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Corn (Zea Mays) Meal
AKA “Zea Mays”
Synthetic
Ingredient Facts
Corn (Zea Mays) meal
Synthetic · Absorbent · EWG: 4
Plant-Derived Synthetic
Exfoliant
Skin Conditioner
Synthetic
Clean
Finely ground cornmeal gently exfoliates and smooths skin texture while absorbing excess oil, leaving a refined, polished appearance.
CAS #
8001-30-7; 66071-96-3; 68525-86-0; 9005-25-8
Form
Powder
See origin →
Functions
Skin Conditioning
A catch-all term for ingredients that improve how skin looks and feels — softer, smoother, more supple. The workhorse behind most moisturizers.
Absorbent
Exfoliating
Removes dead skin cells so fresh ones can come through. Chemical exfoliants (acids) are generally gentler than physical scrubs.
Gently exfoliates skin
Provides mild softening
Helps absorb excess oil
Traditional Use
Cornmeal has been a staple gentle exfoliant in folk skincare across cultures for centuries, particularly in Mesoamerican, African, and European traditional beauty preparations. Used in cleansing and polishing treatments since pre-Columbian times.
Skin Types
●all-skin-types
Best For
Rough Texture
Melanin-Rich Skin
Suitable
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Safe
Yes
EWG
4
CIR
Safe
Pregnancy
Yes
CIR Safety Findings
medical-approval
all-shades-safe
Comedogenic
Regulatory Status
USA✔ permitted
EU⚠ restricted
JAPAN⚠ restricted
CANADA⚠ restricted
Final Report of the Safety Assessment of Cosmetic Ingredients Derived from Zea mays (corn)
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel
International Journal of Toxicology
→
Zea Mays (Corn) Fruit
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Zea Mays (Corn) Germ Oil
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Zea Mays (Corn) Oil
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Zea Mays (Corn) Oil Unsaponifiables
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Zea Mays (Corn) Starch
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Zea Mays Oil
European Commission
EU Cosmetic Ingredient Database (CosIng)
→
Zea Mays (Corn) Germ Oil
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Zea Mays (Corn) Oil
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Zea Mays (Corn) Starch
Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database
→
Verified Feb 2026
Data: CosIng · EWG · CIR