Lakes & Dyes
For those of you using lakes and dyes in the USA here is a little bit of clarification on usage in your products for sale that meets the guidelines of the FDA regulations. Â They can be very confusing to say the least. Â A supplier may receive dyes batch certified in bulk but the moment they break them open and repackage them into smaller units they loose the certification. Â Yes they are the same exact dyes, but no, they are no longer certified.
In addition, to remain compliant with the FDA guidelines you must use the dyes in the method it is intended. Â Here comes the even more confusing part. Â Typically the dyes sold that are FDA certified are either FD&C or D&C dyes. Â The uses permitted for bath and beauty products are general and external. Â Both of these uses are perfectly fine for bath and body products, however, the use external is misleading as the guidelines for the FDA state that no external color shall be used for any product that is near mucous membrane unless it specifically states that it is allowed. Â Bath bombs and other tub products fall into that category since they come in contact with private parts that are considered mucous membranes. Â I had an in depth conversation with someone at the FDA to get this clarification. Â Please find other information on each particular lake or dye on the individual product pages.