WHAT ARE ARTIFICIAL COLORS AND WHAT ARE THEY USED FOR?

Artificial colors or dyes are chemical additives, combined to create a single color to change the shade of soaps, shampoos, shower gels, face creams and many other beauty and personal care products. Dozens of chemicals can be found in a single dye, exposing your body to a cocktail of dangerous toxins. A color like purple, for example, can have up to 50 (!) synthetic chemicals mixed together! Many of the chemicals contained in artificial colors are made from petroleum, coal tar or heavy metal salts like lead or arsenic, all of which come with a number of harmful health effects. Here are just a few examples of how artificial colors can impact your health and skin:

 

• ACNE. When absorbed through your skin, artificial dyes can block your pores, leading to acne and breakouts.

 

• SENSITIVITY & IRRITATION. If your skin is sensitive, you should try to avoid colors and dyes as much as possible, as they tend to irritate the skin.

 

• ALLERGIC REACTIONS. For many people, the chemicals contained in their beauty and personal care products can trigger allergic reactions. Often referred to as “contact dermatitis”, these reactions occur when your immune system overreacts to chemicals like fragrances, preservatives or dyes. Even if you've used a certain product before, you can still have a reaction.The first warning signs will typically show up on your skin in form of burning, itching, blisters, swelling and hives.

 

• HEALTH ISSUES. Using dyes on your skin allows chemicals to be absorbed into your body, where they can cause even greater damage than just rashes and irritation. So far, synthetic dyes have been associated with hyperactivity, and kidney, adrenal gland and thyroid tumors.

 

HOW CAN YOU AVOID ARTIFICIAL COLORS AND DYES?

While the mentioned health issues have led to many artificial dyes being banned from use in food products, there are still very few restrictions on the types of dyes that can be used in beauty and personal care products. Therefore, you’ll have to do some detective work on your own, if you want to avoid products that contain them. Luckily, manufacturers are required by law to list any dyes they use on their product packaging, although they are not obligated to list all the individual chemicals used to create the dye. Typically, synthetic colors and dyes will go by FD&C or D&C combined with a number. Also look out for words like “colorant”, specifically:

• • FD&C Blue No. 1 (Brilliant Blue FCF) (E133)
• • FD&C Blue No. 2 (Indigo tine) (E131)
• • FD&C Green No. 3 (Fast Green FCF)
• • FD&C Red No. 3 (Erythrosine) (E127)
• • FD&C Yellow No. 5 (Tartrazine) (E102)
• • FD&C Yellow No. 6 (Sunset Yellow) (E110)
• • FD&C Copper complexes of chlorophyll (Green) (E141)
• • FD&C Green S (Green) (E142)

 

Sometimes you might also just see the color and number, for example “Yellow 6”. Natural products are less likely to contain artificial colors, so be especially careful when buying mainstream beauty products.

 

DITCH THE DYES 

Synthetic dyes and colors may make your products look nicer, but they definitely don’t make them better for your health. ViTA is convinced that unnecessary colors aren’t worth the risk, which is why all of ViTA’s formulas are 100% free of artificial dyes and other harmful toxins such as sulfates, parabens, and phthalates – because there are much safer, natural alternatives that are better for your hair and your health.