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CI 77499

Last update on Apr 24, 2026

CI 77499 is a black iron oxide containing iron and oxygen and is used in cosmetics as a coloring agent. It is naturally available from the mineral magnetite however, for use in cosmetics, it is synthetically made to filter out any impurities. In general, iron oxides are long-lasting, once they are applied, they usually don’t need to be reapplied.

CAS Number: 12227-89-3 / 1309-37-1 / 1317-61-9 / 1345-25-1 / 1345-27-3 / 52357-70-7Chem/IUPAC Name: iron(2+);iron(3+);oxygen(2-)EINECS/ELINCS No: 235-442-5 / 215-168-2 / 215-277-5 / 215-721-8 / 215-722-3 / 257-870-1COSING REF No: 32831

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What is CI 77499 used for?

CI 77499 is used as a colorant in various cosmetics such as eye shadows, blushes, lipsticks, mineral makeup, etc. It is one of the main pigment for matching skin tones in foundations, concealers, and other face makeup. It provides excellent dispersing properties to the final product and their intense color adds a unique shade to the product.

Origin

CI 77499 is manufactured synthetically. First, ferrous sulfate is prepared by reacting iron filings with sulfuric acid, and then adding caustic soda and ferric oxide to carry out an addition reaction at 95~105 ℃ to generate ferric oxide, which is then filtered and dried. The black iron oxide is now obtained from this via pulverization.

What does CI 77499 do in a formulation?

COSMETIC COLORANT

Safety Profile

Only synthetically made CI 77499 is considered safe for use in cosmetics by the U.S. FDA since when naturally obtained, CI 77499 and other iron oxides may be contaminated with heavy metals.

CI 77499 alternatives

CI 77499 technical profile

PropertyValues
Boiling Point2623°C
Melting Point1597°C
SolubilityInsoluble in water, alcohol
Soluble in concentrated acid, hot acid