PFAS, lead and benzene: what testing has found in everyday cosmetics

Most people assume that anything sold on a beauty shelf has been checked from top to bottom. For most of U.S. history that wasn't really true: until recently, cosmetics law had barely changed since 1938. Here's what testing has found, in plain language and without the scare tactics.

“Forever chemicals” in makeup

PFAS are a family of man-made chemicals used to make things water-resistant and long-wearing. They break down extremely slowly, which is why they're nicknamed “forever chemicals,” and some have been linked to health concerns.

In 2021, researchers led by Graham Peaslee at the University of Notre Dame tested more than 230 cosmetics bought in the U.S. and Canada. They found high fluorine levels, a marker for PFAS, in many of them: 48% of lip products, rising to 62% of long-lasting lipsticks, and 82% of waterproof mascaras. Only one product listed PFAS on its label. (The study measured total fluorine and confirmed specific PFAS in a subset of products.)

Lip products matter here because some of what you put on your lips is inevitably swallowed over a day.

Trace lead in lipstick

Lead can turn up as an impurity in color pigments and minerals. The FDA tested 400 lipsticks in 2010 and found an average of about 1.1 parts per million, with the highest at 7.19 ppm. In 2016 the agency recommended a maximum of 10 ppm in lip products and said levels under that wouldn't pose a health risk. So this is about impurities and quality control, not lipstick being dangerous. But it shows that what's in a product depends on where its raw materials come from.

Benzene in aerosols

In 2021 and 2022, several major brands recalled aerosol dry shampoos and other spray products after testing found benzene, a known carcinogen. It wasn't an ingredient. It came in as a contaminant, most likely through the propellant. Again, the lesson is about supply chains and testing.

What this means for you

• None of this means every product is unsafe. Most of what's on the shelf is fine for most people.
• It does mean where and how a product is made matters, and that cheap, mass-produced raw materials and long supply chains make contamination harder to catch.
• Labels don't always tell the whole story, so brands that can answer questions about sourcing and testing deserve extra trust.

Questions worth asking any brand

1. Who developed this formula, and where is it made?
2. Do you test raw materials or finished batches for contaminants?
3. Can you trace this tube back to a production batch?

Sources

• University of Notre Dame study on PFAS in cosmetics (via Phys.org, 2021)
• FDA: Limiting Lead in Lipstick and Other Cosmetics

This post is general information, not medical advice.