Colorants
What is it?
Colorants are ingredients that, alone or in combination with other ingredients, impart or alter the color of the product. The visual perception of color occurs primarily by the absorption and/or reflection of visible light by the product and corresponds to humans seeing red, yellow, blue, green, black, etc. Such color derives from the wavelength spectrum of light interacting with the light receptor cells in the eye and sending a message to the brain.
Safety Information
All colorants used in cosmetics and personal care products in the United States (with the exception of certain hair dyes) must be pre-approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA conducts detailed safety reviews for colors used in cosmetics and the approval process may involve numerous studies to establish safety. FDA lists the approved colors in the Code of Federal Regulations (Title 21). These regulations describe the identity of the color, the allowed composition, the uses and restrictions and any other requirement necessary to ensure safe use. (Note that such colorants in the U.S. are officially called “color additives.”)
Find out more about FDA regulation of Color Additives: http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/coloradditives121007.pdf
Find out more about FDA regulation of Color Additives: http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/coloradditives121007.pdf
Why is it used in cosmetics and personal care products?
Colorants are used to make products attractive and appealing, and for foods, appetizing. Colorants may be used to create a product image or recognition, the "mood" of the product or other impression. We live in a colorful world and the use of colors helps to complement this environment. Prior to the development of the wide color palate by scientists now available, products tended to appear drab and colors were very unstable and faded quickly. Mixing colors to achieve the exact effect desired requires great skill and knowledge of the properties of the ingredients and products - it is really an art form.
Scientific facts:
Color additives have long been a part of human culture. Archaeologists date cosmetic colors as far back as 5000 B.C. Ancient Egyptian writings tell of drug colorants, and historians say food colors likely emerged around 1500 B.C. Before the development of modern technology, colors primarily came from substances found in nature, such as indigo, turmeric, paprika and saffron. But as the 20th century approached, new kinds of colors appeared that offered marketers wider coloring possibilities. These colors, made in the laboratory, were found to be much more stable with greater coloring intensity, meaning that less color could be used in the product to accomplish the same effect. They also could be produced without using plants harvested in the wild.
Though colors from plant, animal and mineral sources -- at one time the only coloring agents available -- remained in use early last century, manufacturers had strong incentives to phase them out. Synthesized colors simply were easier to produce, less expensive and required less of the ingredient in the product.
Though colors from plant, animal and mineral sources -- at one time the only coloring agents available -- remained in use early last century, manufacturers had strong incentives to phase them out. Synthesized colors simply were easier to produce, less expensive and required less of the ingredient in the product.
