Compoatlas

ACID BLUE 9 (brilliant blue FCF)

Official label name (INCI name, EU glossary of cosmetic ingredient names), No 849

ACID BLUE 9 (brilliant blue FCF): Allowed with restrictions, maximum 0.5% in the ready-for-use preparation, only in: Hair dye substance in non-oxidative hair dye products (Annex III, entry 190); colorant allowed under conditions (Annex IV, entry 63), under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009.

In plain words

What it is used for

Functions declared by manufacturers:

Hair dyeing: colours hair.

What the rules say

Allowed, with restrictions: Annex III sets a maximum concentration and the product types allowed. Ingredient lists do not give quantities, so the concentration cannot be checked on the label.

An ingredient can be used as a colorant only if it appears on the list of Annex IV. <function plain_language.<locals>.name at 0x7f7805acf920> is on it with a warning to print.

The text of the annexes

Allowed with restrictions

Entry
Annex III, No 190
Substance
Benzenemethanaminium, N-ethyl-N-[4-[[4-[ethyl-[(3-sulfophenyl)-methyl]-amino]-phenyl](2-sulfophenyl)methylene]-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-ylidene]-3-sulfo, inner salts, disodium salt and its ammonium and aluminium salts (15); Acid Blue Acid Blue 9 Ammonium salt; CI 42090. (see note 17)
Glossary names
ACID BLUE 9
CAS
3844-45-9 - 2650-18-2 - 68921-42-6
EC
223-339-8 - 220-168-0 - 272-939-6
Product type
Hair dye substance in non-oxidative hair dye products
Maximum concentration
0.5%
Dates in the act (3)
  • Entry into force on 15 May 2013
  • Application from 11 July 2013
    It shall apply from 11 July 2013.
  • Entry into force on 11 July 2013

Excerpts from the English text published in the Official Journal. A date may concern only some substances of the act: the excerpt says so.

Colorant allowed under conditions

Entry
Annex IV, No 63
Substance
Benzenemethanaminium, N-ethyl-N-(4-((4-(ethyl((3-sulfophenyl)methyl)amino)phenyl)(2-sulfophenyl)methylene)-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-ylidene)-3-sulfo-, hydroxide, inner salt, disodium salt
Glossary names
CI 42090/ ACID BLUE 9; ACID BLUE 9 AMMONIUM SALT; ACID BLUE 9 ALUMINUM LAKE
CAS
2650-18-2; 37307-56-5; 3844-45-9
EC
223-339-8
Warnings
Purity criteria as sset out in Commission Directive 95/45/EC (E 133)
Dates in the act (10)
  • Entry into force on 11 January 2010
  • Application from 1 December 2010
    It shall apply from 11 July 2013, with the exception of: — Article 15(1) and (2) which shall apply from 1 December 2010, as well as Articles 14, 31 and 32 to the extent that they are necessary to apply Article 15(1) and (2); and — Article 16(3) second subparagraph, which shall apply from 11 January 2013.
  • Entry into force on 1 December 2010
  • Condition applicable from 11 January 2012
    As from 11 January 2012, by way of derogation from Directive 76/768/EEC, notification carried out in accordance with Article 13 of this Regulation shall be considered to comply with Article 7(3) and Article 7a(4) of that Directive
  • Application from 11 January 2013
    July 2013, with the exception of: — Article 15(1) and (2) which shall apply from 1 December 2010, as well as Articles 14, 31 and 32 to the extent that they are necessary to apply Article 15(1) and (2); and — Article 16(3) second subparagraph, which shall apply from 11 January 2013.
  • Entry into force on 11 January 2013
  • Application from 11 July 2013
    It shall apply from 11 July 2013, with the exception of: — Article 15(1) and (2) which shall apply from 1 December 2010, as well as Articles 14, 31 and 32 to the extent that they are necessary to apply Article 15(1) and (2); and — Article 16(3) second subparagraph, which shall appl
  • Entry into force on 11 July 2013
  • Placing on the market before 11 July 2013
    Article 39 Transitional provisions By way of derogation from Directive 76/768/EEC, cosmetic products which comply with this Regulation may be placed on the market before 11 July 2013.
  • Placing on the market from 11 July 2013
    As from 11 July 2013, a distributor who makes available in a Member State a cosmetic product already placed on the market in another Member State and translates, on his own initiative, any element of the labelling of that product in order to comply with national law, shall submit, by electronic means, the following info

Excerpts from the English text published in the Official Journal. A date may concern only some substances of the act: the excerpt says so.

Identity

CosIng identifier
31613
CAS (according to CosIng)
3844-45-9
EC (according to CosIng)
223-339-8
Declared functions
Hair dyeing
Wikidata
Q420093
ECHA InfoCard
100.021.219

The CAS number cited by CosIng also covers 1 other INCI name: it designates a family of substances, not this ingredient alone.

EU product alerts (Safety Gate)

1 alert on cosmetic products cite this name in their hazard description. An alert targets a specific product, not the ingredient itself; each alert states the reason (prohibited substance, limit exceeded, missing labelling, and so on).

  • 22 March 2024: Whitening serum, IVISMILE, Bulgaria (“Serious risk”) alert

Elsewhere in the world

Information on other jurisdictions. What is covered, and what is not yet.

United Kingdom (Great Britain)

  • Allowed with restrictions (Annex III)
  • Colorant allowed under conditions (Annex IV)

Same entries as in the European Union. Conditions (concentrations, warnings) may differ: they are not compared here.

Switzerland

Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 applies in Switzerland (Article 54 of the Ordinance on Foodstuffs and Utility Articles).

United States, federal rules

None of the integrated sections of the federal code (21 CFR 700.11 to 700.27 and 250.250) targets this name. The FDA does not publish a list of allowed ingredients.

Recorded cosmetics that contain it

3 recorded products list it, according to Open Beauty Facts contributors. Records are dated: the formula may have changed. See the list (page in French).

Glossary: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/1175. Page updated on 21 October 2026.