The content of heavy metals in eye shadows

Many heavy metals are not acceptable as ingredients in cosmetic products sold in a market because they may cause injury to the health of the user. However they could be found in cosmetics as impurities. Generally it is believed that human external contact with the substance rarely results in its penetration through the skin. However, we could not say that the exposure of the local site(eye and lips mucosa) with high levels of heavy metals can not be completely excluded to the possibility of penetration. So we evaluated the test with the products listed below. We purchased 4 eye shadows for pink, brown, pearl, and without pearl in Korea market. An analytical test was performed for two heavy metals in color cosmetics products, eye shadows, using ICP-MS and ICP-OES. The content of Pb and Ni in the pinks is 3,696.34 and 11,687 ppb, Ni in the brown is 11,687 ppb, Ni and Pb in the pearl series is 11,687 and 1,822.63 ppb, in the unused pearl series was 3,805.41 ppb, 17.85 ppb, respectively. The concentration of heavy metals in pearl including product is higher than that of the product which did not include it. All of the heavy metal values are in accordance with the specifications of KFDA s regulation. So it is believe that the eye shadows on the market are safe for use.