Used in cosmetics as an antimicrobial, a humectant and an astringent. CI 77400 is classed chemically as an inorganic color. It is a finely powdered metal consisting chiefly of copper or an alloy of copper and zinc with small amounts of aluminum or tin (See also INCI: Copper Powder).

Critical concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is banned in EU cosmetics.

beauty
cleaning
food
industrial

Copper

CAS 65555-90-0 · 100/100 · High conf.

Also registered as 10 other CAS numbers

72514-83-1 · 133353-46-5 · 133353-47-6 · 195161-80-9 · 1441640-38-5 · 1993435-25-8 · 2056901-56-3 · 2432029-48-4 · 2702957-29-5 · 7440-50-8

Concern score

100/100Critical concern based on regulatory listings.

High confidence

Copper in plain language

What it is: On cosmetic ingredient lists it appears as “CI 77400”.
Also known as CI 77400 · Copper powder · Bronze powder · C.I. 77400 · C.I. pigment metal · Colour index 77400 (bronze powder)
Show all 43 names
Colour index 77400 (copper powder) · Elemental copper · Metallic copper · Plastic iud with copper · 3EC-M3S-HTE · 3EC-M3VLP18 · ATS Adocopper IW · Allbri Natural Copper · Anode copper · Arwood copper · Bronze powder; copper powder · Cosmetic bronze powder VP-1 · Cosmetic copper powder VP-1 · Cu · CU-7 · Copper (Cu) · Copper (in pigment) · Copper M 1 · Copper bronze · Copper foil · Copper slag-airborne · Copper slag-milled · Copper-airborne · Copper-milled · Gold bronze · Kafar copper · Paragard t 380A · Raney copper · Sensor Board · Tatum-t · Tin Powder · Tonval Brass · copper (copper jacket) · copper (sara 313) (cercla) · cuivre · cuprum · Cuprum metallicum
What it does: Used in cosmetics as an antimicrobial, a humectant and an astringent. CI 77400 is classed chemically as an inorganic color. It is a finely powdered metal consisting chiefly of copper or an alloy of copper and zinc with small amounts of aluminum or tin (See also INCI: Copper Powder).
Antimicrobial
Humectant
Astringent
Colorant
Hair conditioning
Skin protecting
Is it a concern?: Critical concern: no hazard classifications on record. It is banned in EU cosmetics.

Why it's flagged

Copper (nano) [INCI] Colloidal Copper (nano) [INCI] is prohibited in cosmetic products under Annex II of the EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009.

RestrictedEU EC — banned

The score describes this ingredient's chemical identity — its hazard profile from published classifications and regulatory status — not the safety of any product it appears in.

Regulation

Restrictions first, then routine listings from published regulatory sources.

In marketed US drugs
EU Annex II — prohibited
EU Annex IV — permitted colorant
EU permitted colorant
EU prohibited in cosmetics

Recorded in these product areas

Found in consumer products
Cleaning
Food
Industrial

EUEC
Annex II of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: substances prohibited in cosmetic products.
banned
View source →

EUCosIngActive5 entries
- CI 77400 is classed chemically as an inorganic color. It is a finely powdered metal consisting chiefly of copper or an alloy of copper and zinc with small amounts of aluminum or tin (See also INCI: Copper Powder) Restriction: IV/132Source →
- Copper is a metallic element.Source →
- Copper Powder is the element consisting of powdered metallic copper. To identify the colorant meeting the requirements for labeling purposes in the US, the INCI Name Copper Powder must be used. To identify the colorant allowed for use in the European Union (EU), the INCI Name CI 77400 must be used.Source →
- Cosmetics Regulation annex IV / ref 132.Source →
- Cosmetics Regulation annex II / ref 1726.Source →
EUECallowed_listedAnnex IV of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: colorants allowed in cosmetic products.
- Annex IV of EU Cosmetics Regulation (EC) 1223/2009: colorants allowed in cosmetic products.Source →
GLOBALJECFAEvaluatedJECFA evaluation record. Functional class: metals.
- JECFA evaluation record. Functional class: metals.Source →
USEPAcommercial use observedEPA CPDat observed this chemical in 5961 composition records across product categories including Construction and building materials, Food contact items, Furniture and furnishings. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Pigment, Dye, Solvent.
- EPA CPDat observed this chemical in 5961 composition records across product categories including Construction and building materials, Food contact items, Furniture and furnishings. EPA CPDat classifies this chemical for functional uses including Pigment, Dye, Solvent.Source →
USFDAmarketed drug occurrenceFDA NDC lists this ingredient in 186 active drug products and 214 total products.
- FDA NDC lists this ingredient in 186 active drug products and 214 total products.Source →
USFDAlisted in openFDA substanceopenFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.
- openFDA substance registry classifies this ingredient as chemical.Source →

Expert safety opinions

Independent scientific assessments cited by the records we hold, with the year and link where the record gives one.

SCCS
EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety
No SCCS opinion on file.
CIR
Cosmetic Ingredient Review (US expert panel)
No CIR safety assessment on file.
JECFA
Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives
- JECFA evaluation record. Functional class: metals.
  Year not recorded · GLOBAL JECFA listing · Read the source →

Evidence & sources

No graded research studies for Copper yet. This record is compiled from the published data sources below — registries and regulatory listings, not study findings.

9 data sources

Where this comes from

CosIng
regulatory · updated 2026-09-23
Open →
EU CosIng Cosmetics Regulation Annexes
regulatory · updated 2024-06-04
Open →
EPA Chemical and Products Database
exposure · updated october 21, 2016
Open →
EPA DSSTox Identifiers
chemistry · updated 2025-12-29
Open →
FDA National Drug Code Directory
regulatory · updated 2030-04-24
Open →
FDA GSRS UNII
registry · updated 2026-02-26
Open →
WHO JECFA Database
regulatory · updated 2026-10-04
Open →
openFDA Substance
registry · updated 2026-05-24
Open →
PubChem Live Enrichment
chemistry · updated 2026-05-17
Open →

Suitability

Context-specific fit derived from published classifications and the current ingredient evidence profile.

Food use

Food-use source coverage is present in the current record.

Good fit

The ingredient appears in food-oriented source coverage or allowed-use references, which makes food use easier to support than a context with no domain signal at all.

Fragrance avoidance

No fragrance-linked caution surfaced in the current profile.

Good fit

This ingredient does not currently read as a fragrance-linked driver in the published evidence and hazard profile.

Where it has been recorded

How often EPA CPDat has listed Copper in a product composition. These are source records, not Greenveil catalog products.

Source records

5,961

Named organisations

Construction and building materialsFood contact itemsFurniture and furnishingsCleaning products and household careRaw materialsCons. electronics, mech. appliances, and machinery

Typical roles

AntimicrobialHumectantAstringentColorantHair conditioningSkin protecting

See products using Copper →

Catalog

Found in these products

Their ingredient lists include Copper; each product's own rating depends on its whole formula, so it is shown on the product page, not here.

See all 519 →Find products without it →