About this material
Silica Microspheres (Silica) is a Mineral microsphere supplied by MakeYourSkin as a spherical powder for professional cosmetic formulation. Used worldwide across mainstream cosmetic formulation, it is valued for oil absorption, soft focus, matting.
What is Silica Microspheres?
Silica Microspheres is supplied under the INCI / technical name Silica and carries CAS number 7631-86-9.
It belongs to the Mineral microsphere group and is derived from synthetic amorphous silica. The material reaches you as a spherical powder. It is an established cosmetic raw material with mature supply and well-understood formulation behaviour.
Key Properties & Benefits
- Oil absorption
- Soft focus
- Matting
- Supplied cosmetic grade with a Certificate of Analysis for every batch.
Uses & Applications
Silica Microspheres is used in pressed and loose powders, primers, foundations, dry shampoos, masks and mattifying products.
Typical applications from the catalogue record: Mattifying primer, pressed powder, oil-control serum.
As a formulation essential it is specified by function rather than by claim, and the level is set by the performance the formula needs rather than by a marketing target.
Handling note: Weigh accurately and dissolve or disperse fully before the batch is judged — undissolved powder reads as grit in the finished product.
How to Use — Recommended Use Level
| Typical use level | No single published figure applies to every grade of this material. As a working rule, start water-phase actives at 0.5–2%, oil-phase actives at 1–5%, standardised or potent isolates at 0.05–0.5%, and supplier-diluted solutions at the percentage the technical data sheet specifies. Always confirm the exact level against the supplier TDS, your stability and compatibility testing, and the safety assessment for your finished product. |
|---|---|
| Recommended pH | formulation-dependent |
| Addition phase | As per the supplier technical data sheet |
| Solubility | Practically insoluble in water and oil. Used as a dispersed solid; requires shear, a wetting agent and an anti-settling system. |
No single published use level applies to every grade of this material, so the figure above is a general starting rule rather than a specification.
General rule: always begin at the lower end of the range, confirm the level against the supplier technical data sheet, and validate stability, pH, colour, odour and preservative efficacy on the finished formulation before scaling up.
Technical Specification
| INCI / Technical Name | Silica |
|---|---|
| CAS Number | 7631-86-9 |
| Ingredient Family | Mineral microsphere |
| Primary Cosmetic Functions | Oil absorption; soft focus; matting |
| Typical Applications | Mattifying primer, pressed powder, oil-control serum |
| Source / Feedstock | Synthetic amorphous silica |
| Origin / Tradition | Global |
| Typical Bulk Form | Spherical powder |
| Appearance | White to off-white crystalline or amorphous powder (botanical grades may be coloured) |
| Solubility | Dispersion Only |
| Market Status | Established |
| Catalogue Range | Core Range |
| Storage | Store in the original sealed container in a cool, dry place at 15–25 °C, away from direct sunlight and moisture. Re-seal immediately after weighing; many powders are hygroscopic. |
| Shelf Life | 24–36 months from manufacture in unopened original packaging; see the Certificate of Analysis |
| Vendor | MakeYourSkin |
| MYS Catalogue Code | MYS-N00023 |
Technical Notes
Porous grades hold far more sebum than solid spheres — specify oil absorption value, not just particle size.
Regulatory Note
Sold as a cosmetic raw material for professional formulation. A published INCI name does not by itself authorise use: the buyer is responsible for confirming permitted status, maximum concentration, restrictions by product type, labelling and claim rules in every market the finished product is sold in. In India, cosmetics fall under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and the Cosmetics Rules 2020 administered by CDSCO, with BIS standards (including IS 4707 Part 2) listing restricted substances. The EU applies Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and its Annexes; the United States applies the FD&C Act as amended by MoCRA; Korea, Japan and China operate their own positive lists and functional-cosmetic frameworks. Every finished product needs its own safety assessment.
Reference: Regulatory / scientific reference
Documentation Supplied
- Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the batch supplied
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS / MSDS) in the current GHS format
- Technical Data Sheet (TDS) with specification, solubility and handling guidance
- INCI declaration and, where assigned, CAS / EINECS numbers
- Non-GMO statement on request
- Vegan / animal-origin declaration on request
- Halal and Kosher certification on request where the supplier holds it
- Heavy-metal and microbiological test data on request
Available Pack Sizes
Supplied in 50 g, 225 g, 1 Kg and 5 Kg packs. Bulk quantities above 5 Kg, and drum or sack quantities, are available on request — contact the MakeYourSkin sales desk for a quotation and lead time.
| 50 g | Pilot batches and small production runs |
|---|---|
| 225 g | Pilot batches and indie production runs |
| 1 Kg | Regular production for small and mid-size brands |
| 5 Kg | Scaled production and contract manufacturing |
Disclaimer & Caution in Use
For external cosmetic use in professionally formulated products only. This is a concentrated raw material, not a finished cosmetic, and it is not intended for undiluted application to skin, for ingestion, or for any medicinal purpose. Wear gloves and eye protection when handling, avoid raising dust with powders, and keep out of reach of children and pets. Always run a patch test on the finished formulation, and validate stability, compatibility, pH and preservative efficacy before sale. Information supplied is offered in good faith as formulation guidance and does not constitute a safety assessment, a regulatory approval or a medical claim.
Fine powder — avoid generating and inhaling dust. Use local exhaust ventilation or a suitable respirator when weighing, and wet the powder into the formulation phase rather than dry-blending in open air.
Specification
| INCI NAME | Silica |
|---|---|
| CAS NUMBER | 7631-86-9 |
| FAMILY | Mineral microsphere |
| ORIGIN | Global — Synthetic amorphous silica |
| SUPPLY FORM | Spherical powder |
| SOLUBILITY | Dispersion Only — Practically insoluble in water and oil. Used as a dispersed solid; requires shear, a wetting agent and an anti-settling system. |
| TYPICAL USE LEVEL | No single published figure applies to every grade of this material. As a working rule, start water-phase actives at 0.5–2%, oil-phase actives at 1–5%, standardised or potent isolates at 0.05–0.5%, and supplier-diluted solutions at the percentage the technical data sheet specifies. Always confirm the exact level against the supplier TDS, your stability and compatibility testing, and the safety assessment for your finished product. |
| pH RANGE | formulation-dependent |
| ADD AT | As per the supplier technical data sheet |
| FUNCTIONS | Oil absorption; soft focus; matting |
| USED IN | Mattifying primer, pressed powder, oil-control serum |
| STORAGE | Store in the original sealed container in a cool, dry place at 15–25 °C, away from direct sunlight and moisture. Re-seal immediately after weighing; many powders are hygroscopic. |
| PACK SIZES | 50 g to 5 Kg |
| LEAD TIME | 7–10 days |
| REGULATORY | Standard cosmetic review |
How to work with it
The specification's Add at row is the one to read first. Water-phase materials added to a hot oil phase are the most common reason a batch separates.
Measure the finished product, not the premix. Outside the range the activity drops away and, for some materials, the degradation route is what causes complaints.
Then work up through stability and compatibility testing. Higher is not better, and the destination market's limit may sit below your formulation ceiling.