CI 15850/Red 7 Lake ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is an insoluble colorant used to give makeup, lip products, nail products, and some personal care formulas a bright red shade. It is added for visual color rather than skin-care performance.
What does CI 15850/Red 7 Lake do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is an insoluble colorant used to give makeup, lip products, nail products, and some personal care formulas a bright red shade. It is added for visual color rather than skin-care performance.
Is CI 15850/Red 7 Lake clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it is a regulated synthetic color additive with purity specifications for residual metals and organic impurities. It is generally low-irritation in typical use, but synthetic colorants often create friction in stricter clean standards.
Is CI 15850/Red 7 Lake sustainable?
This material is synthetically made, typically from petrochemical-derived aromatic chemistry, then converted into an insoluble colorant for cosmetic use. It is not a strong fit for biodegradability-centered frameworks, because these color particles are designed to be stable and persistent in formulas.
Is CI 15850/Red 7 Lake COSMOS-approved?
It is not aligned with COSMOS natural or organic standards, which favor natural colorants and permitted mineral colorants rather than synthetic organic color additives. Its Green Chemistry profile is limited by nonrenewable feedstocks, multi-step synthesis, and limited biodegradability.
How does CI 15850/Red 7 Lake work chemically?
The molecule is an anionic monoazo colorant converted into an insoluble metal salt on a substrate, which improves dispersion and color stability in anhydrous and emulsion systems. Use levels depend on product category and regional color-additive limits, and formulators typically manage dispersion quality, particle wetting, and compatibility with oils, waxes, and film formers.
Last updated 2026-05-13