Abstract: There is provided a cosmetic, particularly a skin cosmetic, excellent in imparting transparency (transparent feeling) to the skin, conditioning the skin texture and making wrinkles and hair follicles imperceptible when applied. The cosmetic comprises a powder of porous spherical silica having an average particle size (based on volume) from 3.0 to 20 ?m, a maximum particle size of 50 ?m or smaller, and a pore volume from 1.5 to 3.0 cm3/g, wherein the powder is characterized in that the minimum value of dlog (storage elasticity)/dlog (shear stress) is ?10 or more, when 40 g of squalane is added to 15 cm3 of apparent volume of said powder of porous spherical silica, the resulting paste is charged in thickness of 2 mm between parallel plates of 2.

Abstract: A floor polishing composition containing a film-formable organic high molecular material as the main component, which further contains at least scaly particles.

Abstract: A process for producing a hardenable composition with high storage stability containing scaly silica particles which consist essentially of foliar secondary silica particles and have a laminated structure, said process comprising: (1) a step of subjecting a silica sol, a silica hydrogel or hydrous silicic acid to hydrothermal treatment in the presence of an alkali metal salt to form tertiary agglomerated particles of the scaly silica in the form of porous three-dimensional disorderly agglomerates of foliar secondary silica particles, each secondary particle being formed by a parallel face-to-face alignment of a plurality of flaky primary particles which are overlaid one on another, and (2) a step of disintegrating and dispersing the tertiary agglomerated particles of silica in an organic polymer in the form of an aqueous emulsion by a wet method.

Abstract: Scaly silica particles having a laminated structure, consisting essentially of secondary particles of foliar silica, each formed by a plurality of flaky primary particles of scaly silica which are overlaid one on another and aligned face-to-face in parallel with one another, said secondary particles being present independent of one another.

Abstract: Fine particulate silica gel having the following characteristics (1) to (3): (1) average particle size: from 1 to 200 &mgr;m; (2) oil absorption in accordance with JIS K5101: from 100 to 300 ml/100 g; and (3) hygroscopicity represented by moisture adsorption under a relative humidity of 90% at 25° C. in accordance with JIS Z0701: not more than 20 wt %.

Abstract: A silica-metal oxide particulate composite comprising silica agglomerates having voids formed by random stacking of scaly silica primary particles, and metal oxide particulates supported on the surfaces, and the inner surfaces in the voids, of the silica agglomerates.