On March 27, 2025, the SCCS (Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety) accepted mandates from the European Commission to assess the safety of two hair dye ingredients, Basic blue 99 (C059) and Basic Brown 16 (C009).
Basic Blue 99 (C059)
Background
The ingredient with the INCI name hair dye “Basic Blue 99” and chemical name “3-[(4-amino-6-bromo-5,8-dihydro-1-hydroxy-8-imino-5-oxo-2-naphtyl)amino]-N,N,N-trimethylanilinium chloride” (CAS No.68123-13-7, EC No.268-544-3) may be used as an ingredient in non-oxidative hair dye formulations.
In September 2011, the Scientific Committee for Consumer Safety (SCCS) concluded that: “Basic Blue 99 is a mixture of 23-32 substances of varying concentrations as demonstrated by the HPLC analysis of two batches RS2798801 and 74/75.” The SCCS noted that due to the highly variable composition of Basic Blue 99 in these batches, its safety could not be evaluated (SCCS/1437/11).
In July 2014, the applicant provided new analytical data (Submission III) on the batches used in the previous submissions and on other more recent batches. The SCCS conclude, in September 2014, that “Basic Blue 99 is a mixture of up to 40 substances of varying concentrations as demonstrated by the HPLC analysis of six” and reiterated their position that due to the highly variable composition of Basic Blue 99 in six batches, its safety could not be evaluated (SCCS/1537/14).
With the current submission received in February 2025, the applicant requests to assess the safety of Basic Blue 99 in view of the …
