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Data: Fair

Iron Oxides

IMAGE SOURCE: PubChem

SEARCH PRODUCTS

Other Concerns

Enhanced skin absorption, Persistence and bioaccumulation (high), and Non-reproductive organ system toxicity (low)

SYNONYMS

● BLACK IRON OXIDE
● BLACK OXIDE OF IRON
● BROWN IRON OXIDE
● C.I. PIGMENT BROWN 7
● CI 77489
● CI 77491
● CI 77492
● CI 77499
● FERRIC OXIDE
● FERROSOFERRIC OXIDE
● FERROUS-FERRIC OXIDE
● HYDRATED FERRIC OXIDE
● IRON BLACK OXIDE
● IRON HYDROXIDE OXIDE
● IRON OXIDE
● IRON OXIDE (FEO)
● IRON OXIDE RED 10-34-PC-2045
● IRON OXIDES
● IRON YELLOW OXIDE
● IRON(II) OXIDE
● MAGNETITE
● NATURAL IRON OXIDE
● PIGMENT BLACK 11
● PIGMENT BROWN 6
● PIGMENT BROWN 7
● PIGMENT RED 101
● PIGMENT YELLOW 42
● PIGMENT YELLOW 43
● RED IRON OXIDE
● SYNTHETIC IRON OXIDE
● YELLOW IRON OXIDE
● YELLOW OXIDE OF IRON

Restricted

Restricted: EWG VERIFIED products cannot contain this ingredient without adequate substantiation


Iron oxides are inorganic chemicals used as colorants.

Common concerns

See how this product scores for common concerns.

  • LOW
    Cancer
  • LOW
    Allergies & Immunotoxicity
  • LOW
    Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity
  • LOW
    Use Restrictions

Ingredient concerns

  • CONCERNS
  • DATA SOURCES

Products with this Ingredient

Expand content Collapse content
foundation7579 products
lipstick6708 products
eye shadow4251 products
concealer3953 products
lip gloss2603 products
eye liner2342 products
brow liner2326 products
blush2256 products
bronzer/highlighter2085 products
lip liner1129 products
mascara1039 products
lip balm831 products
nail polish771 products
daily use with SPF705 products
facial powder698 products
setting powder/spray462 products
CC cream385 products
makeup primer332 products
BB cream308 products
mask204 products
bar soap201 products
193 products
hair color and bleaching181 products
lip plumper174 products
around-eye cream172 products
exfoliant/scrub153 products
facial moisturizer/treatment142 products
recreational sunscreen120 products
lip balm with SPF110 products
shampoo94 products
bath oil/salts/soak85 products
serums & essences82 products
body oil72 products
moisturizer66 products
glitter66 products
body wash/cleanser54 products
facial cleanser49 products
hair styling aide30 products
anti-aging26 products
conditioner21 products
sunless tanning20 products
other eye makeup20 products
eyelash glue18 products
body powder16 products
hair treatment/serum10 products
nail treatment8 products
skin fading/lightener8 products
nail glue7 products
pore strips7 products
styling gel/lotion6 products
depilatory6 products
hair spray6 products
toners/astringents6 products
body art6 products
oil controller4 products
liquid hand soap4 products
shaving cream4 products
makeup remover4 products
body spray4 products
shaving cream (men's)4 products
hair removal waxes4 products
toothpaste3 products
muscle/joint soreness3 products
beard cleanser3 products
body firming lotion2 products
styling mousse/foam2 products
hand sanitizer2 products
fragrance for women2 products
bubble bath2 products
beard care2 products
hand cream1 products
foot cleansing1 products
fragrance for men1 products
tanning oil1 products
baby sunscreen1 products
antiperspirant/deodorant1 products

Enhanced skin absorption

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Nano-scale ingredients with potential to absorb into the skinOpen scientific literature
Suspected nano-scale ingredients with potential to absorb into the skinNanomaterial Database

Persistence and bioaccumulation

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Persistent, bioaccumulative in wildlife and humansNational Library of Medicine HazMap
Persistent, bioaccumulative in wildlifeNational Library of Medicine HazMap
Not suspected to be bioaccumulativeEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Limited evidence of respiratory toxicityScorecard.org Toxicity Information
Classified as not expected to be potentially toxic or harmfulEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List
Classified as a low human health priorityEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List

Ecotoxicology

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Not suspected to be an environmental toxinEnvironment Canada Domestic Substance List

Multiple, additive exposure sources

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in foodFDA Everything Added to Food

Data gaps

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CONCERN REFERENCE
9326 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemicalNLM PubMed

Informational

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - Color Additives - Exempt from Batch Certification by the U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationCTFA International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook
Industry or government recommendations for safe use: restrictions on concentration, impurities, product types, or manufacturing methods - Color additive approved by FDA for use in cosmeticsFDA Color Additive Status

Cancer

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CONCERN REFERENCE
Limited or incomplete evidence of cancer according to safety/hazard data – government assessment cannot classify as human carcinogen due to data gapsInt'l Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) - Carcinogens
  • Open scientific/peer reviewed literature
  • NanoWerk. 2007. Nanomaterial Database. Available online: http://www.nanowerk.com/phpscripts/n_dbsearch.php
  • NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2006. HazMap — Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Agents.
  • EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
  • ED (Environmental Defense). 2006. Scorecard _ The Pollution Information Site. http://www.scorecard.org.
  • FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
  • NLM (National Library of Medicine). 2012. PubMed online scientific bibliography data. http://www.pubmed.gov.
  • CTFA (Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association). 2006. International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook, 11th Edition. Color Additive Information. Washington, DC.
  • FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Color Additive Status List. September 2006.
  • IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer). 2008. Overall Evaluations of Carcinogenicity to Humans, as evaluated in IARC Monographs Volumes 1-99 (a total of 935 agents, mixtures and exposures).

Understanding scores

Cosmetics and personal care products are not required to be tested for safety before being allowed on the market. The Skin Deep® scoring system was designed to help the public understand whether a product is safe to use or whether it contains ingredients of concern.

Every product and ingredient in Skin Deep gets a two-part score – one for hazard and one for data availability. The safest products score well by both measures, with a low hazard rating and a fair or better data availability rating.

HOW WE DETERMINE SCORES

Hazard score

The Skin Deep ingredient hazard score, from 1 to 10, reflects known and suspected hazards linked to the ingredients. The EWG VERIFIED® mark means a product meets EWG’s strictest criteria for transparency and health.

Score legend

Data availability

The Skin Deep data availability rating reflects the number of scientific studies about the product or ingredient in the published scientific literature.

NONE LIMITED FAIR GOOD ROBUST
Low Availability
Moderate Availability
High Availability

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September 23, 2023 | Los Angeles, CA

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