A naturally occurring clay, used as an absorbent, bulking and thickening ingredient.
What it is
Solum fullonum (fuller's earth) is, according to CosIng, a non-plastic variety of kaolin containing an aluminium magnesium silicate. CosIng lists it as an absorbent, anti-caking, bulking, gel-forming, opacifying and viscosity-controlling ingredient.
Where it is used
Appears on the ingredient lists of a small number of products, such as clay masks.
Limits of interpretation
The INCI list shows which ingredients are present, not how much of each. Above 1%, ingredients are listed in descending order of weight; below 1% the order is free.
As a natural mineral, its composition can vary between deposits and batches.
Functions
- Absorbent
- Taking up water- and/or oil-soluble (dissolved or finely dispersed) substances.
- Anticaking
- Preventing agglomeration of particulate solids into lumps or hard masses (cohesive cake), thus allowing free flow of particles.
- Bulking
- Non-reactive (chemically inert), solid ingredients that dilute other solids and/or increase the volume of cosmetic products.
- Gel forming
- Giving the consistency of a gel (a semi-solid preparation with some elasticity) to a liquid preparation.
- Opacifying
- Reducing transparency or translucency of cosmetics.
- Viscosity controlling
- Increasing or decreasing the viscosity (thickness) of cosmetics.
EU regulation
This ingredient is not listed in the annexes of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 in the CosIng data.