Iron Oxide Pigments Are Used for Coloring Food, Medicine, Cosmetics, and Makeup Oils

1. Characteristics

Stable performance, non-toxic, odorless, tasteless, non-absorbable by the human body, no side effects, unlimited dosage, no oil permeability, no skin damage, color retention after exposure, and long-term storage. Pharmaceutical use complies with the requirements of the Sanitary Pharmacopoeia: arsenic salt content less than 15 ppm, cobalt salt content less than 30 ppm, and barium salts are negative. The US Food and Drug Administration requires the use of synthetic products with cobalt content less than 10 ppm, mercury content less than 3 ppm, arsenic content less than 3 ppm, and antimony content less than 2 ppm. Strict control requirements for all heavy metal content are in place.

2. Applications

Ideal colorant for Chinese and Western medicines, pills, and capsules, and excellent pigment for drug identification. Suitable for Rendan, Luobuma Tablets, Maitong, Fufang Jiangyaling, Ganning Tablets, Vitamin E Liuying Pills, Yangxue Anshen, and Ferrous Sulfate Tablets. Colorants are used in various cosmetics, such as soaps, nail polishes, facial oils, skin creams, makeup pens, lipsticks, and cigarette papers. They are also used in cosmetic oil paints, painting pigments, and pet feed additives.

Iron oxide is an ideal pigment for cosmetics due to its chemical stability. It is relatively easy to disperse and insoluble in water, alkalis, and organic solvents. Its colors range from yellow and red to black and brown, offering a rich variety of hues. Iron oxide is opaque and possesses strong hiding power. Its only drawback is its lack of brightness, and yellow and black pigments tend to discolor at temperatures between 150 and 200°C. When producing iron oxide for cosmetics, the raw materials must be refined to remove skin-harmful impurities such as arsenic and lead, and high purity is required. The requirements of the U.S. FDA have been mentioned above, and the EU requirements are more specific: Water-soluble matter: <1.0%, As<3PPM, Ba<50PPM, Zn50PPM, Cr<100PPM, Pb<10PPM, Cd<1 OPPM', Cu<Hg<1PPM, Ni<200PPM, n<1 00PPM. This type of product is a high-value-added product with higher benefits.