HC Blue No. 2 ●
TL;DR. This ingredient is a synthetic direct colorant used in semi-permanent and temporary hair color products. It deposits it tone onto the hair fiber and is often blended with other dyes to tune brunette, black, ash, or fashion shades.
What does HC Blue No. 2 do in a cosmetic formula?
This ingredient is a synthetic direct colorant used in semi-permanent and temporary hair color products. It deposits it tone onto the hair fiber and is often blended with other dyes to tune brunette, black, ash, or fashion shades.
Is HC Blue No. 2 clean?
It sits in a more restricted clean-beauty category because it is a synthetic hair dye with sensitization scrutiny and jurisdiction-specific concentration limits. It is not a general skin-care ingredient and is mainly relevant to hair color formulas.
Is HC Blue No. 2 sustainable?
This material is typically made through synthetic aromatic dye chemistry, generally from petrochemical feedstocks. Its sustainability profile is limited by low renewable sourcing and wastewater colorant concerns, with biodegradability not considered a strength.
Is HC Blue No. 2 COSMOS-approved?
It is not permitted under COSMOS-natural or COSMOS-organic standards for certified cosmetic products. Its fit with Green Chemistry is weak because it relies on synthetic dye chemistry, non-renewable feedstocks, and limited biodegradability data.
How does HC Blue No. 2 work chemically?
The molecule is a small aromatic nitro-amino dye with hydroxyethyl functionality, which supports direct deposition on hair without an oxidative coupler system. It is used at regulated low single-digit levels in hair color products, and formulators manage shade performance through pH, solvent system, surfactants, and dye compatibility.
Last updated 2026-05-13