QUICK ANSWER
Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water is a naturally mineral-rich cosmetic ingredient from British Columbia, Canada. In an independent in-vitro study, it increased activity associated with TRPM8, a biological pathway involved in how skin senses cooling.
Across three concentrations tested, TRPM8 labeling increased by approximately 41% to 46% compared with untreated cells.
The results suggest that Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water may offer formulators a natural mineral-based ingredient to explore for cooling and refreshing skincare concepts.
What Is Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water?
Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water is a proprietary skincare ingredient from Ironwood Clay’s Canadian Glacial Oceanic Clay resource.
Its INCI name is Sea Silt Extract.
Unlike ordinary purified water that is commonly used as the water phase of a cosmetic formula, Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water contains naturally occurring minerals from the source material.
Ironwood Clay is studying these properties to better understand how Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water may function in modern skincare formulations.
How Does Skin Sense Cooling?
Our skin contains receptors that help the body detect changes in temperature.
One of these is called TRPM8.
TRPM8 is sometimes described as a cold-sensing receptor because it is involved in the way the body detects cooling sensations. It is also associated with the cooling sensation produced by ingredients such as menthol.
Importantly for skincare research, TRPM8 is also found in skin cells.
This led researchers to ask a simple question:
Could Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water interact with this natural cooling pathway?
What Did the Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water Study Find?
In an independent laboratory study, Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water was tested using cultured human skin cells. Three non-cytotoxic concentrations were evaluated.
Researchers measured changes in TRPM8 labeling and found statistically significant increases of:
- 40.51%
- 45.68%
- 41.00%
compared with untreated cells.
In simpler terms, the study showed that Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water interacted with a biological pathway involved in how skin senses cooling.
Researchers concluded that the ingredient showed potential to induce a cooling effect and perception of cold skin sensation under the conditions tested.
Because this was an in-vitro laboratory study, the findings should not be interpreted as proof that every finished cosmetic product will produce the same cooling sensation. Finished-product performance depends on the complete formulation, concentration, and other ingredients used.
Why Is This Interesting for Skincare Formulators?
Cooling skincare is often associated with ingredients such as menthol or other materials that create a strong cold sensation.
Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water gives formulators another concept to explore.
It combines:
- Canadian ingredient origin
- Naturally occurring mineral content
- An aqueous format that can be incorporated into skincare
- Emerging research into a biological cooling pathway
This may be useful for brands developing products where refreshment, cooling, or sensory experience is part of the product concept.
What Products Could Use Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water?
- Facial mists
- Toners
- Serums
- Face masks
- After-sun products
- Scalp care
- Body care
- Refreshing skincare products
More Than Just Water in a Formula
Water is one of the most common ingredients in skincare.
For many formulas, it primarily acts as the base or carrier for other ingredients.
Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water creates a different formulation opportunity: the water phase itself can become part of the ingredient story.
Instead of adding another ingredient simply to create a marketing story, formulators can explore a mineral-rich water with a Canadian origin and emerging scientific research behind its properties.
For Ironwood Clay, this research is part of a broader effort to understand how naturally occurring Glacial Oceanic Clay resources can be used in modern cosmetic formulation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water?
Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water is a naturally mineral-rich cosmetic ingredient derived from Ironwood Clay’s Canadian Glacial Oceanic Clay resource.
Its INCI name is Sea Silt Extract.
Unlike ordinary purified water that is typically used as the base of a skincare formula, Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water contains naturally occurring minerals from the source material. This gives formulators another option when they want the water phase itself to contribute to the ingredient story.
It can be incorporated into the aqueous phase of skincare and personal care formulations and is being studied by Ironwood Clay to better understand its potential applications in modern cosmetic products.
Does Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water actually cool the skin?
Research suggests it may have the potential to support a cooling sensation.
In an independent in-vitro study, Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water was tested at three non-cytotoxic concentrations using cultured human skin cells.
Researchers measured changes in TRPM8, a biological pathway involved in how the skin senses cooling. The study found statistically significant increases in TRPM8 labeling of:
- 40.51%
- 45.68%
- 41.00%
compared with untreated cells.
In simple terms, the ingredient interacted with a biological pathway associated with cooling sensation.
Researchers concluded that Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water showed potential to induce a cooling effect and perception of cold skin sensation under the conditions tested.
Because this was an in-vitro study, the results do not mean that every finished product containing the ingredient will produce the same cooling sensation. The final experience will depend on the complete formulation, concentration ,and other ingredients used.
What is TRPM8?
TRPM8 is a biological receptor involved in detecting cold and cooling sensations.
It is sometimes described as a cold sensor because it helps the body recognize changes in temperature. TRPM8 is also associated with the familiar cooling sensation created by ingredients such as menthol.
Importantly for skincare research, TRPM8 is also found in skin cells.
This is why researchers studied whether Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water could influence this pathway. The results showed increased TRPM8 labeling under the conditions tested, suggesting that the ingredient may have potential for use in cooling or refreshing skincare concepts.
Is this a clinical study on people?
No.
The TRPM8 research was an in-vitro laboratory study using cultured human skin cells. It was not a consumer or clinical study where people applied a finished skincare product to their skin.
In-vitro testing allows researchers to study how an ingredient interacts with specific biological pathways under controlled laboratory conditions.
The results are useful for understanding the potential properties of Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water, but further testing of a finished formulation would be needed to determine exactly how a consumer product feels and performs when used on skin.
What types of skincare products can use Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water?
- Facial mists
- Toners
- Serums
- Creams
- Face masks
- After-sun products
- Scalp-care products
- Body-care products
- Refreshing skincare formulations
Where does Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water come from?
Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water is derived from Ironwood Clay’s Canadian Glacial Oceanic Clay resource in British Columbia, Canada.
The source material comes from a coastal environment shaped by glacial and oceanic processes.
Ironwood Clay uses this mineral-rich resource to develop cosmetic raw materials including Glacial Oceanic Clay and Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water.
For skincare brands and formulators, this gives the ingredient a clear Canadian origin and a source story that can be connected directly to the raw material.
Why is Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water different from regular water used in skincare?
Regular purified water is commonly used as the base or carrier in cosmetic formulations and remains an important ingredient in skincare manufacturing.
Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water offers a different option because it is a naturally mineral-rich cosmetic ingredient derived from Ironwood Clay’s Canadian Glacial Oceanic Clay resource.
For formulators, this means the water phase can become part of the overall product concept rather than simply serving as a background ingredient.
It combines:
- Naturally occurring mineral content
- Canadian ingredient origin
- A liquid format for skincare formulation
- Emerging research into cooling-related skin pathways
This gives skincare brands another ingredient to explore when developing mineral-focused, refreshing or sensory skincare products.
Formulating With Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water
Interested in exploring Glacial Oceanic Mineral Water for your next skincare or personal care product?
Ironwood Clay can provide samples, technical information, and formulation support to help determine how the ingredient may fit your product concept.