Ultramarine Violet Pigment, Cosmetic Grade – KT-40002B

KT-40002B is a cosmetic grade Ultramarine Violet — a synthetic inorganic pigment that delivers a red-biased violet body color with the same chemical stability and regulatory acceptance as Ultramarine Blue, but with a distinctly warmer, more purple-red hue character. As a matte, opaque, insoluble colorant, it is non-migrating in wax, oil, and powder matrices and inherently lightfast — making it a practical specification for eye shadows, lipsticks, pressed powders, and soap where stable violet or purple color is required without the fading limitations of organic violet dyes. All Kolortek cosmetic oxide grades are filtered to remove regulated heavy metal impurities before supply.

Product Positioning

KT-40002B sits within Kolortek's Cosmetic Matte Oxides range — the flat-color foundation tier alongside iron oxides, titanium dioxide, Ultramarine Blue (KT-40001), chromium green oxide, and carbon black. Ultramarine Violet fills a specific gap in this palette: the red-violet hue range that neither Ultramarine Blue (too blue) nor iron oxide red (too orange-red) covers directly. For formulators building purple, mauve, lavender, and plum shades, it is typically the primary or secondary colorant that sets the violet axis of the blend.

Ultramarine Blue vs. Ultramarine Violet — Practical Hue Difference

Both Ultramarine Blue and Ultramarine Violet share the same CI 77007 designation and base inorganic chemistry. The hue difference arises from a variation in the calcination process that modifies the sulfur configuration within the aluminosilicate structure. Both grades carry the same regulatory status and acid stability constraint.

Technical Specifications

Key Technical Characteristics

Inorganic violet — lightfastness advantage over organic violet dyes: Organic violet dyes (such as D&C Violet 2 or certain FD&C violets) are prone to fading under UV and visible light exposure, limiting their use in products with transparent packaging or extended outdoor exposure. Ultramarine Violet is a thermally and photochemically stable inorganic pigment — the violet color is generated by the sulfur radical anion within the aluminosilicate lattice and does not degrade under typical cosmetic product exposure conditions. For formulations where color stability over a two-to-three year shelf life is a specification requirement, Ultramarine Violet is the more reliable colorant.

Violet shade development — blend directions: KT-40002B is the primary starting point for purple and violet shade families in cosmetic formulations. Key blending directions: Ultramarine Violet alone produces a pure blue-violet; adding iron oxide red shifts toward plum and burgundy; adding TiO₂ produces lavender and lilac pastels; adding carbon black deepens toward dark purple and aubergine; adding Ultramarine Blue shifts the tone toward a cooler, bluer violet. The pigment has moderate-to-high tinting strength — small additions produce noticeable tone shifts in blends.

Acid sensitivity — the primary formulation constraint: Ultramarine Violet shares Ultramarine Blue's acid sensitivity — decomposition occurs below approximately pH 3, with color change and potential hydrogen sulfide release. For pressed powder, wax-based lipstick, eye shadow, and neutral-to-alkaline soap applications, this is not a practical concern under normal conditions. For water-based formulations or lip products containing acids (citric acid, lactic acid, fruit extracts), pH must be confirmed above pH 4 throughout the product lifecycle before specifying.

Dispersion in cosmetic bases: Like Ultramarine Blue, Ultramarine Violet can agglomerate as dry powder and benefits from pre-dispersion. For pressed powder and loose powder applications, pre-wetting with a small amount of cosmetic ester (isopropyl myristate, caprylic/capric triglyceride) before mixing into the talc or mica base improves color development and reduces visible specks in the finished compact. For lipstick, grinding into the wax phase before the full melt-and-pour is standard practice.

Application Range

Formulation Notes

Pre-dispersion for uniform color development: Ultramarine Violet has a tendency to form soft agglomerates in dry form. For pressed powder and loose powder formulations, pre-wetting with 2–5% of a cosmetic ester or light oil before blending into the powder base reduces speck formation and improves color uniformity. For lipstick, grinding into the wax phase at slightly elevated temperature (above wax melt point) before casting produces a smoother, more consistent color.

pH check required for aqueous and emulsion systems: Before specifying KT-40002B in any water-based formulation, confirm the complete formulation pH is consistently above approximately pH 4. Acidic ingredients — citric acid, ascorbic acid, lactic acid, fruit extracts, or AHA actives — may bring local pH below the stability threshold during mixing or over time. Standard pH monitoring as part of batch QC is recommended for ultramarine-containing aqueous products.

Kolortek has supplied cosmetic grade inorganic pigments including ultramarines for over 20 years, with Certificate of Analysis documentation per production lot covering heavy metal impurity levels — the standard requirement for cosmetic ingredient supplier qualification. The full cosmetic oxide range (iron oxides, TiO₂, ultramarines, chromium green oxide, carbon black) is available from Kolortek, allowing single-supplier sourcing for the complete matte colorant palette with consistent documentation standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is Ultramarine Violet the same as Ultramarine Blue?
A: Both are classified under CI 77007 (Ultramarines) and share the same base inorganic chemistry — synthetic sodium aluminum silicate with sulfur. The hue difference comes from a variation in the manufacturing calcination process that modifies the sulfur radical configuration within the lattice. Ultramarine Blue has a reddish-blue tone; Ultramarine Violet has a distinctly warmer, more red-violet tone. They share the same regulatory approvals, acid sensitivity, and lightfastness profile, but produce significantly different visual results in formulations — they are not interchangeable for shade matching purposes.

Q: Can KT-40002B be used in eye shadow?
A: Yes. CI 77007 (Ultramarines) is approved for use in the area of the eye under both FDA regulations and EU Annex IV of the Cosmetics Regulation. Ultramarine Violet is one of the standard inorganic violet colorants used in eye shadow formulations — its stability, non-migration, and lightfastness make it preferable to many organic violet alternatives for eye-area products. Verify the current approved use conditions for your specific product type and target market.

Q: Will Ultramarine Violet change color in my lipstick formulation?
A: Not under normal lipstick formulation conditions. Standard wax-based lipstick systems are neutral to mildly alkaline, and Ultramarine Violet is stable in this range. If your lipstick formulation contains acidic ingredients (some flavoring agents, vitamin E acetate is fine but ascorbic acid would be a concern), confirm the final formulation pH is above approximately pH 4. In borderline cases, long-term stability testing at 40°C is the practical qualification method.

Q: Does Ultramarine Violet work in cold process soap?
A: Yes — Ultramarine Violet is widely used in cold process soap and is stable in the high-pH alkaline environment of the saponification process (typically pH 9–10). It does not react with sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide and maintains its violet color through cure. Typical usage rates in cold process soap run 1–3% of total batch weight. Disperse in a small amount of lightweight oil before adding to the soap batter for better color distribution.

Request Samples or Technical Documentation

Whether you are building a violet eye shadow range, developing plum lip shades, or sourcing a reliable violet for cold process soap, contact Kolortek to request a sample of KT-40002B Ultramarine Violet, Certificate of Analysis, TDS, or SDS for your supplier qualification process.