The properties of fumed silica and its application in cosmetics

No matter hydrophilic fumed silica or hydrophobic fumed silica, there are silanol groups on its surface, so it can form active centers. When the fumed silica is added to the liquid system, hydrogen bonds are formed between the silanol groups on the neighboring particles and further develop into a three-dimensional network structure, which limits the mobility of the liquid particles, thereby increasing the viscosity and stability of the liquid. On the contrary, when a certain shear force is applied to the above-mentioned stable system, the hydrogen bonds that have formed the network structure are destroyed again, the mobility of liquid particles increases, and the viscosity of the system decreases. Therefore, adding fumed silica to the formula can not only effectively thicken and improve product stability, but also improve the thixotropic properties of the product and the skin feel during use.

Fumed silica has always been an unfamiliar raw material in the field of personal care products. Because of its ultra-light solid form and various unusual and interesting characteristics, its application in the field of personal care products has cast a mysterious veil.

In recent years, with the increasing awareness of fumed silica, it has been widely used in personal care products such as skin care products, sunscreen products, color cosmetics, antiperspirants, hair care products, shower gels, facial cleansers, etc. In particular, it can solve the problem of suspension of solid particles at low viscosity, and it can impart excellent thixotropy to the system, making it become one of the essential raw materials in high-end skin care products, liquid foundations, mascaras and lip glosses. With the deepening of research, the application of fumed silica in personal care products will become more extensive.