BENZYL VIOLET 4B

📋 Quick facts

Description: BENZYL VIOLET 4B — BENZYL VIOLET 4B. Formula: C39H40N3NaO6S2. MW: 733.9. IUPAC: sodium 3-[[4-[(4-dimethylazaniumylidenecyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-ylidene)-[4-[ethyl-[(3-sulfonatophenyl)methyl]amino]phenyl]methyl]-N-ethylanilino]methyl]benzenesulfonate.

Quick Facts:

• Category: other
• Also Known As: Benzyl violet 4B

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Benzyl Violet 4B is a synthetic color that the body does not readily absorb when taken by mouth
• When absorbed, it is primarily eliminated through bile (a digestive fluid)
• Animal studies show it distributes to liver, kidney, muscle, and blood but at low levels
• The ingredient was studied in rats over 8–18 week periods

⚗️ Chemical Overview

Benzyl Violet 4B can cause cancer according to an independent committee of scientific and health experts. Benzyl violet 4b is a fine black powder. (NTP, 1992)

Source(s): California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), CAMEO Chemicals, via PubChem

📊 Comedogenicity

🛡️ Safety rating

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🌍 Regulatory Status

💧 Skin Type Compatibility

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

Benzyl Violet 4B is a synthetic dye that has been studied for how the body handles it. Here’s what researchers found: #1: When given by mouth, the ingredient is poorly absorbed—only 0.89% was recovered in bile after 24 hours, meaning most of it passes through the digestive system without entering the bloodstream (Toxicology, 1977). #2: When introduced directly into the bloodstream (intravenously, used only in research), it was rapidly cleared: 88.4% was excreted through bile within 4 hours, and 95.9% by 24 hours (Toxicology, 1977). #3: In rats fed diets containing 5% Benzyl Violet 4B for 8 weeks, the ingredient accumulated at low levels in liver, kidney, abdominal muscle, and blood serum (measured at 1–3 micrograms per gram of tissue), with slightly lower accumulation after 18 weeks of exposure (Toxicology, 1977).

The available research is limited to animal studies and does not include safety data, efficacy claims, or information about topical (skin) application—the main route relevant to skincare products.

📄 Related Research

Matched by search — not necessarily verified support for every statement above.

• Unknown authors (1978). Benzyl violet 4B. IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risk Chem Man.
• Minegishi KI et al. (1977). Metabolism of triphenylmethane colours II. Absorption, excretion and distribution of Benzyl Violet 4B (FD and C Violet No. 1) in rats. Toxicology.
• Ikeda Y et al. (1974). Induction of mammary gland and skin tumours in female rats by the feeding of benzyl violet 4B. Toxicology.

🧴 Products Containing BENZYL VIOLET 4B