Biol Trace Elem Res (2016) 170:476484
DOI 10.1007/s12011-015-0477-2
A Study of the Possible Harmful Effects of Cosmetic Beauty
Products on Human Health
Biljana Kalianin 1 & Dragan Velimirovi 1
Received: 5 May 2015 / Accepted: 12 August 2015 / Published online: 23 August 2015
# Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015
Abstract The origins of the usage of different substances in
beauty, skin, body, hair, and nails care products can be found
in ancient times. To achieve better quality and enhance their
effects, some additives such as preservatives, stabilizers, min-
eral pigments, dye, and shine were added to these products.
Some of these substances may also have allergic, irritating,
and harmful effects on human health. The aim of this study
was the optimization of the potentiometric stripping analysis
(PSA) for the purpose of determining the content of heavy
metals (lead, cadmium, zinc), in some commercial cosmetic
beauty products (lipsticks, lip glosses, eye shadows, and hen-
na hair dye). In addition, in order to monitor the potential
adverse effects of henna dye on hair quality, as well as the
total body burden of heavy metals (Pb, Cd), the paper ana-
lyzed hair samples before and after henna dye treatment.
Beauty products used for cosmetic purposes can have adverse
effects to human health due to the fact that they contain lead, a
highly toxic metal. The lead content in the tested samples
varied depending on the additives used along with the method
of production. The cosmetic products that were analyzed in
this study contained a certain amount of zinc, which is an
essential element, although its content above the prescribed
limit may lead to side effects. Highly toxic metal, cadmium,
was not detected in the tested samples. The presence of these
metals in cosmetic products certainly indicate that it is neces-
sary to monitor and determinate the content of toxic heavy
metals in these products, especially because they are in direct
* Biljana Kalianin
bkalicanin@yahoo.com
Dragan Velimirovi
dravel08@yahoo.com
1
Department of Pharmacy, University of Ni, Faculty of Medicine,
81dr Zoran ini Boulevard, Ni 18000, Serbia
contact with skin or mucous membranes and are often used in
daily life.
Keywords Cosmeticproducts . Lead . Cadmium . Zinc . PSA
Introduction
Humans are exposed to naturally occurring metals released by
the environment via a broad range of routes every day.
Atmospheric emissions tend to be of greatest concern in terms
of human exposure and health effects, both because of the
amount of metals involved and the widespread dispersion.
Exposure to metals may also occur through a diet, receiving
medication, or in the course of work or play [1]. However,
other less essential sources of exposure have to be considered,
including the use of cosmetic products [2].
Since the dawn of civilization, cosmetic products have con-
stituted a part of routine body care not only by the upper strata
of society but also by middle and low class people [3].
Cosmetic products include a very large number of products
that are used for the care, cleaning, protection, and beautifica-
tion of skin, hair, teeth, and nails. On todays market, there is a
large number of these products that are of different quality and
from a different manufacturer. Lipstick, lip gloss, mascara,
nail polish, and make-up powder are cosmetic beauty products
which are common in everyday use.
In recent years, more and more importance is given to
testing and monitoring the possible harmful effects of these
cosmetic products because they are in direct and frequent con-
tact with the skin and mucous membranes. The basic compo-
nents of cosmetic beauty products frequently contain a com-
pound of different metals, which are added in order to achieve
a better effect, or may be present as impurities. Compounds of
some essential metals (Cu, Zn, Fe, Cr) which are added to
A Study of the Possible Harmful Effects of Cosmetic Products
cosmetic products to improve their quality, in addition to their
positive effect, may also lead to skin irritation if their content
is above the prescribed. Also, in order to obtain a wider color
palette and better shine, some mineral pigments, dye, and
glitter are added to these products. These auxiliary compo-
nents may contain certain metals (Al, Zn, Si, Ti, Pb), which
may appear as their integral parts or as contaminants [4].
Heavy metals that are present in applied cosmetic products
can cause epithelium damage as well as skin rash. Due to
the cumulative effects of these metals, severe conditions
may appear on the skin and mucous membranes.
Furthermore, heavy metals can be absorbed by the skin and
enter bodily fluids. Via bodily fluids, these toxins can reach
vital organs.
Many studies of different authors have shown that cosmetic
products may be potential routes of entry of toxic metals into
the body [13, 510].
