Silica
Texture / absorbent · INCI: Silica
Reviewed by Elysiana Aguilar, master esthetician
How we read it
Not a pore-clogger. Considered safe for acne-prone skin.
Is Silica comedogenic?
No. Silica isn't considered pore-clogging, and we read it as safe to use on acne-prone skin. That doesn't make it right for everyone, but congestion isn't the thing to watch for with it.
Why we read it this way
Silica is a fine powder of silicon dioxide that absorbs oil and sweat, gives a soft-focus finish and keeps powders from caking. It takes up oil at the surface of the skin and adds none of its own. We read silica as not pore-clogging.
The nuance
Silica is easy to confuse with silicones such as dimethicone, which are a separate family of ingredients. Because it absorbs oil, a formula heavy in it can feel drying, which is a matter of comfort and not of pores.
Where it shows up
Setting powders, mattifying primers, oil-control moisturizers and matte sunscreens. It is also common in liquid and powder foundations, where it keeps the finish smooth and matte.
Related ingredients
One ingredient rarely tells the whole story. The acne ingredient checker reads everything in a product at once, and there is more on what comedogenic means. Also in the guides: The types of acne lesions.