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Kaolin, or white clay, is made mostly of kaolinite, a hydrated aluminum silicate with platelets under 2 µm3. CosIng classifies it as an absorbent, bulking agent, opacifier and colorant1. The CIR panel judges it safe under the conditions of use2. Dedicated cosmetic trials remain rare: a kaolin-bentonite mask is the best data4.
Entry from our cosmetic ingredient glossary. Regulatory data from the European Commission's CosIng database1, safety according to the CIR expert panel2. Copy the identifiers in one click for your files.
Each result shows the protocol and the level of evidence. The higher the level, the better the result carries over to a finished formula.
Sebum level, skin tone evenness, stratum corneum hydration and water loss all improved. Closed and open comedones fell by 46% and 66% at 4 weeks. Pore size did not change. The effect of kaolin itself is not isolated from the rest of the formula4.
Kaolinite is used as a pharmaceutical excipient: diluent, binder, emulsifying and suspending agent. Pharmaceutical grades are in high demand3.
Clay silicates, kaolin included, work mostly as adsorbents, opacifiers and viscosity-increasing agents5.
Viscosity and homogeneity vary with temperature; color, odor and pH remain stable8.
The panel concludes that kaolin is safe under the conditions of use described. For the 7 other clays, data are missing to conclude on products that may be inhaled2.
In animals, inhalation toxicity is easy to demonstrate; particle size, concentration and mineral composition matter most. Clays have low oral toxicity5.
Micronuclei increase 3 to 4 times and DNA damage 8 to 20 times, more strongly with the finest particles. A laboratory result at high dose, not verified on skin under conditions of use, which the authors consider useful for safety assessments of kaolin as a white pigment6.
A natural clay can bind unwanted substances, but also release them, heavy metals included. Hence the value of checking each batch7.
This page summarizes published literature on a cosmetic ingredient. It does not describe the effect of a finished product, which depends on its formula, and it is not medical advice. Clinical trials on kaolin alone are rare: the best data is on a mask combining kaolin and bentonite, run by a cosmetics manufacturer; this is indicated in the sources.
Our white label catalog includes 7 formulas with kaolin: the key active in 4 of them, a supporting ingredient in the others. Every category can be customized (formula, fragrance, packaging).
White clay mask, clay and honey scrub, and support in several masks (rhassoul, vitamin C radiance, nila).
In our formulas, it is most often paired with
Argan oil 8Orange blossom honey 6Shea butter 4Vitamin E 4Coconut oil 2Four clays from the catalog, with different minerals. Cosmetic studies rarely compare them: the table describes the material, not an efficacy ranking.
| Kaolin (white clay) | Green clay | Red clay | Rhassoul | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominant mineral | Kaolinite, 1:1 clay with platelets under 2 µm3 | Illite, a layered clay9 | Illite, between montmorillonite and muscovite9 | Stevensite, a magnesium clay, with calcite, dolomite and quartz11 |
| INCI | KAOLIN1 | ILLITE | ILLITE | MOROCCAN LAVA CLAY |
| EU regulation | Annex IV for use as a colorant (CI 77004)1 | No specific restriction9 | No specific restriction9 | Rhassoul entry in the glossary |
| Carmel catalog formulas | 7 formulas | 1 formula | On request | 6 formulas |
Peer-reviewed studies and official regulatory sources, checked on November 3, 2026.
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