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Iron Oxides is permitted by the US FDA. Several countries restrict, warning-label, or have reviewed it for safety concerns. The US has more lenient additive rules than the EU, UK, Canada, and Japan, which is why this ingredient remains widely used here.
Cosmetic-grade iron oxides are among the safest colorants used in personal care products. They are inert, non-reactive, non-carcinogenic, and non-irritating. They do not penetrate intact skin. FDA and EU have approved them for use in a wide range of cosmetic applications including eye area products. The key safety requirement is that cosmetic-grade iron oxides must be synthetically produced (not mined) to ensure they are free from harmful heavy metal contaminants.
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See the full Iron Oxides deep-dive page for regulatory citations, products that contain it, and verified clean swaps.