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silicon dioxide
AKA “Silica, Dioxosilane, Silicic anhydride, Diatomaceous silica, Wessalon, Zorbax sil, amorphous”
Synthetic
Ingredient Facts
Silicon dioxide
AKA: Silica, Dioxosilane, Silicic anhydride, Diatomaceous silica, Wessalon, Zorbax sil, Amorphous
Synthetic · Exfoliant · EWG: 4
Synthetic
Exfoliant
Synthetic
Clean
A naturally derived powder that gently buffs away dead skin cells and smooths the skin's surface for a brighter, more refined complexion.
Solubility Insoluble (NIOSH, 2024)
Formula
O2Si
Mol. Weight
60.08
CAS #
7440-21-3
Form
Powder
State
Transparent to gray, odorless powder. Irritating to the skin and eyes on contact. Inhalation will cause irritation in the respiratory tract. [Note: Amorphous silica is the non-crystalline form of SiO2
See origin →
Functions
Exfoliant
Removes dead skin cells so fresh ones can come through. Chemical exfoliants (acids) are generally gentler than physical scrubs.
Viscosity Controlling
Absorbent
Physical Exfoliant
Anti-Aging Benefits
Antioxidant Protection
Reduces Inflammation
Gently polishes surface
Traditional Use
Used historically as an absorbent and mattifying agent in mineral-based cosmetics and traditional powder formulations. Modern cosmetic-grade silica is produced synthetically and valued for its oil-absorbing, anti-caking, and texture-improving properties.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
General
Melanin-Rich Skin
Suitable
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
EWG
4
CIR
Safe w/Qualifications
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
Not a Sensitizer
all-shades-safe
Regulatory Status
USA✔ permitted
EU⚠ restricted
JAPAN⚠ restricted
CANADA⚠ restricted
Safety assessment of borosilicate glasses as used in cosmetics.
Becker LC, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Hill RA, Klaassen CD et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2013
→
Safety assessment of borosilicate glasses as used in cosmetics.
Becker LC, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Hill RA, Klaassen CD et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2013
→
Safety assessment of borosilicate glasses as used in cosmetics.
Becker LC, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Hill RA, Klaassen CD et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2013
→
Safety assessment of borosilicate glasses as used in cosmetics.
Becker LC, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Hill RA, Klaassen CD et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2013
→
Safety assessment of borosilicate glasses as used in cosmetics.
Becker LC, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Hill RA, Klaassen CD et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2013
→
Safety assessment of borosilicate glasses as used in cosmetics.
Becker LC, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Hill RA, Klaassen CD et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2013
→
Safety assessment of silylates and surface-modified siloxysilicates.
Becker LC, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Hill RA, Klaassen CD et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2013
→
Safety assessment of silylates and surface-modified siloxysilicates.
Becker LC, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Hill RA, Klaassen CD et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2013
→
Safety assessment of silylates and surface-modified siloxysilicates.
Becker LC, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, Hill RA, Klaassen CD et al.
International journal of toxicology, 2013
→
Amended Safety Assessment of Silicates as Used in Cosmetics
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
Amended Safety Assessment of Synthetically Manufactured Amorphous Silica and Hydrated Silica as Used in Cosmetics
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Aluminum Silicate, Calcium Silicate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Magnesium Silicate, Magnesium Trisilicate, Sodium Magnesium Silicate, Zirconium Silicate, Att
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Potassium Silicate, Sodium Metasilicate, and Sodium Silicate
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
Final Report on the Safety Assessment of Silica, Alumina Magnesium Metasilicate, Aluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate, Aluminum Iron Silicates, Hydrated Silica and Potassium Aluminum Silicate
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
Safety Assessment of Borosilicate Glasses as Used in Cosmetics
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
Safety Assessment of Silylates and Surface-Modified Siloxysilicates
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
Alumina Magnesium Metasilicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Aluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Aluminum Iron Calcium Magnesium Germanium Silicates
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Aluminum Iron Calcium Magnesium Zirconium Silicates
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Aluminum Iron Silicates
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Aluminum Silicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Ammonium Silver Zinc Aluminum Silicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Calcium Magnesium Silicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Calcium Silicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Calcium Sodium Borosilicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Calcium Titanium Borosilicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Dimethicone/Vinyltrimethylsiloxysilicate Crosspolymer
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Dimethiconol/Methylsilanol/Silicate Crosspolymer
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Dimethiconol/Silica Crosspolymer
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Hydrated Silica
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Lithium Magnesium Silicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Magnesium Aluminometasilicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Magnesium Silicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Magnesium Trisilicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Polymethylsilsesquioxane/Trimethylsiloxysilicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Potassium Silicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
silica
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Silica dimethyl silylate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Silica Silylate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Silver Borosilicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Sodium Magnesium Silicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Sodium Metasilicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Sodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Sodium Silicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Sodium Silver Aluminum Silicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Trifluoropropyldimethyl/trimethylsiloxysilicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Trimethylsiloxysilicate/Dimethicone Crosspolymer
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Trimethylsiloxysilicate/Dimethiconol Crosspolymer
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Vinyldimethyl/Trimethylsiloxysilicate Stearyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Vinyldimethyl/Trimethylsiloxysilicate/Dimethicone Crosspolymer
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Zinc Borosilicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Zinc Silicate
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Developing a stable aqueous enteric coating formulation with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS-MF) and colloidal silicon dioxide
Deshpande TM, Quadir A, Obara S, Ibrahim A, Hoag SW
International journal of pharmaceutics, 2018
→
Final report on the safety assessment of aluminum silicat...
