FANCL Corporation, in collaboration with Tottori University, introduced two new inorganic pigments, CaCoGe2O6 and CaCoSi2O6, featuring a pyroxene-based structure designed to deliver brighter reds while retaining inorganic pigments' safety profile. The announcement was presented at the 2025 Colour Materials Research Presentation in Japan. The team substituted elements in a stable complex oxide and used high-temperature synthesis to achieve vivid hues without relying on tar-based dyes.
Researchers replaced magnesium with cobalt in a CaMgGe2O6 base and fired the mix at 1,200°C to produce a vivid reddish-purple CaCoGe2O6, then developed a pink CaCoSi2O6 via an alternate synthesis route using silicon. Evaluations used the L*a*b* colour system and showed both pigments exceeded the vividness and redness of common inorganic reds like iron oxide and ultramarine.
For consumers, these pigments promise makeup that combines gentleness with stronger color payoff, offering an alternative to synthetic dyes linked to irritation. The materials could shift cosmetic formulation trends by enabling safer, more vibrant inorganic colorants in everyday products.
Image Credit: FANCL Corporation
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Bright Pyroxene Pigments
- Represents a new class of high-chroma inorganic colorants derived from pyroxene structures that outperform traditional iron-oxide reds in vividness.
- Dye-free Cosmetic Coloration
- Offers a safer alternative to tar-based dyes by delivering strong color payoff through mineral-based pigments with lower irritation potential.
- High-temperature Oxide Engineering
- Creates opportunities for tuning color properties via element substitution and controlled high-temperature synthesis in stable complex oxides.
Sectors Adopting This
- Personal Care Cosmetics
- Positions makeup brands to differentiate with gentler yet more vivid color formulations that appeal to health-conscious consumers.
- Advanced Ceramics and Materials
- May enable manufacturers to incorporate color-tuned oxide phases into functional ceramics and composites without compromising stability.
- Architectural Coatings and Paints
- Could shift paint formulations toward longer-lasting, non-organic pigments that maintain high chroma while improving safety profiles.
