.

This means that, as the staff correctly explained, an active ingredient will only evaporate if it is inherently volatile. The base (silicone, alcohol, water) does not cause a non-volatile active ingredient to evaporate with it.

This principle holds true regardless of the concentration of the active ingredient, even for low concentrations like 0.5%. The active ingredient, if non-volatile, will remain on the surface after the base evaporates.

So, you generally do not need to be concerned about non-volatile active ingredients evaporating with volatile bases.