Quaternium-90 Montmorillonite

Quaternium-90 Montmorillonite is a modified smectite mineral with cationic surfaces tailored for cosmetic systems. It's chosen for gelling nonpolar liquids, suspending actives, boosting payoff in color products, and keeping texture uniform.
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Ingredient Snapshot

Overview
This modified clay thickens oily formulas and helps color go on evenly.
Category
Tone/Texture, Oil Control
Type
Rheology Modifier

Ingredient Ratings

Overall Rating

Good

Comedogenic Risk

None

Skin Benefits

Creates a thicker, more controlled feel in oil-heavy products while aiding even color laydown, and can help reduce unwanted slip for better placement and wear.

Uses In Skincare & Cosmetics

Found in lipsticks, cream blushes, and oil serums to keep pigments evenly dispersed, and also used in tinted moisturizers and anhydrous sunscreens for consistent texture.

Comedogenic Rating

This ingredient is not typically evaluated for comedogenicity, and no standardized rating is available.

Safety

Usually well tolerated; slight irritation is possible for sensitive users because of the quaternary modification. Avoid breathing in airborne dust from raw powder handling. No known broad cosmetic restrictions at normal use levels.

Is Quaternium-90 Montmorillonite a Good Ingredient?

Good, for effectively thickening nonpolar oils into a gel-like consistency, which improves payoff and dispersion stability with typically low irritation. It's not Great since what it delivers is formulation control rather than a direct skin improvement, and there's a small risk of sensitivity in delicate skin types.

Products with Quaternium-90 Montmorillonite

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