Zea mays, also known as corn or maize, is an approximately 10,000-years-old crop. It can be classified as a grain, vegetable, and fruit. Each corn kernel is called a caryopsis, a type of dry fruit where the ovary wall and the seed coat are fused into one layer. In cosmetics and personal care products, corn kernel extract functions as a binder, bulking agent, and gentle abrasive. As the name implies, a binder is an ingredient that binds together other ingredients in a formulation. Therefore, corn kernel extract functions to prevent other ingredients used in a cosmetic formulation from coming apart. As a bulking agent, corn kernel extract can be used to dilute other solids or to increase the volume of a product. Lastly, corn kernel extract can serve as a gentle abrasive that can exfoliate the top layers of skin, removing dead skin cells, makeup, excess oil, dirt, and other impurities that may have accumulated during the day.