Color is powerful driver of consumer behavior and changes can backfire, Giusti noted. In 2016, food giant General Mills removed artificial dyes from Trix cereal after requests from consumers, switching to natural sources including turmeric, strawberries and radishes.

Businesses are looking for natural alternatives, which experts say is a complex process. The "Gossip Girl" alum stepped out looking her best at the Jazz at Lincoln Center while donning a blue gown with cutouts along the bodice that accentuated her figure.

That’s about to change. By order of Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Martin Makary and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., dyes will likely be removed from food by the end of next year. We’re talking about petroleum-based dyes that are blue, green, yellow and red.