- Kitchen spices are not approved colorants for cosmetics, and they are not approved for a reason (the exceptions being annatto and caramel)! They can irritate (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, paprika, cayenne, etc.) and stain (paprika, turmeric, cayenne, etc.) the skin and mucous membranes.
- The particle size may be large enough to irritate the skin and feel scrubby—not something you want in a cosmetic!
- Colors of spices and foods vary from batch to batch and between suppliers; sometimes greatly. This doesn’t matter in food, but it does mean you may never be able to re-create that shade of foundation.
- Spices aren’t typically very potent colorants, meaning you’ll need to use quite a lot more than you’d use of oxides, which is likely to throw off the entire balance of the formula.
- The final product will smell, and probably not like something you want your face smelling like (cinnamon + turmeric + paprika = curry, I guess?)
- Fresh foods will spoil in a day or two and drag your product along with it.
Can I use food/spices to color my cosmetics instead of iron oxides?
Please, please, please do not. The thought is tempting, but it’s not a great idea, and possibly even a bad one. Remember, just because something is edible doesn’t mean you should be spreading it on your face! Here’s a few reasons:
