Colorant

Bismuth

Hair colorant (progressive hair dye — reacts with hair sulfur/keratin to darken over time)
Limited Data
Insufficient safety data available. Consider enriching this ingredient.
Details

Description

Hair colorant (progressive hair dye — reacts with hair sulfur/keratin to darken over time)

Purpose

Function

Hair colorant (progressive hair dye — reacts with hair sulfur/keratin to darken over time)
Profile

Properties

Silicone
Silicone free
Compliance

Regulatory Status

EU
Permitted
Safety
MODERATE
US
Restricted
EU Max Concentration2.0%
Absorptionlow
Sensitizationlow
MoSadequate
NOAEL30 mg/kg
ConcernHigh
Verdict

Restricted to scalp hair only; prohibited for eyelashes, eyebrows, or body hair. Heavy metal (bismuth) with potential for systemic exposure and skin staining if misapplied. Must not be used in leave-on skin products. Raw materials must be monitored for heavy metal impurities including lead and arsenic.

US Note

FDA: Permanently listed color additive, exempt from certification (21 CFR 73.2110); restricted to cosmetics intended for coloring hair on the scalp only, NTE 0.5% (w/v); NTE 2.0% per updated regulations

Assessment

Ratings

Comedogenic0/5
LowHigh
Irritancy0/5
LowHigh
Reference

Identifiers

Category
Colorant
Updated
Apr 23, 2026

No registry identifiers available for this ingredient.