Minerals, pigments and optical ingredients

CI77288 · chromium oxide green

An opaque deep green pigment ridge spreads across curved ivory ceramic beside a small unbranded solid fragment.
About this illustration
The deep green pigment ridgeGreen can come from a prepared oxide pigment as well as from plants or mixed dyes. CI 77288 gives this route its own material identity.

A green made from an inorganic oxide has a different story from a green made by blending blue and yellow dyes. CI77288 introduces that distinction, giving a solid's colour an identity that stays useful even when the product name says something much more imaginative.

Name on the ingredient listCI 77288

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A quick answer

CI77288 identifies chromium(III) oxide green, also known as Pigment Green 17. It is an inorganic colourant, distinct from the hydrated green CI77289 and from green botanical powders or synthetic green dyes. In a solid formula it contributes to appearance as a prepared pigment. Its code tells you the colour material, while the chosen grade, amount and surrounding base help determine the final shade and finish.

Green can be an oxide colour

Chromium oxide green is a particular inorganic compound, principally chromium(III) oxide. Its colour story therefore begins with a prepared oxide material rather than a leaf extract or a mixture of two separately named dyes. That gives green more than one possible route into cosmetics.

This is useful when comparing products with similar-looking shades. Appearance alone cannot identify the composition behind them. A botanical powder, an organic dye and an inorganic pigment can each contribute colour through different materials. CI77288 gives this route its own anchor in the list.

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A deep green chromium-oxide pigment-reference powder forms a close tactile ridge on pale stone.
CI 77288 · chromium oxide green
The pigment's tactile terrainAn opaque prepared pigment gives green a material presence of its own. This close terrain introduces CI 77288’s powder form.

Two names that keep the identity clear

CI77288 and Pigment Green 17 are names associated with this material. The Colour Index code is widely used in cosmetic ingredient lists, while a pigment name may appear in technical information. Together they help connect descriptions that would otherwise look unrelated.

The numbers are identifiers, not a colour recipe. They do not give the proportion in a product or predict whether its final shade will be vivid, muted or pale. Those choices belong to the mixture. The code's value is more basic and more reliable: it tells you which green material is being discussed.

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Its hydrated neighbour is a separate ingredient

CI77289 describes chromium hydroxide or hydrated chromium oxide green. CI77288 is the oxide green in this entry. The difference is part of the composition, not simply an alternative way to number an identical green.

That makes the pair a useful exercise in careful reading. A near match can feel close enough in casual conversation, but the final digit preserves an actual materials distinction. Ingredient knowledge becomes more useful when it keeps those small differences instead of smoothing them away. The two entries can be related without being merged.

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Two raised paper code labels retain CI 77288 and CI 77289, with their differing final digits on separate tabs.
CI 77288CI 77289
One digit changes the lookupOne final digit preserves a real distinction. Keep CI 77288’s oxide identity separate from the hydrated or hydroxide green CI 77289.
Painted separate specimen plates compare CI 77288, CI 77289 and matcha whole-leaf tea powder.
CI 77288 · chromium oxide greenCI 77289 · chromium hydroxide greenMatcha · Camellia sinensis whole-leaf powder
Green code comparisonThree green-looking powders can have three different identities. Read their codes and names rather than using shade as an identification test.

A pigment joins the physical blend

In a solid cosmetic, the pigment is incorporated into the mixture alongside the ingredients responsible for structure, spreading or cleansing. A colour material has to be distributed appropriately so the maker can achieve the intended appearance throughout the product.

This connects colour with manufacturing rather than leaving it as a decorative afterthought. A solid is built from separate materials, and its visible finish depends on how they are brought together. The pigment's identity is one part of that work. Its partners and the preparation process help turn the chosen colour into a usable format.

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A conceptual green solid-bar paper cutaway separates cleanser, texture and pigment territories.
Cleanser territory · conceptualTexture territory · conceptualCI 77288 pigment territory · conceptual
Colour and formula are separateColour is one part of a solid’s design. The opened paper map keeps the pigment separate from the materials responsible for cleansing and texture.

A compound is more specific than an element

Chromium(III) oxide is a defined chemical form. The element name alone does not make it the same as metallic chromium or every other chromium-containing substance. The oxide identity and its cosmetic specifications are the relevant starting points here.

This is a helpful principle with mineral colourants generally. Tin oxide, iron oxides and zinc oxide each have their own compositions and purposes. A familiar metal word should lead into the exact ingredient story rather than replacing it. CI77288 keeps the conversation focused on this particular green pigment.

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Enjoy the colour without assigning it another job

A green solid can be appealing, recognisable and easy to distinguish from neighbouring products. Its colour does not need to indicate a high concentration of herbs or a particular care result. Appearance is a legitimate design choice in its own right.

When selecting a finished product, use its intended purpose and demonstrated feel for the practical decision. The colour code adds understanding of its construction. CI77288 is a useful reminder that two similar-looking greens can begin with different materials, and that the ingredient list can reveal that difference even when the surface cannot.

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An illustrative muted-green solid cosmetic rests on pale ceramic beside a warm wooden bathroom shelf.
Illustrative green solid · formula and grade unspecified
Green in the bathroom sceneA green solid can be an appealing design choice in its own right. Its colour alone does not disclose botanical content or a care result.

Questions you might have

Is chromium oxide green a plant pigment?

No. It is an inorganic oxide colourant. A green botanical powder has a separate plant identity and preparation story. A product can contain both, but its shade should not be used to estimate how much plant material is present. The exact pigment name keeps the visual and botanical explanations distinct.

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Does the code mean the product contains metallic chromium?

No. It identifies chromium(III) oxide, a compound with its own chemical composition. A metal element in an ingredient name does not mean ordinary metal pieces are present. The full material identity is more useful than the element name alone when understanding an inorganic cosmetic pigment.

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Why does another green have the almost identical code CI77289?

The neighbouring code identifies the hydrated or hydroxide green, which is a different preparation from CI77288. Similar names reflect a real chemical relationship, while the separate codes preserve the difference. Retaining that final digit is useful when comparing ingredient explanations across products.

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One useful thought

CI77288 introduces an inorganic route to green. Its oxide composition and separate Colour Index identity help distinguish it from hydrated greens, dyes and botanicals. That is your useful gain: a familiar shade becomes a more precise material story, without requiring colour to explain the product's entire purpose.

Sources

References and further reading
  1. CI77288 – IngredientCOSMILE Europe
  2. 21 CFR73.1327: Chromium oxide greens, identityUS Food and Drug Administration / eCFR