Process for preparing a silicone elastomer and personal care composition containing the elastomer

A method for making a silicone elastomer with entrapped hydrophobic active, comprising the steps of:

• 1. combining, in no particular order:
• (i) 0.05 to 8% by weight of a hydride functionalized silicone elastomer precursor;
• (ii) 2 to 60% by weight of a vinyl functionalized silicone elastomer precursor;
• (iii) 0.5 to 97% by weight of a solvent comprising polydimethylsiloxane or caprylyl trimethicone;
• (iv) 0.25 to 65% by weight hydrophobic active;
• and
• (v) catalyst at an amount effective to catalyze polymerization of the hydride and vinyl functionalized elastomer precursors;
• and
• 2. recovering silicone elastomer with entrapped hydrophobic active, wherein:
• (i) the hydrophobic active is soluble in the solvent;
• and
• (ii) at least 20% of total solvent used to make the silicone elastomer is provided before polymerization is initiated wherein any remainder of solvent used is provided gradually within 5 to 30 minutes in further swelling of elastomer when polymerization of the hydride is 90 to 99% complete and the silicone elastomer with entrapped hydrophobic active has a viscosity from 50 to 3000 cps and a G′ storage modulus from 700 to 10,000PA
• (iii) the hydrophobic active is a sunscreen, oil soluble vitamin, hydroxyacid, or resorcinol.