C Yellow No. 6 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a synthetic colorant used to give products a it to orange shade. It is mainly a visual and shade-correcting ingredient, not a skin-benefit active.
What does C Yellow No. 6 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a synthetic colorant used to give products a it to orange shade. It is mainly a visual and shade-correcting ingredient, not a skin-benefit active.
Is C Yellow No. 6 clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it has friction because it is a synthetic azo color additive that may require regulatory batch certification and can be restricted by some retailer standards. It is generally used at very low levels, but sensitive individuals can react to certified dyes.
Is C Yellow No. 6 sustainable?
This material is typically petroleum-derived and not a renewable-feedstock ingredient. Its broader sustainability concerns are tied to dye manufacturing wastewater, sulfonated azo chemistry, and limited biodegradability rather than high use concentration in finished products.
Is C Yellow No. 6 COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted in COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic products as a synthetic colorant. Its Green Chemistry fit is weak because it relies on petrochemical inputs and has persistence and wastewater-management concerns.
How does C Yellow No. 6 work chemically?
The molecule is a water-soluble sulfonated azo dye, and lake versions can be made by precipitating the dye onto an insoluble substrate for use in anhydrous or pigmented systems. It is typically used at low color-adjustment levels, is more stable than many botanical colorants, and compatibility depends on pH, ionic strength, and whether the formula needs a soluble dye or an insoluble pigment form.
Last updated 2026-05-16