The present invention provides a recording medium comprising a substrate having a glossy coating thereon, wherein the glossy coating comprises cationic silica. The cationic silica comprises silica particles having a mean diameter of less than about 1 &mgr;m that have been contacted with at least one aluminum compound. The present invention also provides an aqueous dispersion of cationic silica, a coating composition comprising it, and methods of preparing the dispersion, coating composition, and recording medium.