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What Is Sodium Magnesium Silicate?

Sodium magnesium silicate, a substance known as a type of talc, is used for many consumer and industrial applications as a bulking agent in liquid products.

Vital Statistics
- Normally identified in industry by Chemical Abstracts Number (CAS) 53320-86-8, sodium magnesium silicate is an off-white powder with the following synonyms: silicic acid, lithium magnesium sodium salt, synthetic magnesium lithium silicate and lithium magnesium sodium silicate.
Functionality
- Sodium magnesium silicate works primarily as a bulking agent or a binding agent in order to increase the viscosity of a liquid product.
Common Products
- Products that commonly contain sodium magnesium silicate include cosmetic creams, pastes and gels, including body washes, facial creams and toothpaste.
Pesticides
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lists sodium magnesium silicate on INER, a list of inert ingredients permitted for use in pesticides. In order for a substance to be listed on INER, it cannot be known to have harmful effects on living organisms.
Nothing to Worry About
- Most experts agree that sodium magnesium silicate is safe. The Environmental Working Group, an active watchdog group with a database of harmful substances in cosmetic products, lists sodium magnesium silicate as a "low hazard."

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