Colored Clay: Color Source and INCI Name

Question

For colored clays such as green clay and other colors, does the color come from the clay itself or from added Iron Oxide? Also, is the INCI name just Kaolin, or is the color included in the INCI name? Thank you.

MySkinRecipes Expert · Accepted Answer

# Colored Clays: Color Source and INCI Names

Based on the product information, the color of natural colored clays such as Green Clay, Red Clay, and Yellow Clay comes from the minerals naturally present in the clay itself. These clays are derived from nature, and their unique colors are due to their specific mineral composition, often including naturally occurring iron oxides and other elements.

This is different from Iron Oxides which are pigments (like Iron Oxides Red, Yellow, or Black) that can be added to formulations specifically for coloring purposes.

Regarding the INCI name, for these natural colored clays, the INCI name is typically listed simply as `Kaolin`. The color is considered part of the natural variation of the Kaolin clay from different sources. If Iron Oxides or other colorants were added separately to color the clay, they would be listed in the INCI name using their corresponding CI (Color Index) numbers (e.g., CI 77491 for Red Iron Oxide, CI 77492 for Yellow Iron Oxide, CI 77499 for Black Iron Oxide).