Corn (Zea Mays) Meal
AKA “Zea Mays Meal”
Ingredient
Ingredient Facts
Corn (Zea Mays) meal
AKA: Zea Mays Meal
Ingredient · Skin Conditioning · EWG: 4
Plant-Derived Synthetic
Skin Conditioner
Not Clean
Corn (Zea Mays) Meal is a cosmetic ingredient. Assessed as safe by the CIR.
CAS #
8001-30-7; 66071-96-3; 68525-86-0; 9005-25-8
Form
Powder
See origin →
Functions
Skin Conditioning
A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.
Gently exfoliates skin
Provides mild softening
Helps absorb excess oil
Traditional Use
Cornmeal has been a staple gentle exfoliant in folk skincare across cultures for centuries, particularly in Mesoamerican, African, and European traditional beauty preparations. Used in cleansing and polishing treatments since pre-Columbian times.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
Rough Texture
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
Final Report of the Safety Assessment of Cosmetic Ingredients Derived from Zea mays (corn)
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
Zea Mays (Corn) Fruit
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Zea Mays (Corn) Germ Oil
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Zea Mays (Corn) Oil
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Zea Mays (Corn) Oil Unsaponifiables
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Zea Mays (Corn) Starch
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Zea Mays Oil
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
Zea Mays (Corn) Germ Oil
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
Zea Mays (Corn) Oil
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
Zea Mays (Corn) Starch
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
Verified Jun 2026
Data: CosIng · EWG · CIR