What Is Upsalite? What to Know About the Ingredient

Lately, there seems to be one ingredient at the forefront of product innovation: Upsalite. Found in formulas like Danessa Myricks’s Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder ($36) and Janegee’s Dry Shampoo ($18), the ingredient is the cause of endless fascination yet is still very shrouded in mystery.

Upsalite was discovered by accident. “After coming back from a long weekend and finding a gel in a chamber that was previously full of magnesium oxide, methanol, and high-pressure carbon dioxide, researchers in Sweden decided to analyze the mystery substance,” Nicole Pozniak, a cosmetic chemist at KKT Innovation Labs, tells POPSUGAR. “When they realized the gel formed because of the trapped methanol, they heated the substance to 70°C, which transformed it into the ‘impossible material.'”

While not many people are readily aware of Upsalite in the cosmetic realm, it has been utilized in pharmaceuticals for a while. “Upsalite has been used as a vehicle for drug delivery because it can increase the water solubility — or the ability for it to be dissolved — of certain drugs,” cosmetic chemist Sanley Altenor says. However, it was later discovered to have unique benefits in cosmetic formulas. “Upsalite can be used to absorb both lipophilic and hydrophilic substances like sweat, oil, and sebum,” Altenor says. “This makes it a great substitute for powders that reduce shine and create a matte finish.”

So, what exactly is Upsalite, and how can it be used in your beauty routine? A few cosmetic chemists at KKT explain ahead.

What Is Upsalite?

“Upsalite is a magnesium carbonate powder,” cosmetic chemist Hatice Yildirim says. The magic of the ingredient lies in the fact that it is nanoporous, which means it has very tiny pores and a high surface area. This narrow pore size allows for oil absorption when applied to the skin, which helps control sebum production. This makes Upsalite an ideal material to use in powder cosmetics, as it will provide a matte finish.

What Makes Upsalite Unique?

For years, researchers had been trying to come up with a way to achieve a powdered form of magnesium carbonate. The accidental creation of Upsalite showed that not only could the powdered form be achieved at a lower temperature than its previous crystalline form — at 70°C versus 100°C — but it could also do a better job at water absorption, thanks to its very small pore size. Due to being nonoporous, Upsalite is able to store excess water or sebum inside of its structure rather than simply absorbing it on the surface. When used in cosmetics, this allows for the ingredient to keep the skin looking matte and oil-free over a much longer period.

As it becomes more popular, you can expect to find Upsalite in cosmetic formulas like setting powders, foundations, primers, and hair-care products. For now, you can find it in some of your favorite oil-controlling products like the GlōGirl Cosmetics Evolve ($20) setting powder and Danessa Myricks’s Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder Flushed ($25).