The Index · Electrolyte / emulsion stabilizer
Magnesium Sulfate
Magnesium Sulfate
Epsom salt used to stabilize water-in-oil emulsions and adjust ionic strength.
FunctionalFunctional ingredient, not graded for skin benefits
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Epsom salt used to stabilize water-in-oil emulsions and adjust ionic strength.
What it does
Processing aid in W/O balms; not applied for bath-soak benefits in leave-on balms.
The evidence
Functional ingredient (not graded for skin benefits): Inorganic salt with long cosmetic/pharma history. Credible chemical identity and cosmetic-use context come from CIR/SCCS/manufacturer INCI definitions and databases such as SpecialChem/PubChem[1].
How to use it
Expect this as a supporting INCI line item unless labeled as a featured active.
What it does in the formula
Functional ingredient — not graded for skin benefits
Epsom salt used to stabilize water-in-oil emulsions and adjust ionic strength.[1]
Safety & limits
Source and region, always
all — Used in cosmetics within conventional leave-on/rinse-off levels; see cited safety literature.[1] CA US EU UK
Sources · 2
Numbered as cited in the text
- [1]Cosmetic Ingredient Review. Inorganic salts context. CIR (2014)regulator
- [2]NIH PubChem. PubChem Compound Summary: Magnesium Sulfate. PubChem (2024)other
Revision history
18 Sept 2026Drafted by botTheSkindex Desk