kaolin
AKA “White Clay”
Colorant
Ingredient Facts
kaolin
AKA: White Clay
Colorant · Abrasive · EWG: 1
Synthetic
Colorant
Clay
Clean
Naturally occurring substances, kaolin (CI 77004)
Formula
Al2Si2O5(OH)4
Mol. Weight
258.16
CAS #
1332-58-7
Form
Powder
State
Solid
See origin →
Functions
Abrasive
Absorbent
Anticaking
Bulking
Colorant
Gives the product its color. Purely aesthetic — makes the formula look good in the jar but does nothing for your skin.
Opacifying
Physical Exfoliant
Absorbs Excess Oil
Prevents Clumping
Adds Body & Volume
Fights Bacteria
Locks In Moisture
Brightens Skin
Traditional Use
Used for centuries in traditional Chinese and African skincare for oil absorption and skin purification. Named after Kao-ling hill in China where it was first mined for porcelain production.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types, gentle
Best For
Oiliness
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
EWG
1
CIR
Safe as used
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
Not a Sensitizer
ewg-1
medical-approval
pregnancy-nursing-safe
all-shades-safe
Concentration Guide
20.0%
0%28%
Reg. Limit
FDA OTC limit (Skin Protectant): 20%. 21 CFR 347.10
Regulatory Agencies
Kaolinite in pharmaceutics and biomedicine.
Awad ME, López-Galindo A, Setti M, El-Rahmany MM, Iborra CV
International journal of pharmaceutics, 2017
kaolin
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
kaolin
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
Kaolin Clay
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
White Clay Powder
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
Verified Jun 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR