Caramel
Caramel is a gentle, natural colouring agent used in UK beauty products to give creams, serums, masks and lip products a warm golden, brown or amber tint. It is created by carefully heating sugar and is valued for being a safer, more natural alternative to synthetic dyes. You will often find it listed as Caramel or CI 150 in ingredient lists.
How it works in skincare
In cosmetics and skincare, caramel functions primarily as a colourant, imparting warm earthy tones that enhance the visual appeal of formulations without the need for artificial dyes. Produced through the controlled heating of sugars, it can also act as a mild humectant, helping to attract and retain moisture within the product and on the skin’s surface. Its stability across a range of pH levels makes it a versatile choice for British brands creating clean, transparent gels, balms and emulsions.
Key benefits
- Provides natural warm-toned colouring
- Helps improve product visual appeal
- Acts as a mild humectant to support hydration
- Suitable for clean and natural formulations
- Stable across various pH levels
- Gentle on sensitive skin
Best for
all skin types, sensitive skin, dry skin
Where it comes from
Caramel is derived from common sugar sources such as sugar beet or sugar cane, which are widely cultivated in the UK and Europe. It is created through a natural caramelisation process involving only heat, with no additional solvents or synthetic chemicals required.