Cosmetic products can contain more than 10,000 ingre-
dients which can be linked to many diseases like cancer,
birth defects, developmental and reproductive impair-
ments. Because of that, US FDA (Food and Drug
Administration) banned nine ingredients including coal
tar colors, formaldehyde, glycol ethers, lead, mercury,
parabens, phenylenediamine, and phthalates in cosmetic
products [1].
Dermal exposure is the most significant route, because
most of the cosmetic products are directly applied to the
skin. On the other hand, oral exposure can occur from
applying cosmetic products that contain heavy metal im-
purities around the mouth and also from hand to mouth
contact [11]. In contact with human body, heavy metal
ions get absorbed and form complexes with carboxylic
acid (COOH), amine (NH2), and thiol (SH) of pro-
teins resulting in malfunctioning or death of the cells
and consequently lead to variety of diseases. The treat-
ment for metal intoxication is achieved by using a chelat-
ing agent that binds with the metal ions, and thus, the
complexes are eliminated from the body [12].
Due to the harmful effects of heavy metals that are
presented in cosmetic products, many world countries
have agreed on the appropriate Regulations governing
the amount of these toxins in particular cosmetic products.
It should be said that there is no one uniformed directive
that would be globally applied; rather, each state has its
corresponding Regulations.
The European Commission (EC) Scientific Committee on
Consumer Safety released its Guidance on the safety assess-
ment of nanomaterials in cosmetics in 2012, which is now
widely applied throughout EU [13]. Annex II of the
Guidance (BList of substances which must not form part of
the composition of cosmetic products^) lists more than 1000
chemical substances which ought not to be used in cosmetic
products, due to their toxicological properties. According to
477
this Annex, several metals, such as antimony (Sb), arsenic
(As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), mercury
(Hg), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb) are prohibited ingredients in
cosmetic products because they are considered unsafe. On the
other hand, in the USA, The US Food Drug and Cosmetic Act
offers a somewhat narrower definition of cosmetics than in the
EU, but certain products regarded in the EU as cosmetics have
been classified by the US FDA as Over-the-Counter drugs,
including sunscreen products, anti-cavity toothpastes, antiper-
spirants, antidandruff products, skin protectant products, and
hair restorers [14]. The FDA has banned nine chemicals in-
cluding only one toxic metal, namely Hg (with the exception
of its use as a preservative in the eye area cosmetics). For
cosmetic color additives, a maximum Pb concentration of
20 g/g has been established by the FDA [15]. However,
the Regulation applicable in the Republic of Serbia prescribed
the amount of heavy metals allowed per 1 kg of a specific
product used for lips and eye coloring, which must not be
exceeded [16].
In relation to cumulative and toxic effects of lead and cad-
mium [1719], this study observed the influence of auxiliary
components (mineral pigments, dye, and glitter), on the total
content of these heavy metals, in analyzed decorative cosmet-
ic products. The content of essential metal zinc is also deter-
mined since, present in high concentrations, it can also have
adverse effects on human health [20, 21].
In order to monitor the potential adverse effects of henna
dye on hair quality, as well as the total body burden of heavy
metals (Pb, Cd), the paper analyzed hair samples before and
after henna dye treatment.
Lead, cadmium, and zinc content in the analyzed samples
was determined using a highly sensitive microanalytical tech-
niquepotentiometric stripping analysis (PSA).
Materials and Method
Chemicals and Solutions
Hydrochloric acid (36 %, suprapur grade), nitric acid (65 %,
suprapur grade), acetic acid (suprapur grade), sodium hydrox-
ide (suprapur grade), acetone, EXTRAN (cleaning agent,
MA-02, neutral), hydrogen peroxide (30 %, suprapur grade),
solution of lead (1 g/L, Titrisol), standard solution of cadmium
(1 g/L, Titrisol), standard solution of zinc (1 g/L, Titrisol), and
standard solution of mercury (1 g/L, Titrisol) were purchased
from Merck company (Darmstadt, Germany) and have been
used in the condition they were received in.
Working solutions were prepared by dilution of standard
solutions with doubly distilled water.
All containers, utensils, and cells were cleaned by nitric
acid and doubly distilled water (1:1) before being used.
478
Samples
Twenty-five different samples of cosmetic beauty products (7
lipsticks, 5 lip glosses, 10 eye shadows, and 3 henna hair dyes)
of different colors and produced by different manufactures
were analyzed in this study after being obtained from local
shops of the city of Ni.
