D&C Red 27 Lake

TL;DR. Provides bright red to pink color in makeup and lip products, especially where an insoluble pigment format is needed for dispersion and wear.

What does D&C Red 27 Lake do in a cosmetic formula?

Provides bright red to pink color in makeup and lip products, especially where an insoluble pigment format is needed for dispersion and wear.

Is D&C Red 27 Lake clean?

This ingredient is FDA color-additive certified for specific cosmetic uses, but it has friction in clean-beauty frameworks because it is a synthetic colorant and may be subject to brand restricted lists. Sensitivity is uncommon at normal use levels, though color additives can carry trace impurity specifications and use-area limitations.

Is D&C Red 27 Lake sustainable?

This material is synthetically produced from non-renewable petrochemical feedstocks and bound to an inorganic substrate. It is not considered a readily biodegradable material, and its environmental profile is less aligned with low-persistence ingredient design.

Is D&C Red 27 Lake COSMOS-approved?

It is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic because it falls outside the standard’s allowed colorant approach. From a Green Chemistry perspective, it has weaker alignment due to petrochemical feedstocks, halogenated aromatic chemistry, and limited biodegradability.

How does D&C Red 27 Lake work chemically?

The molecule is a halogenated xanthene colorant rendered insoluble by precipitation onto an aluminum salt substrate, which improves dispersion in anhydrous and wax-based systems. Use levels are typically low and governed by color-additive regulations, with performance depending on particle dispersion, oil phase compatibility, and stability against strong reducing agents.

Last updated 2026-05-13