Irons Oxides and Other Matte Pigments
Most of our products such as the oxides are produced in a laboratory to be naturally identical to those found in nature. The reason for this is that a natural oxide would not fit the FDA requirement for the minimum of heavy metal content. Soils naturally contain heavy metals so any oxide must be purified for cosmetic use. Iron oxides in nature (dirt) are often loaded with toxic metals like lead, arsenic, mercury, antimony and selenium. The FDA stepped in to regulate cosmetic colorants so the level of toxic metal present are present in such low concentrations that they are considered “safe.” In fact, only synthetically prepared iron oxides are approved for use in cosmetics in the USA. Since 1970 Oxides and Ultramarines have been manufactured in labs to assure purity. The lab manufactured pigments have the same molecular structure as their natural identical but without toxins.