To monitor the impact of the heavy metal content (Pb, Cd)
in henna dye on treated hair, we used hair samples of 10
female test subjects. The samples were either of natural, un-
treated hair (before henna dye treatment), or samples of hair 1
and 3 years after henna dye treatment.
Sample Preparation
Cosmetic Products
Wet digestion method was employed in order to determine the
total lead, cadmium, and zinc content in tested samples of
cosmetic products. Weighted samples (23 g) were treated
with a mixture of concentrated nitric and hydrochloric acids,
respectively 1:1.5 (V:V) and heated at a temperature of 60
80 C for the duration of 2 h, in order to complete the miner-
alization of the samples. After the mineralization process, the
resulting solution was diluted with doubly distilled water and
then filtered through a quantitative filter paper (black belt)
until a volume of 50 mL was obtained [22].
Henna Dye Treatment
Two hundred milligrams of hot water (40 C) was poured over
100 g of red henna powder, and the mixture was applied on
dry hair. After 34 h, the hair was rinsed with water and then
washed using shampoo.
Hair Samples
Hair samples (untreated and treated with henna), weighing
approximately 1.00 g, were obtained using scissors made of
stainless steel and stored in plastic bags. All hair samples were
treated according to the Miekeley et al. procedure. [23]. Hair
samples were first treated with 20 mL of acetone over a period
of 10 min. Each sample was then rinsed three times with
20 mL of 1 % EXTRAN solution. Ultra-pure water 0.05
S/cm (MicroMed high purity water system, TKA
Wasseraufbereitungssysteme GmbH) was used to remove
the cleaning agent. After washing, the samples were then dried
at a temperature of 60 C. Wet digestion was applied for the
dissolution of samples. Thus, prepared samples were placed in
the crucible and treated with 2.5 mL 65 % HNO3 at room
temperature for the duration of 12 h and then burned at the
temperature of 6070 C for a period of 1 h. Treated samples
were cooled with 1 mL of H2O2 and again subjected to
Kalianin and Velimirovi
temperatures of 6070 C, for a period of 1 h. Finally, the
samples were analyzed for the content of heavy metals (Pb,
Cd).
Instrumentation
All the analyses were performed by using a commercially
available computerized Stripping analyzer M1 (Faculty of
Technology, Novi Sad and Elektrouniverzal, Leskovac,
Serbia). The analyzer has a program for automatic qualitative
and quantitative analysis, involving the element contents
assessment.
Lead, Cadmium, and Zinc Contents Measured by PSA
The PSA modification with oxygen as an oxidant was applied
with the diffusion conditions of the mass transfer during the
analytical step. This PSA modification was the simplest since
it used the already present diluted oxygen as a means of oxi-
dation that reduces the contamination risk by applying other
oxidation means. For the PSA analysis of lead, cadmium, and
zinc, it was necessary that the analyzed sample was in soluble
form, and the pH value needed to be within the range of 2.0 to
4.0. Acetate buffer was used to achieve this range of pH.
Formation of a Working Electrode
The working electrode was prepared as follows: a thin layer
mercury electrode on glassy carbon was used as an inert sup-
port. Before the preparation of the electrode, the glassy carbon
surface was wiped with filter paper soaked first in acetone and
then in distilled water. The mercury film was formed electro-
lytically from a solution containing 100 mg/L mercury (II)
ions and 0.02 mol/L hydrochloric acid (pH value 2), at a
constant current of 50 A for a deposition time of 240 s.
Once deposited, the mercury film was used for 2530 analyses
of different sample types [24].
Results and Discussion
In order to determine the optimal conditions of the PSA of
lead, cadmium, and zinc, in the chosen supporting electrolyte,
the effects of time of the electrodeposition, of the electrolysis
potential, and of the solution stirring rate were examined.
After the optimization of the determination conditions, both
the linearity and the reproductivity of the analytical signal
were defined.
The most reproductive values were obtained at potential
electrolysis of 1.530 mV, while the electrolysis time
depended on the content of lead, cadmium, and zinc in the
analyzed samples, namely 240 s for zinc, 300 s for lead, and
A Study of the Possible Harmful Effects of Cosmetic Products 479

900 s for cadmium. Optimal solution stirring rate for all sam-
ples was 4000 rpm.
