C.I. 77491 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a mineral colorant used to give formulas a red, brick, or warm brown tone. It is common in complexion makeup, lip products, soaps, and tinted skin care where stable, opaque color is needed.
What does C.I. 77491 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a mineral colorant used to give formulas a red, brick, or warm brown tone. It is common in complexion makeup, lip products, soaps, and tinted skin care where stable, opaque color is needed.
Is C.I. 77491 clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is generally well accepted because it is inert, non-sensitizing for most users, and not a common allergen. The main quality point is tight control of trace heavy metals, which is handled through cosmetic pigment purity specifications.
Is C.I. 77491 sustainable?
This material is mineral-derived or manufactured to match a mineral pigment, so it is not biodegradable in the usual organic-chemistry sense but is environmentally stable and non-bioaccumulative. Sustainability considerations are mainly tied to mining, energy use, and supplier traceability rather than aquatic persistence.
Is C.I. 77491 COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted under COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic standards when it meets the required purity and origin criteria for mineral colorants. Its Green Chemistry fit is strongest on stability, low reactivity, and low irritation, and weaker on renewability because it is not plant-derived.
How does C.I. 77491 work chemically?
The molecule is an inorganic crystalline pigment with Fe(III) centers bound to oxygen in a highly stable lattice, which explains its opacity, insolubility, and resistance to light and heat. Typical use levels vary widely by product type and shade, from below 1% in lightly tinted formulas to much higher levels in color cosmetics, and it must be well dispersed rather than dissolved.
Last updated 2026-05-13