Lake Dyes in Makeup: Should You Avoid Them? & Safer Alternatives

If you’ve ever scanned the ingredient list on your favorite lipstick or blush, you might have noticed some terms like Red 6 Lake or Blue 1 Lake. These are lake dyes—synthetic pigments used widely in the beauty industry to achieve vibrant and long-lasting colors. But what are they exactly, and should you worry about them in your products? I get asked about this ALL the time. As with most topics, there’s some nuance here, so let’s dive in!

---

This post contains affiliate links.

---

Table of Contents:

• What Are Lake Dyes?
• What’s the Concern with Lake Dyes?
• How to Identify Lake Dyes on Labels
• Natural Alternatives & Other Ways to Pigment Makeup
• Clean Beauty Brands That Don’t Use Lake Dyes
• My Final Take on Lake Dyes

What Are Lake Dyes?

Lake dyes are pigments created by combining a dye (often a synthetic colorant) with a substrate, usually aluminum salts. This process transforms the dye into an insoluble form, making it ideal for use in oil-based or dry products like lipstick, eyeshadow, and blush.

These dyes are prized for their ability to produce bold, saturated hues that are difficult to achieve with natural ingredients alone. From deep reds to bold blues, lake dyes allow brands to offer a wide spectrum of shades. They’re also cost-effective and cheap for manufacturers to use.

Are Lake Dyes the Same as FD&C Dyes?

Lake dyes and FD&C dyes are related but not the same:

• FD&C Dyes are water-soluble synthetic colorants approved for use in food, drugs, and cosmetics, commonly found in liquid products.
• Lake Dyes are made by combining FD&C dyes with a substrate to make them water-insoluble, ideal for oil-based or dry products like lipsticks and powders.

In short, lake dyes are derived from FD&C dyes but are used in different ways!

What’s the Concern with Lake Dyes? ❌

It’s pretty mainstream to be aware of artificial dyes in food these days; you’ve likely heard that Red Dye No. 3 (known as erythrosine) has recently been banned from food and drugs, even though it’s been prohibited from cosmetics since 1990. But what about our beauty products? Here are the main issues:

🪨 Heavy Metal Contamination: Some people are wary of synthetic dyes due to potential contamination with heavy metals like lead, cadmium, arsenic, or mercury during the manufacturing process. While the FDA regulates color additives in the United States, and batches of lake dyes for cosmetics must undergo certification, the concern is that trace amounts still linger in the final product. We know these accumulate in the body and disrupt normal cellular functions, potentially leading to serious conditions like organ damage and neurological disorders.

A 2007 Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC) study found lead in 61% of lipstick samples tested.

The current limit for these contaminants is 10 ppm. This is where the whole “dose makes the poison” ideology comes into play—in my opinion, this doesn’t consider the overall exposure we have when it comes to ALL of the products we use daily or the long-term effects over our lifetime. Ideally, there wouldn’t be any lead in your favorite tube of lipstick!

🛢️ Derived from Petroleum: Lake dyes are petroleum-based; the first synthetic colorants were made from coal tar in 1856! The problem is that petroleum by-products are often tainted with carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

⚤ Endocrine Disruption: The data is still a bit mixed on this, but there are concerns about dyes messing with hormones; some lake dyes are on the TEDX list of Potential Endocrine Disruptors.

🤕 Allergic Reactions: Reactions ranging from mild skin irritation to more severe responses like itching, redness, or swelling have been reported.

🌎 Environmental Impact: It’s estimated that roughly a tenth of dye products are released into the environment and pollute lakes, rivers, ponds, etc., and therefore also affect the nearby wildlife.

🔬 Synthetic: Lastly, some consumers prefer to skip synthetic ingredients entirely, leaning towards a more natural and holistic approach to beauty. We’ll chat more about this in a bit!

However…

It is possible for brands to test their dyes to ensure there are no contaminants (I’ve heard that RMS Beauty does this but don’t quote me on that!). You might see a company disclose this; if not, you can always reach out to them and ask!

Related post: “11+ Resources to Help You Easily Switch to Non-Toxic Products”

How to Identify Lake Dyes on Labels 🔎

You can spot lake dyes by their names, which usually include a color and a number, followed by “Lake” (like Yellow 5 Lake or Red 40 Lake). These names follow the regulatory naming conventions for synthetic colorants.

Watch Out! ⚠️

If you’re trying to limit or avoid them, make sure you scan ingredient lists carefully because they’re commonly used, even in “non-toxic” makeup!

(For instance, bigger brands like Ilia, Kosas, and Saie use ‘em)

Here’s where it gets tricky—lake dyes can also appear on ingredient labels as CI (Color Index) numbers, standardized identifiers used internationally to classify pigments and dyes. Instead of seeing “Red 7 Lake” or “Yellow 5 Lake,” you might see labels like CI 15850 or CI 19140, which correspond to specific dyes. So it can be easy to miss them amongst other colorants, even mineral-based ones!

For example:

Blue 1 Lake = CI 42090
Orange 5 Lake = CI 45370
Red 7 Lake = CI 15850
Yellow 5 Lake = CI 19140

These CI numbers are especially common on products sold in multiple countries because they simplify global regulatory compliance. If you want to avoid certain lake dyes, it’s helpful to familiarize yourself with both their names and CI numbers.

