Chromium Oxide Greens

Chromium Oxide Greens (CI 77288) is an insoluble inorganic pigment used primarily as a colorant in leave-on cosmetics, typically at low percentages, and it is generally non-reactive and well-tolerated. Clinical patch-testing experience suggests a low rate of irritation, but particulate pigments can still trigger mild mechanical/occlusive irritation or rare individual sensitivity, especially on compromised eczematous skin. Given the sensitive-skin safety focus, I rate it as very gentle rather than fully inert. Safety Notes: In commercial color cosmetics and some tinted skincare (leave-on), chromium oxide greens is typically used at very low levels (~0.01–0.5%) to adjust undertone or mute redness within mixed pigment systems. In high-pigment consumer products (e.g., pressed/powder eye products, green corrector creams/sticks, camouflage makeup), total pigment loads can be high and chromium oxide greens has been observed up to ~10–25% where it is a primary colorant. Use is primarily leave-on; rinse-off products rarely include it and, when they do, it is usually only trace-level for color.