Under defined optimal experimental conditions, linearity
of analytical signal in PSA for lead, cadmium, and zinc was
examined, in the solution model of mass concentrations in the
range from 5 to 15 g/L, 1 to 9 g/L, and 2 to 12 g/L,
respectively. Obtained equations for tested metals had high
values of correlation coefficient (Figs. 1, 2, and 3) which in-
dicates a good agreement of tested linearity with given linear
dependence.
Under defined experimental conditions, the analysis of the
samples of cosmetic products was performed. The total con-
tent of metals in the samples was determined using the ade-
quate calibration curve (Figs. 1, 2, and 3), and the values
obtained were presented as the mean of five measurements.
The detected total lead and zinc contents in the tested sam- Fig. 2 Linearity of the analytical signal of PSA for cadmium in the
model of solution of mass concentrations from 1 to 9 g/L
ples of cosmetic products are given in Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
and 11.
Cadmium (Cd) is one of the most toxic metal ions in envi- These findings are in line with the studies of authors who also
ronment, and it can be found in air, food, and water. Cd ions did not detect this metal in the tested samples of lipsticks and
are absorbed by most tissues of the body and become concen- lip glosses [2629]. On the other hand, a high concentration of
trated mainly in liver and kidneys. The most dangerous char- Cd (from 5 g/g to 10 g/g) was found in both unbranded
acteristic of cadmium is that it accumulates throughout a life- (low-cost samples) and branded lipsticks during the study
time. Chronic human exposure to Cd results in renal dysfunc- conducted by Gondal et al. [10]. In eye shadows, Cd levels
tion, anemia, hepatic dysfunction, osteotoxicities, and cancer varied from only traces (0.0006 g/g) [30] to high concentra-
in multiple organs, potentially including the kidneys [17, 18]. tions (8.89 g/g) [31].
Because of its carcinogenic properties, cadmium has been Lead is a toxic metal with cumulative deleterious effect and
classified as the first in the category of human carcinogens can be introduced into the human body by inhalation, inges-
by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) tion, or cutaneous absorption [19]. Although its concentration
[25]. Cadmium is a potent human carcinogen and has been can be relatively high in liver and kidneys, lead is mainly
associated with lung, prostate, pancreas, and kidney cancer. deposited in bones. The total lead content in normal human
Cadmium can cause osteoporosis, anemia, non-hypertrophic bodies ranges from 100 to 400 mg and increases with age. The
emphysema, irreversible renal tubular injury, eosinophilia, an- normal level of lead in blood is below 400 ng/mL [32]. The
osmia, and chronic rhinitis [12]. deleterious properties of lead are particularly noticeable in the
A highly toxic metal cadmium was not detected in the central nervous system, kidneys, and liver. The toxicity of lead
samples of cosmetic beauty products analyzed in this study.

Fig. 1 Linearity of the analytical signal of PSA for lead in the model of Fig. 3 Linearity of the analytical signal of PSA for zinc in the model of
solution of mass concentrations from 5 to 15 g/L solution of mass concentrations from 2 to 12 g/L
480
Fig. 4 The total lead content in lipstick samples
to the human body arises from its ability to bond with SH
groups of enzymes and cellular proteins, which leads to
changes in their functions or their inactivation. In addition,
lead interacts metabolically with essential metals (Ca, Fe,
Cu, Zn), which can cause disorders in kidney function, ner-
vous and cardiovascular system, and heme biosynthesis [19].
In the analyzed samples, a highly toxic metal, lead, was
detected. The content of toxic metal lead in the tested lipsticks
ranged from 16.67 to 105.60 g/g (Fig. 4), depending on the
color of the sample. The highest lead content was detected in
light pink pearly shine lipsticks, and the lowest in beige lip-
sticks. The difference in the content of this metal in the tested
lipstick samples may be due to the addition of auxiliary com-
ponents such as Mica, various pearls and Pb chromate, which
are used basically to provide pigment in lipsticks, though they
may contain some toxic metals, as well as contaminants [33].
Results of the study conducted by Al-Saleh et al. showed that
lipsticks with pearl shine contain significantly more lead com-
pared to the matte color lipsticks [9]. These results suggest that
the added auxiliary components can be a potential source of
metal contamination in lipsticks. Additionally, the increased Pb
Fig. 5 The total zinc content in lipstick samples
Kalianin and Velimirovi
Fig. 6 The total lead content in lip gloss samples
content in the tested lipstick samples can be the consequence of
lead contaminated dust and water that was used in the process
of production of these cosmetic products. Inadequate treatment
during the production, storing, and transporting the final prod-
ucts can also present a potential route of lead contamination.
