Clays are used in various cosmetic formulations, such as sunscreens, toothpastes, deodorants, creams, hair cosmetics, makeups, nail polish, facial masks, and shampoos, among others, to improve the organoleptic and physicochemical characteristics, to increase the stability, or to facilitate elaboration. Together with their technological functionalities, clays are cosmetologically active ingredients with cleaning, anti-aging, anti-wrinkling, and sun-care functionalities. Talc, kaolinite, mica, and some smectites are the clay minerals used most frequently in cosmetic products, but several other phyllosilicates as well as modified and synthetic clays are also used. Sometimes, clays are useful in the design of cosmetics just because they are made of rigid, small, and anisometric particles. Kaolinite and mica are made of hard prismatic particles which are lightly abrasive over the skin, teeth, or hair. Electric charges in smectites result in ion-exchange capacities useful in the loading of active cosmetics but also adsorbing and cleaning waste substances. Intermediate net negative charges of smectites result in layer expansion in polar media and specific rheological properties that are very useful in cosmetic formulations. The absence of charged particles in talc and kaolin make them flow easily resulting in lubricant effects. Protection against radiation from the sun by clay particles and decorative effects complete the possibilities of clays in cosmetics. The nomenclature for clays used as ingredients in cosmetics follows historical use and the names of commercial products, rather than following strict compositional principles. In this sense, an effort was made here to correlate the names of the minerals that make up each of the clay-based cosmetic ingredients.

粘土用于各种化妆品配方，如防晒霜、牙膏、除臭剂、面霜、美发化妆品、化妆品、指甲油、面膜和洗发水等，以改善感官和物理化学特性，增加稳定性，或便于阐述。连同其技术功能，粘土是具有清洁、抗衰老、抗皱和防晒功能的美容活性成分。滑石、高岭石、云母和一些绿土是化妆品中最常用的粘土矿物，但也使用其他几种页硅酸盐以及改性和合成粘土。有时，粘土在化妆品设计中很有用，只是因为它们是由刚性、小且不规则的颗粒制成的。高岭石和云母由坚硬的棱柱状颗粒制成，这些颗粒在皮肤、牙齿或头发上具有轻微磨损。绿土中的电荷产生离子交换能力，可用于装载活性化妆品，但也可吸附和清洁废物。绿土的中间净负电荷导致极性介质中的层膨胀和特定的流变特性，这在化妆品配方中非常有用。滑石和高岭土中不存在带电粒子，使它们容易流动，从而产生润滑作用。通过粘土颗粒和装饰效果防止太阳辐射，使粘土在化妆品中的可能性变得完整。用作化妆品成分的粘土的命名遵循历史用途和商业产品的名称，而不是遵循严格的成分原则。