Database/Colorant/Pigment Red 83
Mostly petroleum · ISO 16128

Is Pigment Red 83 natural?

Mostly not. The dihydroxyanthraquinone chromophore is synthesised from petrochemical anthraquinone, while the calcium metal ion is mineral origin.

INCI namePigment Red 83
CAS104074-25-1
FormulaC14H8CaO4 · 280.29 Da
FunctionColorant · Hair Dyeing
FeedstockDominant route: synthetic alizarin (from anthraquinone sulfonation and…

How we scored it

C14H8CaO4, 280.3 Da: alizarin framework 240.2 Da petrochemical (anthraquinone); calcium 40.1 Da mineral; 40.1/280.3 = 0.14.
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

Dominant route: synthetic alizarin (from anthraquinone sulfonation and alkali fusion) precipitated as a calcium/aluminium lake. Natural madder-root alizarin exists but is a niche artists' pigment, and extra aluminium in real grades would raise the value slightly.

In plain English

A red anthraquinone pigment (alizarin crimson lake) used mainly to colour hair dyes and some cosmetics. The colour molecule is made synthetically and bound to calcium, a mineral, to form an insoluble pigment.

CosIng definition: Pigment Red 83 is classed chemically as an anthraquinone 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 Pigment Red 83

PubChem CID 129894373 ↗

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 83. PubChem CID 129894373. National Center for Biotechnology Information. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↗
  3. 3PIGMENT RED 83. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
  4. 4PIGMENT RED 83. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=PIGMENT%20RED%2083