SILICA

Name / description

Silica, Silicon Dioxide

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Function(s) of this ingredient in cosmetic products

ABRASIVE

Removes dental plaque or dirt from the skin surface through a grinding / polishing effect

ABSORBENT

Takes up finely dispersed substances

ANTICAKING

Prevents powdered products from caking / sticking together

BULKING

Reduces the density of cosmetic products by swelling

FRAGRANCE FUNCTIONAL

Functional ingredient (excipient) of perfume oils and / or flavours

OPACIFYING

Reduces transparency and translucency by clouding the product

VISCOSITY CONTROLLING

Increases or decreases the viscosity of cosmetic products

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Origin

mineral

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Occurrence in cosmetics

In various products (eg toothpaste, decorative cosmetics, makeup, powder, hair colourations, hairstyling products) as abrasive (abrasion agent), filler, anti-caking agent, drying agent, thickener etc

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Occurrence in other products

Both natural silica (quartz sand) and synthetically produced (pyrogenic) silicon dioxide (also referred to as synthetically amorphous silica) has a widespread use in many industrial areas: in the building sector, in ceramics and glass production, in the plastics and rubber industry (eg in car tyres), in the semiconductor technology as well as in medicinal products and foodstuffs

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Background information on use in cosmetics

Silica (silicon dioxide, quartz, quartz sand) is an inorganic (mineral) solid and is mainly widespread in nature in the form of sand. Silica is the main component of the earth’s crust and both chemically and thermally very stable (inert). In cosmetics it is primarily to be found in synthetically produced (amorphous, ie non-crystalline) silica. Silica (silicon dioxide) can absorb up to 40 % moisture. It is used as an adsorption agent for liquids, as a builder for the production of gels and for the stabilisation of suspensions and emulsions. In powders it increases the throwing power, adherence and absorbing capacity. Fragrances or mixtures of fragrances are often referred to in the cosmetics area as "perfuming agents" or "perfume oils" or "parfum oils". On the cosmetic products they are declared with the INCI name "PARFUM". These are undiluted individual substances or their mixtures which originate from natural raw materials or can be produced (semi-) synthetically. They are starting materials for the production of perfume, eau de parfum, eau de toilette, eau de cologne and other perfumed cosmetic products. The average content of fragrances amounts in perfume to 15-30 %, in eau de parfum to 10-14 %, in eau de toilette to 6-9 %, in eau de cologne to 3-5 % as well as in skin creams, shampoos, hair and deodorant sprays to approximately 0.2-1 % and approximately 1-3 in deodorant sticks. The perfume oils include essential oils, resinoids and absolutes. The sources are, amongst others, flowers, leaves and stems, fruits and fruit peels or roots of plants; woods, grasses or herbs, needles, resins and balsams. Moreover, only compounds isolated from natural products such as aldehydes, ketones, esters, alcohols etc. are used (geraniol, citronellal, citral, eugenol, menthol) as well as semi-synthetic (citronellol, geranyl acetate, jonone) and synthetic scents (eg phenylethyl alcohol and linalool) are used. Scents of animal origin such as musk and ambra are only rarely used.

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Further information

Concerning nano-scale silicon dioxide, see INCI name SILICA (NANO)

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Belongs to the following substance groups

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Regulating cosmetics

Cosmetics Ingredients are subject to regulation. Please note, different regulations may apply to cosmetic ingredients outside the EU.