Magnesium Oxide

What Magnesium Oxide is & what it does

Magnesium Oxide is an inorganic mineral compound (MgO) appearing as a fine white powder. In sunscreen and cosmetic formulas it is used as an absorbent, opacifying agent, and bulking agent, and it can help control shine and adjust texture. It is also mildly alkaline, so it can play a role in buffering the pH of a formula.

What does Magnesium Oxide do in skincare?

Magnesium Oxide is a mineral powder used as an absorbent, opacifying, and bulking agent. In sunscreens and cosmetics it can help control shine, adjust texture, and contribute to the feel and appearance of the product.

Is Magnesium Oxide safe?

Magnesium Oxide is an inorganic mineral that is widely used in cosmetics and generally regarded as suitable for topical use. It is mildly alkaline, so very sensitive skin could find high-concentration products less comfortable, and a patch test is reasonable.

Is Magnesium Oxide natural or synthetic?

Magnesium Oxide is a mineral compound that can occur in nature, but the cosmetic-grade material is typically manufactured to a controlled purity. The resulting compound is the same magnesium oxide regardless of source.

Sunscreens with Magnesium Oxide

We rate 17 sunscreens that contain it, showing the top 10 by overall score:

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