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Aluminum Hydroxide

Aluminum Hydroxide

Details

Officially, CosIng (the official EU ingredient database) lists Aluminum Hydroxide 's functions as opacifying (making the product white and non-transparent), as well as emollient and skin protectant.

However, with a little bit of digging, it turns out Aluminum Hyroxide often moonlights as a protective coating for UV filter superstar Titanium Dioxide. Specifically, it protects our skin from the harmful effects of nasty Reactive Oxygen Species (free radicals derived from oxygen such as Superoxide and Hydrogen Peroxide) generated when Titanium Dioxide is exposed to UV light. Btw, chlorine in swimming pool water depletes this protective coating, so one more reason to reapply your sunscreen after a dip in the pool on holiday.

Other than that, Aluminum Hydroxide also often shows up in composite pigment technologies where it is used the other way around (as the base material and not as the coating material) and helps to achieve higher color coverage with less pigment

Show me some proof

  • Shimizu, Katsumi, and Shoji Takekawa. "Aluminum hydroxide pigments having improved coloring capability." U.S. Patent No. 9,011,893. 21 Apr. 2015.
  • Virkutyte, Jurate, Souhail R. Al-Abed, and Dionysios D. Dionysiou. "Depletion of the protective aluminum hydroxide coating in TiO2-based sunscreens by swimming pool water ingredients." Chemical engineering journal 191 (2012): 95-103.

Products with Aluminum Hydroxide

Bella Aurora CC Cream SPF50+ Color Cream Coola Rosilliance Mineral Bb Cream Tinted Organic Sunscreen Spf 30 KKW Beauty Classic Eyeshadow Palette Youth Lab Oil Free Compact Cream SPF 50 Aveeno Ultra-Light Sensitive Skin Mineral Sunscreen Marvis Classic Strong Mint Toothpaste Sariayu Acne Care Cream Mask Alastin Hydratint Pro Mineral Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Spf 36 Anastasia Beverly Hills Norvina Electric Cake Liner Aveeno Protect + Soothe Face Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 Bare Republic Mineral Spf 30 Face Sunscreen Lotion - Untinted Bare Republic Tinted Sunscreen SPF 30 Cetaphil Sheer Mineral Sunscreen Stick Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Coola Face Spf 30 Mineral Sunscreen Cucumber Matte Finish Coola Mineral Face Spf 30 Matte Tint Moisturizer Coxir Ceramide Daily UV Sun Block Missha All Around Safe Block Water Proof Sun Milk Neutrogena Mineral Ultra Sheer Dry-touch Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 Pinxav Healing Cream The Skin House UV Protection Sun Block Bare Republic Mineral Sunscreen Lotion Diamond Dust Holographic Shimmer Belo Sun Expert Tinted Sunscreen Belo Essentials Belo Sunexpert Body Shield SPF 60, PA+++ Belo SunExpert Perfecting Shield Tinted Sunscreen Belo SunExpert Perfecting Shield Tinted Sunscreen (2022) Belo SunExpert Tinted Sunscreen Spf50 Pa++++ Belo SunExpert Translucent Loose Powder COSRX Blemish Cover Cushion Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre Natural Finish Loose Powder Clearasil Stubborn Acne Control 5-In-1 Spot Treatment Cream Cotz Lip SPF 45 Dermadoctor DD Cream Dermatologically Defining BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Fixderma Shadow SPF 50+ Cream Garnier Light Eye Roll-On Nu Skin Ap-24® Whitening Fluoride Toothpaste Peter Thomas Roth Instant Mineral Spf 45 Sariayu Tinted Moisturizer Sariayu Tinted Moisturizer Skinfood White Grape Fresh Up Foundation T. LeClerc Loose Powder Troiareuke H+ Healing Cushion Spf50+ Pa++++ Acorelle Sunscreen Spray For Face And Body Spf 50 Belo Essentials Kojic BB Cream SPF 50 Belo SunExpert Reef-Friendly Sunscreen Spf60 DERMISA Acne Treatment Cream Foodaholic Multi Sun Cream SPF50++/PA+++ Gosh Mineral Full Coverage Foundation Powder JIGOTT Daily Real Cica Water Drop Tone Up Cream Kat Von D Ink Liner Neruda - White L'Oreal Revitalift Blur Mágico