Lead detected in 400 of 400 lipstick products tested, ranging from 0.026 to 7.19 ppm, though all below proposed FDA guidance levels

The FDA analyzed 400 lipstick products from the U.S. market for total lead content using a validated ICP-MS method. Lead was detected in every product tested, with concentrations ranging from 0.026 to 7.19 parts per million (ppm). While all samples fell below the FDA's proposed maximum guidance level of 10 ppm, consumer advocacy groups including the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics argued that no level of lead is acceptable in a product applied to the lips. This study is frequently cited in debates about heavy metal contamination in cosmetics.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration