Is Iron Oxides safe in cosmetics?
Iron Oxides has a safety rating of "EXCELLENT" in our database. EU status: permitted. US status: permitted.
Excellent
Colorant
Iron Oxides
INCI: IRON OXIDES
Iron Oxides (CAS 1309-37-1; 51274-00-1; 1317-61-9) is a cosmetic colorant functioning as Inorganic colorant; provides black, red, yellow, and brown shades in waterproof. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: permitted, max Annex IV permitted colorants for eye-area use (CI 77491, 77492, 77499); purity: arsenic ≤3 ppm, lead ≤10 ppm, mercury ≤1 ppm. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 1309-37-1; 51274-00-1; 1317-61-9 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Function
Inorganic colorant; provides black, red, yellow, and brown shades in waterproof mascara, eyeliner, and color cosmetics; must be uniformly dispersed in wax matrix
Safety Rating
EXCELLENT
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
permitted
EU Max Conc.
Annex IV permitted colorants for eye-area use (CI 77491, 77492, 77499); purity: arsenic ≤3 ppm, lead ≤10 ppm, mercury ≤1 ppm
US US Status
permitted
US Notes
Approved under 21 CFR 73.2250 as color additive exempt from batch certification. Permitted for use in cosmetics including eye area. Only synthetically prepared iron oxides permitted. Impurity limits: As ≤3 ppm, Pb ≤10 ppm, Hg ≤3 ppm. CIR deferred to FDA.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Iron Oxides.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
Additional Ingredient Properties
7 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
colorant_formulator
{"ci_number": "77491/77492/77499", "ci_name": "Pigment Brown", "color_category": "brown", "color_hex_code": "#8B4513", "natural_or_synthetic": "synthetic", "organic_or_inorganic": "inorganic", "lake_or_dye": "pigment", "fda_approved_use": "lip/eye/general", "eu_approved_cosmetic": "yes", "japan_approved": "yes", "china_approved": "yes", "iron_oxide_type": "brown_mix", "coverage_opacity": "opaque",…
comedogenicity_detail
{"comedogenicity_rating": "0", "irritancy_rating": "0", "skin_type_suitability": "all,sensitive,combination,normal,rosacea", "acne_safe": "yes", "source": "Mineral pigment"}
ph_stability
{"optimal_ph_min": "3.0", "optimal_ph_max": "10.0", "stable_ph_min": "3.0", "stable_ph_max": "11.0", "ph_dependent_function": "Very stable pigments", "formulation_note": "Inorganic; pH independent", "source": "Formulation literature"}
regulatory
{"eu_status": "allowed", "us_status": "allowed"}
skin_suitability
{"oily_skin": "acceptable", "dry_skin": "acceptable", "sensitive_skin": "acceptable", "combination_skin": "acceptable", "normal_skin": "acceptable", "acne_prone": "acceptable", "rosacea": "acceptable", "eczema": "acceptable", "hyperpigmentation": "acceptable", "aging_mature": "acceptable", "dehydrated": "acceptable", "skin_benefit_primary": "pigment", "skin_benefit_secondary": "UV-protection", "me…
solubility_hlb
{"water_soluble": "no", "oil_soluble": "no", "insoluble_in": "water, oils, ethanol, glycerin, propylene glycol, silicones", "melting_point_c": "1565", "appearance": "red/yellow/black powder", "source": "BASF"}
supply_chain
{"primary_producing_countries": "China, India, USA", "secondary_producing_countries": "Germany, Spain, Brazil", "raw_material_origin": "mineral", "agricultural_crop_or_wild_harvested": "mining_synthetic", "cultivation_climate_required": "global", "harvest_season": "continuous", "annual_global_production_tonnes": "1850000", "market_share_top_producer_pct": "58", "supply_chain_length": "1_intermedia…
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Iron Oxides.
Regulatory Flags
color-additive
fda-approved
eu-annex-iv
batch-certification-exempt
eye-area-permitted
heavy-metal-limits
synthetic-only
nano-form-regulated
inorganic-pigment
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Iron Oxides allowed in the EU?
Iron Oxides EU regulatory status: permitted. Maximum allowed concentration: Annex IV permitted colorants for eye-area use (CI 77491, 77492, 77499); purity: arsenic ≤3 ppm, lead ≤10 ppm, mercury ≤1 ppm. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Iron Oxides do in cosmetics?
Iron Oxides functions as: Inorganic colorant; provides black, red, yellow, and brown shades in waterproof mascara, eyeliner, and color cosmetics; must be uniformly dispersed in wax matrix. It is classified as a Colorant in our database. CAS number: 1309-37-1; 51274-00-1; 1317-61-9.
Compliance Tools
Check Iron Oxides compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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82 Allergen Checker
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Substance Compliance
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MoS Calculator
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Heavy Metal Limits
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