The Negative Effects Of Heavy Metals Presence In Cosmetics Products

Heavy metals are toxic elements which are high in density, including cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), cobalt (Co), Chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb). It is impurities commonly present in pigmented cosmetic products, such as lipstick and eye shadows during the manufacturing process by the factory. The content of heavy metal in eye cosmetics are often a concern as metal diffusion from eye cosmetics is therefore assumed to be relatively rapid due to the thinness in nature of the eyelid stratum corneum. Other than contamination during manufacturing process, Thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative often included in cosmetic products to increase the shelf-life, yet, the phenylmercuris acetate and topical antibiotic neomycin sulfate were shown to relevant in triggering periocular dermatitis.

Heavy metals in personal care and eye cosmetics products can cause elevation of blood lead levels and often leads to dermatological side-effects. The main ingredients in pressed-powder eye shadows are talc with pigments and zinc or magnesium stearate used as a binder. The use of natural colors or inorganic pigments, such as iron oxide, carmine, Mica, titanium dioxide, copper powder, bronze powder, aluminium powder, manganese violet were allowed by United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in manufacturing eye shadows. A study was done to measure the levels of heavy metals in eye shadows found that, the lead and arsenic contain is below 20 PPM, the limitation fixed by US FDA, but the cobalt and nickel levels had exceeded 20 PPM, due to presence of impurities in the ingredients resulted from a poor and unhygienic manufacturing practice. Al-Saleh et al. (2009) conducted a study on screening the lead content in eight pressed-powder eye-shadows imported from China, France and United States of America (USA), revealed one product from brand 1, a shimmering pink eye shadows manufactured in China had lead content higher than 20 PPM as compare to others’, 1.38 PPM averagely.

Kohl is a fine dark powder used to be traditional cosmetics, worn by people from Middle and Far Eastern and in East Africans populations of all age including children. It is being worn for the purpose of beauty or religious and it was a home remedy to treat many ocular discomforts, such as conjunctivitis, light sensitivity and eye soreness, and claimed to keep the eyes cool and clean, improve vision and strengthen the eyes, preventing and treating eye diseases such as blepharitis and cataract. Studies found that Kohl contains high level of poisonous heavy metal, lead, and others such as galena, amorphous carbon, magnetite and zincite. Study showed that prolonged application of lead to skin may cause excessive lead storage in the body, affects the brain and bone marrow, then causing convulsions and anaemia. A case was being reported in which a lady put on traditional locally prepared eyeliner in her eye had resulted in severe corneal oedema and faint scarring, while the eyeliner used had been discovered with high toxic levels of lead and cadmium. Kohl is not being permitted to be used in a cosmetic by United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, it was only being restricted recently though its harm had been known for centuries.

Epidemiological studies on patients with periocular dermatitis have confirmed that, female is a risk factor of periocular dermatitis, due to their frequent use of cosmetic products. Nickel has been found in cosmetics used around their eyes, including mascara, makeup base, eye shadows, and Kohl pencils. This is due to the additive of the cosmetic products. Nevertheless, fragrance used in cosmetic products also contributes to periocular dermatitis due to allergy, though the chance is varies depending on its exposure and period in time.