EXPANDA®

What is Expanda?

The products in the EXPANDA portfolio are bentonite clay. Bentonite clay is composed primarily of the active swelling mineral montmorillonite, along with other inert minerals. The montmorillonite making up bentonite is an aluminium phyllosilicate.  

Bentonite is formed naturally when volcanic ash is deposited in shallow marine environments and geochemically altered over a period of several millennia. Deposits occur globally, with major reserves located in the United States, China, Greece, and Turkey.

Why use EXPANDA in cosmetic and personal care formulations?

• Long shelf life and compatible with anionic and nonionic additives
• EXPANDA forms opaque solutions when dispersed in water that can reduce the need for traditional brighteners such as titanium dioxide.
• Bentonite is known to impart stability to traditional oil-in-water emulsions by reducing the potential for creaming. 
• When mixed in water, EXPANDA products form a three dimensional gel network that helps suspend particles. This can prevent settling and segregation of pigments and improve product shelf life. 
• Bentonite can be used as a binding agent to help adhere ingredients together in pressed powders.