Silica
What is it?
Silica, also called silicon dioxide, and Hydrated Silica are minerals. The only difference between the two ingredients is that Hydrated Silica is bound to water molecules. Both ingredients are used in a wide variety of cosmetics and personal care products.
Safety Information
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reviewed the safety of Silica and permits its use as an anticaking agent and for other uses in food. Silica as silica aerogel is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) for use in food as an anti-foaming agent. Silicon Dioxide is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) for use in paper and paperboard coming into contact with food.
Why is it used in cosmetics and personal care products?
Silica and Hydrated Silica are used in cosmetics and personal care products as abrasives, absorbants, anticaking agents, bulking and opacifying agents. Silica may also be used as a suspending agent, and Hydrated Silica may also be used as an oral care agent, a skin conditioning agent, and a viscosity increasing agent.
Scientific facts:
The Silica used in cosmetics and personal care products is in the amorphous form. This means that there is no clear order to the arrangement of the atoms, unlike crystalline silica, which has a clear order to the arrangement of the atoms.
