CALCIUM CHLORIDE
Calcium chloride (CALCIUM CHLORIDE) is an inorganic salt made of calcium and chloride. In its dry form it consists of white or colourless crystals and has a strong affinity for water, so it dissolves readily and can take up moisture from the air. It is not a botanical extract or an oil, even though calcium itself occurs naturally.
CALCIUM CHLORIDE: what it is
Calcium chloride (CALCIUM CHLORIDE) is an inorganic salt made of calcium and chloride. In its dry form it consists of white or colourless crystals and has a strong affinity for water, so it dissolves readily and can take up moisture from the air. It is not a botanical extract or an oil, even though calcium itself occurs naturally.
The material may be made from limestone or occur as a by-product of the Solvay process. An ingredient list does not reveal which route supplied the material for a particular product, nor whether it was added dry or already dissolved. That distinction helps separate this salt from powdered mineral ingredients and from plant-derived calcium sources.
CALCIUM CHLORIDE: what it does in cosmetics
In cosmetics, calcium chloride can help control viscosity: the resistance a product has to flowing or spreading. In water-based systems, a dissolved salt can change the texture of the mixture; depending on the other ingredients and their amounts, the result may be a thinner or a fuller-bodied formula.
It is also listed as an astringent. Here, that function refers to a temporary feel of skin being firmer or less slippery after use, not to treating pores, acne, or any disease. Seeing the ingredient on a label alone cannot predict that feel, because it depends on the complete formulation and the amount used.
Products containing this ingredient
See which products include it and the name used in each composition.