Amy R Elmore
International journal of toxicology, 2003
→
Final report on the safety assessment of aluminum silicate, calcium silicate, magnesium aluminum silicate, magnesium silicate, magnesium trisilicate,
Elmore AR, Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel
International journal of toxicology, 2003
→
Final report on the safety assessment of aluminum silicate, calcium silicate, magnesium aluminum silicate, magnesium silicate, magnesium trisilicate,
Elmore AR, Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel
International journal of toxicology, 2003
→
Final report on the safety assessment of aluminum silicate, calcium silicate, magnesium aluminum silicate, magnesium silicate, magnesium trisilicate,
Elmore AR, Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel
International journal of toxicology, 2003
→
Final report on the safety assessment of aluminum silicate, calcium silicate, magnesium aluminum silicate, magnesium silicate, magnesium trisilicate,
Elmore AR, Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel
International journal of toxicology, 2003
→
Final report on the safety assessment of aluminum silicate, calcium silicate, magnesium aluminum silicate, magnesium silicate, magnesium trisilicate,
Elmore AR, Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel
International journal of toxicology, 2003
→
Final report on the safety assessment of aluminum silicate, calcium silicate, magnesium aluminum silicate, magnesium silicate, magnesium trisilicate,
Elmore AR, Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel
International journal of toxicology, 2003
→
Final report on the safety assessment of aluminum silicate, calcium silicate, magnesium aluminum silicate, magnesium silicate, magnesium trisilicate,
Elmore AR, Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel
International journal of toxicology, 2003
→
Final report on the safety assessment of potassium silicate, sodium metasilicate, and sodium silicate.
Elmore AR, Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel
International journal of toxicology, 2005
→
Final report on the safety assessment of potassium silicate, sodium metasilicate, and sodium silicate.
Elmore AR, Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel
International journal of toxicology, 2005
→
Final report on the safety assessment of potassium silicate, sodium metasilicate, and sodium silicate.
Elmore AR, Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel
International journal of toxicology, 2005
→
Alumina Magnesium Metasilicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Aluminum Calcium Sodium Silicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Aluminum Silicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Calcium Aluminum Borosilicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Calcium Silicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Calcium Sodium Borosilicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Calcium Titanium Borosilicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Dimethicone/Vinyltrimethylsiloxysilicate Crosspolymer
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Hydrated Silica
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Lithium Magnesium Silicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Magnesium Silicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Magnesium Trisilicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Potassium Silicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Silica dimethyl silylate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Silica Silylate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Sodium Magnesium Silicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Sodium Metasilicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Sodium Potassium Aluminum Silicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Sodium Silicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Sodium Silver Aluminum Silicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Trifluoropropyldimethyl/trimethylsiloxysilicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Trimethylsiloxysilicate
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Trimethylsiloxysilicate/Dimethicone Crosspolymer
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Trimethylsiloxysilicate/Dimethiconol Crosspolymer
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Misconceptions regarding the pathogenicity of silicas and silicates.
Feigin DS
Journal of thoracic imaging, 1989
→
Studies of prophylaxis pastes containing sodium-potassium aluminum silicate and fluoride.
Putt MS, Kleber CJ, Muhler JC
Journal of dental research, 1979
→
The preparation of lactoferrin/magnesium silicate lithium injectable hydrogel and application in promoting wound healing.
Wang B, Zhao J, Lu W, Ma Y, Wang X et al.
International journal of biological macromolecules, 2022
→
The preparation of lactoferrin/magnesium silicate lithium injectable hydrogel and application in promoting wound healing.
Wang B, Zhao J, Lu W, Ma Y, Wang X et al.
International journal of biological macromolecules, 2022
→
Composite Aerogel Scaffolds Containing Flexible Silica Nanofiber and Tricalcium Phosphate Enable Skin Regeneration.
Wang X, Yuan Z, Shafiq M, Cai G, Lei Z et al.
ACS applied materials & interfaces, 2024
→
Spindle-Like Zinc Silicate Nanoparticles Accelerating Innervated and Vascularized Skin Burn Wound Healing.
Zhang H, Ma W, Ma H, Qin C, Chen J et al.
Advanced healthcare materials, 2022
→
Verified Feb 2026
Data: PubChem · CosIng · EWG · CIR