Is Silica safe in cosmetics?
Silica has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted. 10 toxicological study endpoint(s) are available in our database.
Silica
Also known as: Silicon dioxide, SiO2, Aerosil M-300, Aerosil bs-50, Aerosil-degussa, Amorphous silica dust (+15 more)
INCI: SILICA
Silica (CAS 7631-86-9) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as rheology modifier, thickener, anticaking agent, opacifier. NOAEL 16.6667 mg/kg bw/day (cross-referenced against ToxValDB ECHA IUCLID); EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 7631-86-9 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
rheology modifier, thickener, anticaking agent, opacifier
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
FDA-approved inorganic. Widely used. GRAS for food. No concentration restriction in cosmetics.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Silica.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Toxicological Studies
10 study endpoints found for Silica. NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values are used to calculate the Margin of Safety per SCCS methodology.
| Endpoint | Value | Route | Species | Study Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOAEL | 500 mg/kg bw/day | oral | rat | Chronic | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | 800 mg/kg bw/day | oral | dog | Short Term Toxicity | COSMOS_DB |
| NOAEL | =500 mg/kg | - | - | NOAEL study | SCCS_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =500 mg/kg/day | oral | rat | reproductive toxicity | SCCS_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =500 mg/kg | - | - | NOAEL study | SCCS_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =500 mg/kg/day | oral | rat | reproductive toxicity | SCCS_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =500 mg/kg | - | - | NOAEL study | SCCS_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =500 mg/kg/day | oral | rat | reproductive toxicity | SCCS_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =500 mg/kg | - | - | NOAEL study | SCCS_vision_codex |
| NOAEL | =500 mg/kg/day | oral | rat | reproductive toxicity | SCCS_vision_codex |
Pre-Calculated Safety Assessment
Pre-calculated NOAEL → SED → MoS audit trail for Silica across SCCS product categories, with measured dermal absorption where available.
EPA ToxValDB — Toxicity Values
10 toxicity values from EPA ToxValDB (aggregated from CCTE, HPV, ToxRefDB, IRIS, and other regulatory dossiers).
| Endpoint | Value | Species | Route | Duration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LD50 | >2000 mg/kg | Rat | oral | - | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOAEL | =1000 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | short-term | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOEL | =1000 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOEL | >1000 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOEL | =1000 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA IUCLID |
| NOEL | =1000 mg/kg-day | Rat | oral | - | ECHA IUCLID |
| LOAEL | =15 mg/m3 | Monkey | inhalation | chronic | TX TCEQ |
| LOEL | =50 mg/kg-day | Mouse | oral | short-term | ECOTOX |
| LOEL | =500 mg/kg-day | Mouse | oral | short-term | ECOTOX |
| LOEL | =665 mg/kg-day | Mouse | oral | short-term | ECOTOX |
IARC Carcinogenicity
International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO) monograph evaluation.
IARC Group
3
Volume
Sup 7, 68
Evaluation Year
1996
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
1,000,000 - 10,000,000 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE; GROUP
SVHC Candidate
No
Additional Ingredient Properties
10 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
comedogenicity_detail
{"comedogenicity_rating": "0", "irritancy_rating": "0", "skin_type_suitability": "all,oily,combination,normal,acne-prone", "acne_safe": "yes", "source": "Absorbent powder"}
concentration
{"min_concentration_pct": "1.0", "max_concentration_pct": "10.0", "typical_concentration_pct": "5.0", "product_type": "Primer", "function_at_concentration": "Mattifying, pore blurring", "source": "Supplier TDS"}
ecotoxicity
{"biodegradable": "no", "biodegradation_days": "non-biodegradable", "bioaccumulative": "no", "aquatic_toxicity_level": "low", "coral_reef_safe": "yes", "marine_toxicity": "very low toxicity", "freshwater_toxicity": "minimal impact", "soil_toxicity": "inert", "endocrine_disruptor": "no", "persistent_organic_pollutant": "no", "microplastic": "no", "nano_particle": "possible nano", "hawaii_banned": "…
emulsifier
{"cas_number": "7631-86-9", "ingredient_class": "Pickering_emulsifier", "chemical_type": "mineral", "emulsion_type_primary": "O/W", "droplet_size_typical_um": "0.1-1", "lamellar_phase": "no", "hexagonal_phase": "no", "cubic_phase": "no", "gel_network_formation": "no", "viscoelastic_properties": "no", "rheology_modification": "yes", "viscosity_building": "yes", "pseudoplastic_behavior": "no", "thix…
polymer
