Red 6/CI 15850 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a synthetic red colorant used to give makeup, especially lip products and pressed powders, a stable red to pink shade. It functions as a pigment or dye depending on its salt or lake form and the product system.
What does Red 6/CI 15850 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a synthetic red colorant used to give makeup, especially lip products and pressed powders, a stable red to pink shade. It functions as a pigment or dye depending on its salt or lake form and the product system.
Is Red 6/CI 15850 clean?
From a clean-beauty perspective, it has friction because it is a synthetic color additive with strict regulatory purity specifications rather than a naturally derived colorant. Concerns usually center on trace impurity controls, batch certification, and exclusion by natural or COSMOS-style standards, not typical irritation at approved use levels.
Is Red 6/CI 15850 sustainable?
This material is generally made from petrochemical aromatic feedstocks through azo dye chemistry. It is not a strong fit for biodegradability-focused formulas because synthetic organic pigments can be environmentally persistent compared with plant or mineral colorants.
Is Red 6/CI 15850 COSMOS-approved?
It is not aligned with COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards because synthetic organic colorants of this type are not permitted for certified formulas. From a Green Chemistry view, its petrochemical origin, multi-step synthesis, and limited biodegradability are the main drawbacks.
How does Red 6/CI 15850 work chemically?
The molecule is an anionic monoazo naphthol-based colorant, often converted into an insoluble metal salt or lake to improve dispersion and color performance in anhydrous systems. Use levels vary by region, product category, and certified color-additive status, and formulators manage particle dispersion, shade strength, and regulatory maximums rather than pH-driven activity.
Last updated 2026-05-13