Lead.
Also known as: lead acetate, lead compounds, Pb, plumbum
A toxic heavy metal found as a contaminant in many cosmetic products, particularly lipsticks and hair dyes. There is no safe level of lead exposure. It accumulates in the body over time, primarily in bones, and causes irreversible neurological damage.
By the numbers.
1 = low concern, 10 = avoid.
Risk by usage.
How risk shifts depending on how often you use products with Lead.
Even occasional exposure contributes to lifetime bioaccumulation. No safe level exists.
Daily lipstick use results in measurable lead ingestion. Studies estimate average lipstick wearers ingest several milligrams of product daily.
Unacceptable risk. Cumulative lead exposure from frequent lipstick application compounds neurological damage over a lifetime.
What the research says.
Neurotoxin with no safe exposure level. Causes cognitive decline, behavioral changes, and developmental delays, particularly in children.
CDC — Lead is harmful at any detectable level
FDA testing found lead in 400 lipsticks, with concentrations up to 7.19 ppm.
FDA Survey of Lead in Lipstick, 2012
Bioaccumulates in the body over a lifetime, storing primarily in bones and releasing during pregnancy, exposing the fetus.
Environmental Health Perspectives, 2009 — lead mobilization during pregnancy
Linked to reproductive harm including reduced fertility, miscarriage, and developmental toxicity.
Global status.
How lead is regulated in cosmetics around the world.
100% of countries with data ban or restrict this ingredient
Details
No explicit ban but FDA guidance limits lead to 10 ppm as impurity in cosmetic lip products.
Details
Lead and compounds banned under Annex II; trace impurities must be below safe limits.
Details
Lead and compounds banned under retained Annex II.
Details
Prohibited on Hotlist; max 10 ppm as unavoidable impurity.
Details
Lead compounds prohibited under MHLW negative list.
Details
Lead banned; max 20 ppm as unavoidable impurity.
Details
Lead compounds prohibited.
Details
Banned as intentional ingredient; max 10 ppm as impurity.
Details
Banned as intentional ingredient by ANVISA.
Details
Banned under BIS standards; max 20 ppm as impurity.
Details
Banned under ASEAN Cosmetic Directive; max 20 ppm as impurity.
The reason brands include it.
Lead is not intentionally added to most cosmetics — it is a contaminant that enters through raw materials like colorants, minerals, and water sources used in manufacturing.
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products in our database
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brands use it
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product categories
Better alternatives exist. Brands choose lead because it’s cheap and effective, but safer options like iron oxides (tested for heavy metal purity), mica (tested for heavy metal purity), titanium dioxide deliver similar results without the health concerns.
Lead in product types.
Click a category to see every product containing lead.
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What to use instead.
What Numbrrrz uses instead
Numbrrrz tests every batch of raw materials for heavy metals including lead, ensuring levels are non-detectable. Zero tolerance for lead contamination.