{"cas_number": "7631-86-9", "ingredient_class": "opacifier/texture_modifier", "polymer_type": "other", "chemical_backbone": "other", "ionic_character": "nonionic", "pH_viscosity_sensitivity": "moderate", "salt_tolerance": "moderate", "electrolyte_effect_on_viscosity": "moderate", "temperature_viscosity_sensitivity": "moderate", "film_transparency": "transparent", "removability": "easy", "flyaway_r…
regulatory
{"eu_status": "allowed", "us_status": "allowed"}
sensory
{"silky": "powdery", "smooth, glides easily": "velvety, absorbing", "dry-touch, non-greasy": "dry, matte", "instant": "instant", "low": "low", "w/o": "w/o", "very-high": "excellent", "no": "yes", "yes": "no", "light-diffusing": "blurring", "1.40": "1.46", "transparent": "opaque", "colorless": "white", "excellent": "excellent", "light": "light", "synthetic": "mineral"}
skin_suitability
{"oily_skin": "recommended", "dry_skin": "acceptable", "sensitive_skin": "acceptable", "combination_skin": "recommended", "normal_skin": "acceptable", "acne_prone": "recommended", "rosacea": "acceptable", "eczema": "acceptable", "hyperpigmentation": "acceptable", "aging_mature": "acceptable", "dehydrated": "acceptable", "skin_benefit_primary": "mattifying", "skin_benefit_secondary": "oil-absorbing…
Function Categories & List Membership
Cosmetic/Chemical Function Categories
Abrasive
Absorbent
Adhesion/cohesion promoter
Adsorbent
Anti-adhesive/cohesive
Anti-caking agent
Antioxidant
Binder
Catalyst
Conductive agent
Regulatory List Membership (6)
EU Regulated in Personal Care
EU Restricted for Children (Cosmetics)
IFRA Fragrance Transparency List
EPA Safer Chemical Ingredients List (SCIL)
FDA Substances Added to Food (EAFUS)
Consumer Product Chemical
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Silica.
Regulatory Flags
mineral-origin
reach-spm-exempt
inorganic
cosmos-certified
hydrophilic
fumed-silica
amorphous
shear-thinning
thixotropic
temperature-independent
thermal-stability
color-cosmetics
nano-label-required-if-nano
aerosil-200
eu_children_restricted
epa_safer_alternative
ifra_fragrance
fda_food_additive
NOAEL Studies Summary
View details ->Public NOAEL study rows linked to Silica by CAS number or substance name.
Studies
26
Lowest NOAEL
497
Highest NOAEL
9250
Units vary across source rows: mg/kg bw/day, mg/kg, mg/kg/day
ToxValDB_ECHA_IUCLID
COSMOS_DB
SCCS_vision_codex
Known Synonyms
Silicon dioxide, SiO2
Aerosil M-300
Aerosil bs-50
Aerosil-degussa
Amorphous silica dust
Cabosil N 5
Cabosil st-1
Cab-o-sil M-5
Caswell No. 734A
EINECS 231-545-4
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 072605
Hydrophobic silica 2482
Pigment White 27
Silica, amorphous fused
Silica particles
Silicon oxide
Sipernat
Wessalon
UNII-ETJ7Z6XBU4
(SiO2)n
Chemical Function
Abrasive
Viscosity modifier
Filler
Regulatory Lists
Pesticides
children; Europe; Personal care
children; Europe; Personal care - dental care - toothpaste
Cleaning products and household care; Europe
Europe; Personal care - liniment
consumer_product; Europe
Europe; Personal care
Europe; Personal care
IFRA Transparency
SCIL (9/2019)
Journal of Chemical Engineering & Process Technology
consumer_product
Cleaning products and household care - laundry and fabric treatment - laundry detergent; Europe
Europe; Personal care - oral and dental care - teeth whitener
Europe; Personal care - oral and dental care - teeth whitener
Europe; Personal care - oral and dental care - teeth whitener
inert_ingredient; Pesticides
inert_ingredient; non_food_use; Pesticides
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in pharmaceutical and food safety data.
SOURCE
ChEMBL / DrugCentral / FAERS
DB_PHARMA CAS match
Pharmaceutical Data
Same-CAS rows from the pharmaceutical spoke database.
Compound
silicon dioxide
ChEMBL ID
CHEMBL2108563
Adverse Event Associations
464
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives + fda_gras_enriched
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
Silicon dioxide
E Number
E551
FDA GRAS
At the notifier's request, FDA ceased to evaluate this notice
GRN
298
Food Category
preservative
Use in a variety of foods and food-packing materials
View full food safety profile →Frequently Asked Questions
Is Silica allowed in the EU?
Silica EU regulatory status: permitted. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Silica do in cosmetics?
Silica functions as: rheology modifier, thickener, anticaking agent, opacifier. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 7631-86-9.
What is the NOAEL for Silica?
The NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) for Silica is 500 mg/kg bw/day based on a Chronic study via oral route in rat. A total of 10 study endpoints are available. Source: COSMOS_DB.
Is Silica used outside cosmetics?
Silica also appears in industrial chemical safety, pharmaceutical, and food safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Compliance Tools
Check Silica compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
Paste a full ingredient list for instant analysis
82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
Compare limits across jurisdictions
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