Safety Concerns for Color Pigments In Cosmetics
Innovations in cosmetic pigments and cosmetic lakes have enabled consumers to find better shades thanks to extensive research and modern technology used in the cosmetic industry. Brand investment in research and development labs has increased over the past few years. Cosmetic colors, including color pigments used for cosmetics, continue to be regulated for heavy metal content to prevent health hazards. This blog will discuss safety concerns for color pigments in cosmetics.
Pigments, also known as dyes or colorants are broadly classified as organic and inorganic pigments widely used as a coloring agent in cosmetics, foods, and pharmaceuticals. There is a great difference between organic pigments and inorganic pigments on the basis of their chemical properties and structure.
Iron oxides, chromium, ultramarine, etc., are a few examples of inorganic colorants used for producing cosmetics, whereas titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are examples of organic colorants used in cosmetic applications. If you are still wondering what are cosmetic color pigments and how safe they are, continue reading this blog further.
What are Cosmetic Color Pigments?
Cosmetic color pigments refer to finely ground particles that are used to provide color to cosmetics and skin care products. Cosmetic color pigments are insoluble, which means they don’t dissolve and remain suspended in a medium. Cosmetic color pigments and dyes both are best suitable for producing vibrant, bright, long-lasting colors.
There’s no doubt cosmetic color pigments are safe to use as a colorant for coloring various cosmetic products. The primary purpose of cosmetic color pigments is to make the product more appealing and attractive to consumers. The bright shades in these cosmetics further enhance the beauty of people who wear them.
Why Are Cosmetic Colors Used?
Cosmetic colors indicate a variety of things, including people’s love and emotions for a particular color. In cosmetics or other industrial applications, colors are often given for the consumer’s benefit, so they can choose from a variety of shades to match their clothing.
Furthermore, there is a strong emphasis on this idea when it comes to selling nail colors and lipsticks. The color of the product packaging can be complemented with the color of the packaging.
Types of Color Additives Used in Cosmetics
There are two types of color additives used in cosmetics: Organic and Inorganic.
What are Organic Colors?
Organic colors consist of carbon atoms while inorganic colors provide a mineral base. You can find two types of organic colors: Organic lakes and organic pigments. Synthetic dyes and lake colors, including aluminum lakes are known as organic colors. Lake colors vs pigments: there has been an ongoing debate on the basis of quality, color consistency, and stability.
Furthermore, organic dyes are oil-soluble or water-soluble and you find some oil-soluble dyes permitted for use in cosmetics. On the other hand, organic pigments include lakes and botanically derived colors.
What Are Inorganic Colors?
Inorganic color contains pigments, including titanium dioxide, ultramarines, etc. Iron oxides, zinc oxides, etc., are known as inorganic colors. They undergo additional treatments to improve the characteristics of the colors. Color treatments are used to enhance cosmetic products with sheen, UV protection, and water resistance, among other characteristics.
Safety Concerns for Color Pigments In Cosmetics
The manufacture of specific cosmetic products requires the use of specific colors with prescribed consistency. Regulations require rigorous testing of cosmetic colors in order to ensure that they do not cause harm to users. The use of cosmetic dyes on the eyes may not be approved according to their approval for lip products.
Is it possible to make cosmetics with any color? The short answer is no! The color additives available on the market can be used to develop a variety of color variants. A person with a particular skin type in one nation may not wear colors that suit a person with a very different skin type in another.
Therefore, cosmetic manufacturers are required to work with renowned cosmetic color manufacturers to develop cosmetic pigments and cosmetic lakes according to the regulations of the country in which they plan to sell or market their products.
It is the USFDA that provides guidelines for cosmetic color use. CI stands for Color Index and is the technique used to identify cosmetic colors within the European Union. Cosmetic labels clearly display color codes and color numbers so users can identify which colors are permitted.
You can find numerous renowned Indian companies producing high-quality cosmetics that comply with the USFDA, EU, and other countries with high demand for color cosmetics using cosmetic lakes, pigments, and dyes. Additionally, there are several well-equipped manufacturing facilities in Asian countries like India for catering to cosmetics companies.
Exploring the Myths about Heavy Metals in Cosmetics
Due to the health concerns associated with these heavy metal elements in cosmetics, their use has been limited due to their toxicity to the nervous system, reproduction issues, etc. If metals are used following safety guidelines, they do not pose a potential health risk to humans. Undeniably, heavy metals, such as arsenic, lead, mercury, zinc, iron, cadmium, aluminum, or chromium, can accumulate in cosmetics due to impurities or intentional actions.
Studies usually explain how excessive metals in cosmetics can cause side effects, thereby allowing consumers to use beauty or health products with safe metal concentrations. In both the US Food and Drug Administration, as well as in the European Union (EU), there are parameters of Maximum Allowable Concentrations (MACs) to assist manufacturers and consumers in understanding the maximum permissible metal concentrations in cosmetics.
Wrap Up
The bottom line is that implementing reliable monitoring, testing, and quality assurance procedures while producing cosmetic products using color pigments, lakes, or dyes is crucial. Hridhan Chem is the most trusted manufacturer of safety-compliant cosmetic colors, which follows rigorous workflows to ensure that heavy metals are controlled in cosmetic dyes and cosmetic pigments.
If you need more information on the different types of cosmetic pigments, lakes, or dyes we produce at our manufacturing facility, get in touch with us! Don’t be afraid to call our chem experts today!
