Methods for making hollow silica particle are disclosed, said particles made from a composition comprising a silicon-containing compound selected from the group consisting of tetraalkoxysilanes, trialkyloxysilanes and derivatives thereof, dialkoxysilanes and derivatives thereof, alkoxysilanes and derivatives thereof, silicone oligomers, oligomeric silsesquioxanes and silicone polymers distributed over a polymer template core that is eliminated from the particle. The particles of the present invention have a substantially uniform particle size and exhibit low permeability to liquids.