JOY FEELINGS MAGAZINE December 2016 New Year issue | Page 58

58

coal tar colours cause cancer -- D&C Blue 1, D&C Green
3, D&C Red 4, and D&C Yellow 5. Coal tar itself is a
recognized human carcinogen and is banned from use in
cosmetics. However, each coal tar dye has different
properties and different potential health concerns. On US
products, coal tar dyes are listed as FD&C or D&C,
followed by a colour and a number (F indicates that the
colour is also approved for food use). In Canada, they
may be identified as C.I. (Colour Index) followed by a 5
digit number or as p-phenylenediamine. (Natural and
inorganic pigments are numbered in the 75000 and 77000
series respectively.) In Canada, coal tar colours are
permitted in hair dyes only if the labels carry warnings
about skin irritation and possible blindness if the product
is used for dying eyelashes or eyebrows. Health Canada
does not allow many of these colours to be in products
sold for use in the area of the eye, but there are no
restrictions on their use in other products.
1,4-Dioxane - Because it is classified by the US
Environmental Protection Agency as a probable
carcinogen, 1,4-dioxane is a particular concern in
children's and baby products. It is a contaminant in
shampoos, body wash, children's bath products and other
sudsing cosmetics. Because 1,4-dioxane is a contaminant
and not an ingredient, it doesn't appear on ingredient
labels. Product tests done in 2009 for the Campaign for
Safe Cosmetics found 1,4-dioxane in in baby shampoos
58 | P a g e : J O Y F E E L I N G S !