Undertone Begins in the Artery: Rethinking Cosmetic-Tinted Fluids

Amanda Marie Eilis King, CFSP, MBIT, MSP

We tend to talk about arterial fluids in terms of index and accessory chemicals. We discuss distribution, diffusion, drainage, and dehydration. We debate silicone versus lanolin. But one of the most overlooked and most misunderstood components of embalming fluid chemistry is intrinsic coloring.

And yet, intrinsic coloring has everything to do with how a decedent ultimately looks in the casket and how much cosmetic work is required afterward. And if your goal is to minimize heavy topical cosmetics and create a presentation that feels natural under our unique funeral home lighting, fluid chemistry is where that work truly starts.

Today I want to talk about the history of coloring in embalming, the difference between inactive and active dyes, and why your fluid choice directly affects skin tone. Because if we understand what’s happening chemically during arterial injection, we can often reduce the need for heavy topical cosmetics and achieve more naturally desired results.

Coloring bodies for viewing did not begin with modern funeral service. Long before contemporary embalming chemistry, anatomists were using dyed waxes to enhance the realism of preserved specimens.

Ruysch specimen: a leg of a child, with a natural color. (source: Kuntskamera Museum)

 In the 17th and 18th centuries, anatomists such as Frederik Ruysch became known for elaborate preservation techniques. Ruysch in particular injected colored waxes into vascular systems of cadavers to create lifelike anatomical displays. Though these were not funeral preparations in the modern sense, they revealed something critical: color mattered. Without color, preserved tissue looked flat, gray, and lifeless. With color, it regained dimension. It transformed from a mere scientific specimen into something that once again reflected the fragile, precious nature of our shared humanity.

By the 19th century, as arterial embalming evolved after the American Civil War, embalmers recognized the same truth. Early arterial solutions were primarily about disinfection and firmness out of necessity, but as viewing became central to American funerary practice, presentation became just as important as preservation. Intrinsic dyes thus became part of the formulation. 

Today, arterial fluids are often colored for two very different reasons. Some contain inactive dyes that serve primarily as shelf differentiation. A fluid might appear blue, pink, or amber in the bottle simply so you can easily distinguish it from another product on your prep room shelf. Pharos is a great example of this, easily spotted as hot pink amongst your cavity fluids. These dyes typically dilute out and have minimal lasting influence on tissue color. They are for the embalmer’s organization and visibility, not for the decedent’s appearance. Active dyes, however, are formulated with the intention of influencing tissue undertone. Their purpose is to establish a subtle warm or cool base tone during arterial distribution (though many embalmers also often use these dyes as “tracers” as a means to know where the fluid has reached within a decedent). A warm undertone carries subtle hues of gold or peach beneath the surface of the skin, while a cool undertone reflects hints of pink or blue. In arterial fluid terms, a warm undertone is created with peachy or tan-tinted fluids, while a cool undertone is supported by pink or red-tinted fluids. That undertone then becomes the foundation upon which cosmetics can later blend with beautifully.

  At Frigid, some arterial formulations are built with intrinsic tint not simply as a marketing feature, but as part of the chemistry itself. Natural Tone is a good example. It’s designed to distribute evenly (thanks to the added silicone) and maintain hydration, but just as importantly, it carries active dye that helps establish a balanced, natural warm undertone during injection. In cases where refrigeration has left tissue gray or slightly cyanotic, that intrinsic warmth can make a noticeable difference.

What I appreciate about fluids like this is that they allow the embalmer to correct skin tone chemically rather than cosmetically. Instead of trying to paint warmth back into dull tissue, you are building it into the vascular system from the beginning. When undertone is addressed during arterial distribution, surface cosmetics become lighter, more transparent, and more about refinement than correction, which ultimately produces a more natural and recognizable life-like result.

From a professional standpoint, educating embalmers about intrinsic coloring is about achieving predictable outcomes. If an embalmer consistently struggles with dull presentations, incorporating a cosmetic-tinted arterial fluid may dramatically improve results. And if surface texture is interfering with cosmetic adhesion, reevaluating fixation strength and humectant balance may also be the solution.

Arterial fluid chemistry sets the stage. Cosmetics complete the performance.

Historically, anatomists such as Frederik Ruysch and Alessandra Giliani recognized that preservation required visual realism to communicate effectively. Today, we no longer inject colored wax, but we do rely on advanced arterial chemistry to accomplish a similar goal with greater subtlety. Intrinsic coloring, when thoughtfully selected, can re-establish their natural undertone, neutralize postmortem discoloration, support natural light reflection, and minimize the need for unwanted heavy topical cosmetics.

The next time you step up to the embalming table, pause and think about the undertone you intend to establish before mixing your tank. Consider how their skin will appear under the viewing lighting, and whether it reflects the natural warmth or coolness they carried in life. Fluid selection is not simply a matter of preservation; it is part of making them recognizable again. When you intentionally match their lifelong undertone at the chemical level, everything that follows will feel more natural, and more importantly, familiar.

Because cosmetics do not necessarily begin with the makeup, they begin with the chemistry.