Iron Oxide CI 77491 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is an insoluble mineral colorant used to add red, brick, brown, or warm undertones in makeup, tinted sunscreen, and complexion products. It also contributes opacity and shade correction in pigment blends.
What does Iron Oxide CI 77491 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is an insoluble mineral colorant used to add red, brick, brown, or warm undertones in makeup, tinted sunscreen, and complexion products. It also contributes opacity and shade correction in pigment blends.
Is Iron Oxide CI 77491 clean?
It is generally well tolerated because it is insoluble and minimally reactive on skin. Clean standards usually accept it, with emphasis on cosmetic-grade purification and testing for heavy-metal limits.
Is Iron Oxide CI 77491 sustainable?
This material is usually produced from mined or synthesized mineral feedstocks, so the main sustainability variables are mining footprint, energy use, and trace-metal control. It is inorganic and does not biodegrade, but it is stable, non-volatile, and not expected to bioaccumulate like many persistent organic pollutants.
Is Iron Oxide CI 77491 COSMOS-approved?
It is permitted in COSMOS-natural and COSMOS-organic products when cosmetic-grade purity and colorant rules are met. Its Green Chemistry fit is mixed: stable, low-reactivity, and solvent-free in use, but inorganic, non-renewable, and not biodegradable.
How does Iron Oxide CI 77491 work chemically?
It is an insoluble inorganic lattice made from trivalent metal cations and oxygen anions, giving a stable red-family pigment through crystal-field and particle-size effects. Typical use ranges from below 1% for shade adjustment to 20% or more in color cosmetics, and it is broadly pH-stable but needs good dispersion, milling, and wetting to prevent streaking or settling.
Last updated 2026-05-13