All you need to know about Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate

Many people are quite frightened when they see Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate in the ingredient list on their natural products, which we can understand in a way. We all know what aluminum is and probably don’t think its a good idea to be putting it on our skin… right?

A natural element that is present all around us...

Although it might sound quite horrible, it does NOT mean that if you find Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate in the ingredient list of your natural beauty products that you are applying pure aluminium onto your skin like with many conventional deodorants, absolutely NOT. Aluminum is a natural element that is present all around us. Think about the food we consume, medicines, makeup and cosmetics, it all contains compounds such as mixtures of aluminum in combination with other natural plant based materials.

Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate is based from a food grade starch that is derived from naturally occurring sources. It is widely used in cosmetics and common food products and works as a thickening agent. In fact, it has some beauty benefits you might not know about:

1. It helps to ensure that the formula remains nice and soft and spreads easily. 2. It has a positive effect on increasing the sun protection in a mineral spf!
3. It does all of this without irritating your eyes!

Classified as a NON-Toxic agent

It has been shown by the Mayo Clinic, PubMed and The World Health Organization, and others, that Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate has no harmful effect on our overall health & wellbeing and is completely safe for daily use when included in your skincare or beauty products. If you search for this ingredient on EWG skindeep, (Environmental Working Group) an independent database where the safety and adverse effects of certain products and ingredients are investigated, it is classified as a NON-Toxic agent AND it scores a 1-2 out of 10 which is the highest and best score an ingredient can get. In fact, it has been shown that the amount used in cosmetics and personal care products is much lower than the amount in our food or water to which we are exposed daily.

So the next time when you read about Aluminum Starch Octenyl Succinate in the ingredient list of your products, know that it is made from a reaction of plant-based raw (starch) sources, and that there has been an unbelievable amount of research done on this ingredient with no evidence on the potentially dangerous side effects or consequences for your health & wellbeing. And definitely don't forget the benefits.