You’ll typically see them listed towards the end of an ingredient label (similar to a food label, ingredients are listed from highest to lowest concentration). They’ll usually be within a “May contain (+/-)” section; brands do this to streamline packaging and use a single ingredient list for multiple shades (as opposed to printing different boxes for each unique shade).

To make it easier:

• Look for the word Lake combined with a number (such as Red 40 Lake)
• Check for CI numbers in the ingredient list if the product uses international naming conventions
• See below for a quick reference cheat sheet!

These identifiers might be listed separately or in parentheses following the color name, like Red 40 Lake (CI 16035).

Carbon Black ⚠️

Although Carbon Black is not classified as a lake dye, it’s still a major colorant to avoid, so I wanted to point it out! Mascara and eyeliner often contain it to provide a dark black tint. Unfortunately, it’s a coal tar by-product that may have PAHs, carcinogens, arsenic, and other heavy metal remnants. You may also see it on a label as Black 2 or CI 77266.

Natural Alternatives & Other Ways to Pigment Makeup

Coloring cosmetics naturally can be tough (and more expensive), especially when trying to achieve vibrant, long-lasting pigments. There are other options, but they can lack the intensity or durability of artificial dyes, especially in high-performance makeup like bold lipsticks or long-wearing blushes.

Mineral-Based Pigments 💎

These are the most common options that offer safe and stable pigmentation! You’ll usually see a combination of these used. There is a lot of confusion surrounding these ingredients and their safety, but they are generally safe topically; they just shouldn’t really be inhaled or ingested in large amounts! You’ll also want to look for “non-nano” forms to avoid tiny nanoparticles.

• Iron Oxides (CI 77489, 77491, 77492, 77499): Made from iron, these tend to have earthy tones like red, yellow, brown, and orange.
• Mica (CI 77019): A group of silicate minerals that are finely ground and have a shimmery, pearlescent effect. However, look for ethically sourced mica (or brands that are members of the Responsible Mica Initiative) since the industry is notorious for child labor. Sadly, about 25% of mica comes from illegal, unethical mining operations in India. You’ll sometimes see a lab-made form of mica used instead, called fluorphlogopite.
• Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891) & Zinc Oxide (CI 77947): You probably recognize these as mineral sunscreen ingredients, but they’re also used to lighten cosmetics and provide opacity.
• Tin Oxide (CI 77861): Gives brightness and opacity.
• Manganese Violet (CI 77742): A muted violet shade.
• Ultramarines (CI 77007): A deep blue originally made by grinding lapis lazuli stone into a powder but is now synthesized from kaolin clay, sodium carbonate, and sulfur.

Plant-Based Colors 🌺

Food, fruit, and flower extracts can provide a range of colors and soft, subtle hues! This includes beetroot powder, turmeric, spirulina, açai, annatto, hibiscus, blackberry, or pomegranate. Thanks, Mother Nature!

Carmine 🪲

A rich red sourced from cochineal insects that are dried and crushed. If you’re vegan and try to avoid animal products, you’ll wanna watch out for this; it’s estimated that it takes about 70,000 insects to make a pound of carmine! Otherwise, it’s considered safe but has been associated with some allergic reactions when ingested. Also listed as Carminic Acid, Cochineal Extract, CI 75470, and Natural Red 4.

Related post: “Decoding Cosmetic Labels: Clean Beauty vs. Green, Natural, Vegan, & More”

9+ Clean Beauty Brands That Don’t Use Lake Dyes

To make it easier for ya…here are some amazing low tox companies that don’t use any lake dyes in their formulas.

My Final Take on Lake Dyes: I Don’t Avoid Them Completely 🫢

As you can see, this topic isn’t so black and white (see what I did there). While I typically lean towards pure ingredients, I understand that achieving certain pigments naturally can be hard. You might be surprised, but I’m personally okay with lake dyes here and there, particularly in products like blush and lipstick, where color payoff and performance are key.

Additionally, if the rest of the ingredients in a product are clean, a lake dye or two doesn’t bother me. Overall, I just try to be mindful of how many dyes I use across the board to reduce my total exposure. #Balance

That said, I’d love to see more brands be transparent about using lake dyes (instead of sneakily hiding them behind a CI number) and go the extra mile to third-party test them for contaminants.

In conclusion, my goal here is to give you the info so you can make an informed decision that aligns with YOUR values ✌️

---

I hope that was helpful! What’s your stance on lake dyes—are they a no-go, or do you use them sparingly like me? Share your thoughts below in the comments! Thanks so much for reading 💚

 

Sources:

• An Exposure and Health Risk Assessment of Lead (Pb) in Lipstick
• Campaign for Safe Cosmetics Carbon Black
• Chemical Profile: Artificial Colors
• Color Additives and Cosmetics Fact Sheet
• Color Additives Permitted for Use in Cosmetics
• Cosmetic Colorants: What You Need to Know
• Harmful Dyes in Lakes, Rivers Can Become Colorless with New, Sponge-Like Material
• Introduction to the Color Index Classification System and Terminology
• Safe Synthetics in Cosmetic Colorants
• The Truth About Mica
• Why We Need Responsible Mica in Cosmetics