Ingredient

Cornstarch

Zea mays

Cornstarch, you make me (very) thick.

Cornstarch and cornflour are fine, silken powders milled from the dried seed cobs of corn. Corn is an annual type of grass and tolerates most climates very well. The plant has a long stem, growing up to five feet and flowering in early summer.

What are the benefits of cornstarch in cosmetics?

• Softens
• Thickening
• Plastic-free shimmer

Applied directly to the skin, cornstarch feels really soft and is often used to replace talc. This makes it a useful ingredient in skincare for absorbing and mattifying excess oiliness on the skin. Cornstarch is also helpful in the process of creating plastic-free lustres and glitters.

What is the difference between cornstarch and cornflour?

Cornstarch is very similar to cornflour, but they are not exactly the same. Starch originates from the inside of corn seeds and is more thickening than the flour, which is made out of the entire seed. That said, they can both be used for culinary and cosmetic purposes, particularly as a thickener. They absorb excess oil and water more than any other flours, which aids cleansing when used in cosmetics.