Silicon Dioxide ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is used as an absorbent, anti-caking agent, opacifier, slip modifier, and mild abrasive, depending on particle size and porosity. In makeup and skin care it helps control oil and improve texture, while in dentifrices it can provide controlled polishing.
What does Silicon Dioxide do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is used as an absorbent, anti-caking agent, opacifier, slip modifier, and mild abrasive, depending on particle size and porosity. In makeup and skin care it helps control oil and improve texture, while in dentifrices it can provide controlled polishing.
Is Silicon Dioxide clean?
It is broadly accepted in clean-beauty frameworks and is generally low-irritation on skin. The main caveat is route of exposure, since loose respirable powders need particle-size controls, while bound or wet formulas are typically unproblematic.
Is Silicon Dioxide sustainable?
This material is sourced from abundant mineral feedstocks or made from mineral-derived precursors. It is inert and not biodegradable in the organic sense, but it does not meaningfully bioaccumulate and has low aquatic mobility in typical cosmetic use.
Is Silicon Dioxide COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic when sourced and processed as an allowed mineral material. From a Green Chemistry view, it scores well for abundance and inertness, although it is not renewable and some high-purity grades can require energy-intensive processing.
How does Silicon Dioxide work chemically?
It is an inorganic network solid built from tetrahedral SiO4 units, with cosmetic grades usually supplied as amorphous fumed, precipitated, or hydrated particles. Typical use ranges run from about 0.1 to 5% for slip, oil control, and suspension support, with higher levels in powders or dentifrices, and it is insoluble, oxidation-stable, and broadly pH-stable.
Last updated 2026-05-13