Database/Colorant/CI 42051
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is CI 42051 natural?

Mostly not. Calcium and the four sulfonate groups are mineral-derived; the triarylmethane dye core is petrochemical.

INCI nameCI 42051
CAS3536-49-0
FormulaC54H62CaN4O14S4 · 1159.4 Da
FunctionColorant
FeedstockSynthesised from petrochemical diethylaniline condensed to form the…

How we scored it

Ca(40)+4×SO3(320)=360 natural (mineral); triphenylmethane core+2 phenolic O petrochemical; 360/1159=0.31.
What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

Synthesised from petrochemical diethylaniline condensed to form the triphenylmethane chromophore, then sulfonated and isolated as the calcium salt. No natural route exists.

In plain English

A synthetic blue-green colorant built from petrochemical aniline compounds and isolated as a calcium salt. Only its mineral sulfonate and calcium portions are natural.

CosIng definition: CI 42051 is classed chemically as a triphenylmethane colour. It conforms to the formula:

Natural alternatives with the same function

Aluminum Powder 100% natural origin

Finely powdered aluminum metal used to add shimmer or color to cosmetics. It comes from refining bauxite ore,…

 Aluminum Stearate 100% natural origin

An aluminium salt of stearic acid, a fatty acid from vegetable or animal fat. Used to prevent caking,…

 Anthocyanins 100% natural origin

A natural colorant that gives products red, purple or blue tones. It is recovered from grape skins or…

 Calcium Ferrite 100% natural origin

A mineral pigment made of calcium and iron oxide, used as a colourant in cosmetics. It is produced…

 Calcium Stearate 100% natural origin

The calcium salt of stearic acid, a fatty acid usually from vegetable oils. Used as an anti-caking, thickening…

 Caramel 100% natural origin

A colouring and fragrance ingredient made by heating sugar, sucrose or glucose, until it browns. It comes from…

Structure

2D structure of CI 42051

calcium bis(4-[[4-(diethylamino)phenyl]-(4-diethylazaniumylidenecyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-ylidene)methyl]-6-hydroxybenzene-1,3-disulfonate)

PubChem CID 77073 ↗

References

  1. 1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
  2. 2CI 42051. PubChem CID 77073. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3CI 42051. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4CI 42051. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=CI%2042051