Red 22 Lake ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a synthetic colorant used to give cosmetics a pink-to-red shade. It is mainly used in color cosmetics and tinted personal care products where an insoluble pigment format is needed.
What does Red 22 Lake do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a synthetic colorant used to give cosmetics a pink-to-red shade. It is mainly used in color cosmetics and tinted personal care products where an insoluble pigment format is needed.
Is Red 22 Lake clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, this ingredient has friction because many clean standards restrict or exclude synthetic colorants and certified color additives. It is regulated and batch-certified in markets such as the U.S., but sensitive users may still see colorants as a concern for reactivity or personal preference.
Is Red 22 Lake sustainable?
This material is typically made from petrochemical-derived dye chemistry and precipitated onto an inorganic substrate. It is not a strong sustainability fit because it is not readily biodegradable and pigment particles can be environmentally persistent.
Is Red 22 Lake COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS natural or organic standards because it is a synthetic colorant it. Its Green Chemistry alignment is limited due to nonrenewable feedstocks, multi-step synthesis, and weak biodegradability.
How does Red 22 Lake work chemically?
It is an insoluble pigment made by precipitating a synthetic organic dye onto an aluminum-based substrate, which improves dispersion in oils, waxes, emulsions, and pressed powders. Use level is shade-dependent, commonly from trace amounts to a few percent in color cosmetics, and performance depends on pigment wetting, milling, and compatibility with the formula base.
Last updated 2026-05-13