Upsalite® is a patented mesoporous magnesium carbonate — the world's first porous form of the mineral — developed at Uppsala University in 2012, after more than a century in which chemists had called it impossible. A network of tiny internal pores gives a single gram 300–500 m² of internal surface area, letting it absorb more than its own weight in oil while managing moisture at the same time — outperforming talc and cornstarch. Made without microplastics, Upsalite® is trusted by leading global brands in makeup, deodorant, dry shampoo and sports formulations.
The secret is in the pores. Four properties separate Upsalite® from every other absorbent powder in use today.
A pore volume of more than 0.5 cm³/g enables significantly higher oil and moisture uptake than commonly used ingredients.
Absorbs oil and moisture within its porous network — not just on the particle surface, where traditional powders stop.
Captures both hydrophilic (water, sweat) and lipophilic (oil, sebum) substances simultaneously.
Its irregular architecture scatters light for a soft-focus, blurring effect — and adheres to skin better than spherical particles like silica.
Upsalite® is a synthesized amorphous, mesoporous magnesium carbonate with millions of pores per particle, a narrow pore size distribution in the 2–8 nm range, and an extraordinarily high surface area of around 300–500 m²/g. Under an electron microscope the difference is visible: oil disappears into the porous network while conventional powders carry it on their surface.
Upsalite® absorbs inside its porous structure; conventional powders absorb on the particle surface. That single difference drives capacity, speed and skin feel.
| Upsalite® | Talc | Non-porous Silica | Mica | Cornstarch | Kaolin | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Absorption mechanism | ● Absorbed into a network of tiny internal pores | Surface only | Surface only | Surface only | Surface, swells | Surface only |
| Oil absorption time | ● Fast | Fast | Slow | — | Moderate | Fast |
| Absorbs oil + sweat simultaneously | ● Yes | No | Partial | No | Partial | No |
| Soft-focus / blurring effect | ● High — light-scattering architecture | Moderate | Moderate | Shimmer | Low | Low |
| Surface area | ● High | Low | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Comparison values from internal lab testing and published literature.
For over 100 years, researchers tried and failed to synthesize a porous form of magnesium carbonate. In 2012, Professor Maria Strømme and her colleagues at Uppsala University's Division of Nanotechnology & Functional Materials invented it — serendipitously, during pharmaceutical research. The result was named after the city: Upsalite®, the impossible material made possible.
Upsalite® (C101) is verified by ECOCERT GREEN LIFE, compliant with the COSMOS Standard and without animal origin (F363(COS)v09, issued 02/11/2021).
Natural Origin Index of 0.99 per ISO 16128-2 2017 — a Derived Mineral. Available with a Natural Origin Index of 1.00 by request.
Not classified as a nanomaterial under EU and US regulations, determined by a Tier 2 analytical method.
Can't find the answer you're looking for? Our expert team is one call away.