Iron Oxides
INCI · Iron Oxides · also CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499
Overview
The red, yellow and black mineral pigments that give tinted sunscreens, foundations and BB creams their colour. Because they are opaque across the visible range they also block visible light, which UV filters on their own do not.
Who it's for
People managing melasma and other pigmentation that reacts to visible light, and anyone who wants mineral sun protection without a white cast.
Cautions
Only a tinted product contains them, so a clear or white sunscreen offers no visible-light coverage however high its SPF — SPF is a measure of UVB protection, not of the whole spectrum. Shade ranges on tinted mineral sunscreens are often narrow, and iron oxides are pigments rather than filters: they add to UV protection, they do not stand in for it.
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What does Iron Oxides do in skincare?
The red, yellow and black mineral pigments that give tinted sunscreens, foundations and BB creams their colour. Because they are opaque across the visible range they also block visible light, which UV filters on their own do not.
Is Iron Oxides considered safe for skin?
Only a tinted product contains them, so a clear or white sunscreen offers no visible-light coverage however high its SPF — SPF is a measure of UVB protection, not of the whole spectrum. Shade ranges on tinted mineral sunscreens are often narrow, and iron oxides are pigments rather than filters: they add to UV protection, they do not stand in for it.