Database/Colorant/Pigment Red 57:1
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Pigment Red 57:1 natural?

Mostly not. Calcium and the sulfonate group count as mineral origin, while the azo dye skeleton comes from petrochemical toluidine sulfonic acid and naphthalene-derived 2-hydroxy-3-naphthoic acid.

INCI namePigment Red 57:1
CAS29092-56-6
FunctionColorant · Hair Dyeing
FeedstockMade by diazotising p-toluidine-3-sulfonic acid and coupling it…

How we scored it

Calcium salt C18H12CaN2O6S 424 Da (formula from structure, none supplied). Natural: Ca 40 + SO3 80 = 120 Da; azo-naphthoate skeleton petrochemical. 120/424 = 0.28.
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

Made by diazotising p-toluidine-3-sulfonic acid and coupling it with 2-hydroxy-3-naphthoic acid (from coal-tar or petroleum naphthalene), then laking with calcium chloride. No natural-origin route exists.

In plain English

A red pigment used to colour make-up and other products. It is a synthetic azo dye made from petrochemical aromatic chemicals and precipitated as a calcium salt so it does not dissolve.

CosIng definition: Pigment Red 57:1 is classed chemically as a monoazo 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…

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. 2PIGMENT RED 57:1. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  3. 3PIGMENT RED 57:1. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PIGMENT%20RED%2057%3A1