Pigments to Avoid in Your Makeup

For a change, let’s not talk about the dangers of artificial preservatives. Chance are if you are reading this you’ve already came to the conclusion that you want to avoid them. That’s why you are looking for organic makeup, right?

But there is a whole other aspect to makeup that is just as toxic. The artificial colors used.

So what colors should you definitely avoid in your cosmetics?

Start with coal tar colors. These chemicals are derived from coal byproducts. They are usually labeled as “D&C” and “FD&C” colors. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies FD&C Green 3 and Blue 1 as potentially carcinogenic, while Red 33, Yellow 6 and Yellow 5 may cause cell mutations. The Environmental protection agency lists coal tar in general as a human respiratory toxin. Even the FDA warned consumers back in the early nineties that coal tar may be carcinogenic. It is currently not banned in the US. But it is banned in EU and Canada.

These colors are more likely to be present in mascaras and hair dyes.

Organic and mineral makeup products tend to rely on safer mineral and plant-based alternatives, which is why they are a safer choice. Even though those ingredients come in tiny quantities, with repeat exposure and use of multiple products they add up. So if you tend to wear makeup a lot, check your ingredients. And if needed, buy a safer alternative.