The Stripe At the End of Your Toothpaste Tube

The Stripe At the End of Your Toothpaste Tube

Behind the Stripes

You may have come across the internet sensation that the coloured stripes located on the bottom of toothpaste tubes are representative of “natural”, “chemical”, “mix” and “medicinal” variations of toothpaste.

The theory goes like this:
  • Green is totally natural
  • Blue is a mix of natural ingredients with medicines
  • Red has both natural and chemicals ingredients
  • Black is full of chemical ingredients only

    Toothpaste color code hoax

     The Reality
    The colour markings referred to as “eye marks” are used in the manufacturing process of toothpaste tubes. Light sensors detect the markings, so the calibrated machinery knows where to cut and seal the tube.

     

    color on toothpaste tube meaning

    How Can You Tell What’s in Your Toothpaste?

    Thankfully, the EU Cosmetics Regulation requires all ingredients of toothpaste to be printed on packaging, either on the tube itself or on the box it came with. The ingredients are listed in order of decreasing weight.

    The same ingredient names are used across the European Union and most countries worldwide. This is mainly to enable individuals who have allergies to certain ingredients to easily identify and avoid such ingredients. 

    You should always check and read the labels to ensure you are using a toothpaste that is safe and effective and meets your individual needs.

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