bentonite
AKA “Swelling Clay
Ingredient
Ingredient Facts
bentonite
AKA: Swelling Clay
Ingredient · Emulsion Stabilising · EWG: 2
Synthetic
Emulsifier
Clay
Clean
Bentonite. A colloidal clay. Consists primarily of montmorillonite (CI 77004)
Formula
Al2O3·4SiO2·H2O
CAS #
1302-78-9
Form
Powder
State
Solid
See origin →
Functions
Absorbent
Bulking
Emulsion Stabilising
Forces oil and water to stay mixed instead of separating into layers. The unsung hero holding your lotion together.
Viscosity Controlling
Absorbs Excess Oil
Adds Body & Volume
Stabilizes Emulsion
Controls Viscosity
Locks In Moisture
Antioxidant Protection
Adds volume
Keeps product blended
Controls product thickness
Traditional Use
A clay mineral used for thousands of years in traditional African and Native American skincare for detoxification and oil absorption. Named after Fort Benton, Wyoming where it was discovered, bentonite became formalized in cosmetics during the 20th century.
Skin Types
all-skin-types, gentle
Best For
Oiliness
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
EWG
2
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
Not a Sensitizer
ewg-2
medical-approval
pregnancy-nursing-safe
all-shades-safe
Regulatory Status
USApermitted
EUpermitted
JAPANpermitted
CANADApermitted
Quaternium-18 and Quaternium-18 Bentonite.
Cherian P, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Klaassen CD, Liebler DC et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2023
Quaternium-18 and Quaternium-18 Bentonite.
Cherian P, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Klaassen CD, Liebler DC et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2023
Quaternium-18 and Quaternium-18 Bentonite.
Cherian P, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Klaassen CD, Liebler DC et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2023
Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Quaternium-18, Quaternium-18 Hectorite, and Quaternium-18 Bentonite
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
Quaternium-18 and Quaternium-18 Bentonite
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
bentonite
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Hydrogenated Tallowalkonium Bentonite
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Quaternium-18 Bentonite
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Quaternium-18/Benzalkonium Bentonite
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Quaternium-90 Bentonite
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Stearalkonium Bentonite
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Bentonite Clay: A Potential Natural Sanitizer for Prevent...
Partha Das, Bharat Venkata Tadikonda
ACS chemical neuroscience, 2020
Bentonite Clay: A Potential Natural Sanitizer for Prevent...
Partha Das, Bharat Venkata Tadikonda
ACS chemical neuroscience, 2020
Bentonite Clay: A Potential Natural Sanitizer for Prevent...
Partha Das, Bharat Venkata Tadikonda
ACS chemical neuroscience, 2020
bentonite
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
Quaternium-18 Bentonite
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
Quaternium-90 Bentonite
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
Stearalkonium Bentonite
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
Bentonite in Korea: A Resource and Research Focus for Biomedical and Cosmetic Industries.
Rana MS, Kim S
Materials (Basel, Switzerland), 2024
Verified Jun 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR