Colorants refer to ingredients that can change the color of cosmetics or skin; they are also known as pigments. Depending on their solubility, colorants can be classified into dyes, pigments, and lakes.
Dyes are compounds that dissolve in water or organic solvents, coloring the solution. Pigments are compounds that do not dissolve in solvents and color products by being dispersed within the base materials. Common examples include titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, iron oxide, and pearlescent pigments. Lakes are insoluble salts of pigments.
The "Cosmetics Safety Technical Specifications" (2015 edition) lists 157 approved colorants for cosmetics (Table 6), with only a handful commonly used. Here are some frequently used colorants in cosmetics:
| Color Index Number | Colorant Generic Name | Color | Colorant Generic Chinese Name | Usage Scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CI 77891 | PIGMENT WHITE 6 | White | Pigment White 6 (Titanium Dioxide, TiO2) | All Cosmetics |
| CI 77491 | PIGMENT RED 101,102 | Red | Pigment Red 101, 102 (Iron Oxide, Fe2O3) | All Cosmetics |
| CI 77492 | PIGMRNT YELLOW 42, 43 | Yellow | Pigment Yellow 42, 43 (FeO(OH).nH2O) | All Cosmetics |
| CI 77499 | PIGMENT BLACK 11 | Black | Pigment Black 11 (FeO+Fe2O3) | All Cosmetics |
| CI 77019 | PIGMENT WHITE 20 | White | Pigment White 20 (Mica) | All Cosmetics |
以上仅列出部分常用化妆品着色剂，更多原料可参照《化妆品安全技术规范》（2015版）。
