Abstract: The invention relates to water-in-oil (W/O) or oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions containing an oil phase of at least one water-insoluble constituent; an aqueous phase; pyrogenic silica at the oil-water interface, the pyrogenic silica partially silylated such that non-silylated surface silanol groups remaining are between 95% and 5% of initial silanol groups, the equivalent of 1.7 to 0.1 surface SiOH groups per nm2, a surface energy gamma-s-D of 30 to 80 mJ/m2, and a specific BET surface area between 30 and 500 m2/g; and optionally other substances, such as pigments or preservatives. The inventive emulsions have a mean particle size of the dispersed phase, of between 0.5 ?m and 500 ?m, and are of low viscosity.