How we scored it
Fossilised diatom silica, inorganic mineral. 1.0.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.
Where it comes from
Mined from sedimentary deposits of fossilised diatom shells and milled to size. No alternative synthetic route.
In plain English
A fine mineral powder made of fossilised remains of diatoms, tiny algae with silica shells. Used in scrubs and powders as a mild abrasive and bulking agent.
CosIng definition: Diatomaceous Earth is a mineral material consisting chiefly of the siliceous frustules and fragments of various species of diatoms
References
- 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
- 2DIATOMACEOUS EARTH. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
- 3DIATOMACEOUS EARTH. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=DIATOMACEOUS%20EARTH