C.i. 74180

Inorganic colors used mostly in hair dyes. They are listed by number in the European Union but are not permitted to be listed that way on U. S. labels. Most of them are designated D & C colors or by ingredient name such as Manganese Violet instead of CI77742 if they are permitted in U.S. products.

Calendula Officinalis

Products from the flowers of pot marigolds grown in gardens everywhere. Formerly used to soothe inflammation of skin and mucous membranes, now used in “natural” creams, oils and powders for babies.

Camphor

Used as a preservative and to give a cool feeling to the skin. It is distilled from trees at least 50 years old grown in China, Taiwan, Brazil, and Sumatra.

Caprrylic / Capric Triglyceride

A mixture of triester of glycerin with caprylic, capric and lauric acids. An oily mixture derived from coconut oil, it is used extensively in cosmetics as a vehicle for pigment dispersions in bath oils, hairsprays and lipsticks. Also used as an emollient to prevent water loss from the skin. Low toxicity.

Carbomer

Carbopol. Carboxypolymethylene. A white powder, slightly acidic, that reacts with fat particles to form thick, stable emulsions of oils in water. Used as thickening, suspending, dispersing and emulsifying ingredients in the cosmetic field. No known toxicity. The CIR Expert Panel concludes this is a safe ingredient.

Centella

Asiaticoside. A member of the Umbelliferae family like celery, the active principle is asiaticoside. It has wound healing properties.

Ceteareth 20

Widely used polyethylene glycol ether of Cetearyl Alcohol as a surfactant, cleansing ingredient and solubilizer. The CIR Expert Panel cautioned that this ingredient enhancesskin absorption of drugs and that care should be taken when creating formulations.

Ceteareth 12

Cetyl/ Stearyl ether. An oily liquid distilled from a combination of cetyl alcohol made from spermaceti and stearyl alcohol and ethylene oxide. The compound is used as an emollient, an emulsifier, an antifoam ingredient and a lubricant in cosmetics. Nontoxic.

Cetearyl Alcohol

Cetostearyl Alcohol. Emulsifying wax. A mixture chiefly of the fatty alcohols- cetyl and stearyl- and used primarily in oitments as an emulsifier. Very widely used in cosmetics. The CIR Expert Panel concludes this is a safe ingredient.

Cetyl Alcohol

An emollient and emulsion stabilizer used in many cosmetics preparations. Cetyl alcohol is waxy, crystalline, and solid and found in spermaceti. It has a low toxicity for both skin and ingestion and is sometimes used as a laxative.

Cetyl Palmitate

Produced by the reaction of cetyl alcohol and palmitic acid. Used in the manufacture of soaps and lubricants. Widely used in skin care preparations. Nontoxic. The CIR Expert Panel concludes that this ingredient is safe for use in cosmetic products.

Chamomilla Recutita

Camomile Oil. Wild Chamomile Extract. The volatile oil distilled from the dried flower heads of Matricaria chamomilla. Used internally as a soothing tea and tonic and externally as a soothing medication for contusions and other inflammation.

Cholesterol

A fat-soluble, crystalline steroid alcohol occurring in all animal fats and oils, nervous tissue, egg yolk and blood. Used as an emulsifier and lubricant in cosmetic products. It is important in metabolism but has been implicated as contributing to hardening of the arteries and subsequently heart attacks. Nontoxic to the skin.

Citric Acid

One of the most widely useds acids in the cosmetic industry, it is derived from citrus fruit by fermentation of crude sugars. Employed as a preservative and sesquestering ingredient to adjust acid-alkali balance, as a foam inhibitor and plasticizer. It is also used as an astringent alone or in astringent compounds. The clear, crystalline, water-absorbing chemicals are also used to precent scurvy, a deficiency disease and as a refreshing drink with water and sugar added. No known toxicity.

Cucumus Sativus

Cucumber. The juice of the cucumber was reputedly used by Cleopatra to preserve her skin. It imparts a cool feeling to the skin. The juice is soothing to the skin.