Corundum ●
TL;DR. A hard mineral abrasive used for physical exfoliation, polishing, and microdermabrasion-style texture smoothing. It removes surface buildup through mechanical action rather than chemical exfoliation.
What does Corundum do in a cosmetic formula?
A hard mineral abrasive used for physical exfoliation, polishing, and microdermabrasion-style texture smoothing. It removes surface buildup through mechanical action rather than chemical exfoliation.
Is Corundum clean?
Clean-beauty frameworks generally treat this ingredient as straightforward and low-reactivity, with the main caveat being over-exfoliation or mechanical irritation on sensitive skin. It is not a common allergen and is not typically flagged on restricted lists.
Is Corundum sustainable?
This material is mineral-derived and may be mined or manufactured through energy-intensive processes, depending on grade and supply chain. It is not biodegradable in the organic sense, but it is an inert, non-plastic particulate that does not dissolve or bioaccumulate like many synthetic polymers.
Is Corundum COSMOS-approved?
It can fit COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic formulas when it meets the standard’s mineral-origin and processing requirements. From a Green Chemistry view, its strengths are chemical inertness and low reactivity, while its weaker points are non-renewable sourcing and possible processing energy demand.
How does Corundum work chemically?
The molecule is a very hard crystalline mineral made from aluminum and oxygen atoms in a 2:3 ratio, which explains its strong polishing and abrasion profile. In rinse-off exfoliants it is used as a suspended solid, so particle size, edge geometry, and dispersion stability matter more than pH compatibility.
Last updated 2026-05-15