Following the provision by industry of new data on its purity, the hair dye ingredient HC Yellow No.16 (B123) is undergoing a new safety assessment by the SCCS. The Scientific Committee has just published the preliminary version of its Scientific Advice, open for comment until 27 September 2024.
Background
HC Yellow 16 (CAS No.1184721-10-5, EC No.-) may be used as an ingredient in oxidative and non-oxidative hair dye formulations.
In 2015, the SCCS concluded that “…the use of HC Yellow No.16 (B123) as an ingredient at 1% in oxidative hair dye formulations and at 1.5% in non-oxidative hair dye formulations is safe,” but it stated that “the purity of HC Yellow No.16 and impurities in it [were]] not adequately quantified.”
In February 2024, the industry provided new informations on the substance’s purity.
For an exhaustive background information, see the articles
• HC Yellow No.16, HC Red No.18: Opinions of the SCCS, CosmeticOBS, 20 January 2016
• Hair dyes: the SCCS revised three Opinions, CosmeticOBS, 13 April 2016
• Hair dyes: requests for Opinions to the SCCS for B123 and B124, CosmeticOBS, 9 April 2024
The SCCS Scientific Advice
1. In light of the data provided, does the SCCS consider HC Yellow 16 safe, when used as an ingredient at 1% in oxidative hair dye and at 1.5% in non-oxidative hair dye formulations?
In the light of the data provided, SCCS considers that the use of HC Yellow No.16 (B123) as an ingredient at 1% in …