The lead content in lipstick samples analyzed in this study
is high and above some international standards, which pre-
scribe a maximum level of 20 g/g of this heavy metal in
cosmetic products [1]. According to these recommended
values, it can be said that the lead contents in the lipstick
samples tested in this study can be seen as toxic. Only the
beige lipstick can be considered safe for usage, because the
content of lead in this sample was below 20 g/g.
Total lead content in the tested lip gloss samples ranged
from 12.77 to 20.17 g/g which was about 2 to 5 times lower
compared to the content of this metal detected in lipsticks.
Differences in detected lead concentrations in these prod-
ucts may be due to fact that some cosmetic dyes and pigments
are added to lipsticks in greater quantity in relation to lip
glosses [9]. The results of this study indicated that color agents
Fig. 7 The total zinc content in lip gloss samples
A Study of the Possible Harmful Effects of Cosmetic Products
Fig. 8 The total lead content in eye shadow samples
which essentially contain metal oxides and are used in cos-
metic industry could be potential sources of toxic metals.
In the group of lip glosses, only samples of light orange lip
glosses can be considered potentially harmful to human health,
because the lead content in this product is higher than 20 g/g.
The lead content in eye shadows ranged from 26.43 to
95.55 g/g (Fig. 8). As in the case of lipsticks, it was detected
that pearl shine eye shadows have greater lead content (from
53.19 to 95.55 g/g) compared to the eye shadows without
this addition (from 26.43 to 50.41 g/g). Studies of some
authors have shown that eye shadows, which contain mineral
pigments (iron oxides and zinc), have a high lead content that
ranged from 0.42 to 58.7 g/g, which is in line with the results
of our work [6, 9].
Fig. 9 The total zinc content in eye shadow samples
481
Fig. 10 The total lead content in henna dye samples
According to the detected lead content, it can be concluded
that all eye shadow samples tested in this study can be poten-
tially toxic.
In recent years, henna hair dye has been improved by
adding various herbs or substances in order to provide a stron-
ger color to the final product and to shorten the time of its
application. The added material can include various mineral
products which can be very rich in metals such as Pb [3].This
study showed that in the samples of henna hair dye, the con-
tent of lead ranged from 8.52 to 19.61 g/g (Fig. 10). The
highest lead content was detected in red henna dye and the
lowest content in brown henna dye. This difference in lead
content in samples of henna hair dye may be the result of the
addition of metal salts, which are often used to obtain different
color henna dyes (red, black, brown). Results obtained in this
study are in accordance with the study of Lekouch et al., in
which the lead content in henna hair dye ranged from 2.2 to
19.9 g/g [34]. On the other hand, in their own study, Jallada
and Espada-Jallada detected the lead content that ranged from
Fig. 11 The total zinc content in henna dye samples
482 Kalianin and Velimirovi

2.29 to 65.98 g/g [8], which indicates that henna dye samples
tested in their study may have adverse effects on human
health.
In the Republic of Serbia, mainly red henna is used in hair
treatment. By analyzing samples of red henna dye in this
study, the highest total lead content was detected in relation
to other henna dye types (Fig. 10). For this reason, we
researched the influence of red henna on the total lead content
in the hair that was treated with it.
Table 1 shows total Pb content in the tested samples of
untreated hair and hair treated with red henna (for the duration
of 1 and 3 years) and the percentage of lead increase in hair
samples after being treated with henna.
Total lead content in the samples of natural, untreated hair
(Table 1) ranged from 5.21 to 10.36 g/g. Variations in the
content of this metal in the hair samples resulted from different
places of residence, life styles, and ages of the subjects tested
[35]. The lead content in hair samples treated with henna over
the period of 1 year was about 510 % higher than the lead
content detected in the samples of natural, untreated hair. In
hair samples treated with henna dye over a longer period of
time (3 years), there was a temporary increase in lead content
in relation to the total lead content in hair samples treated for a
year (about 215 %) and about 1020 % in relation to the lead
content in the untreated hair (Table 1). These results indicate
that hair samples tend to retain lead traces that can be found in
henna, and that the total lead content increases if the product is
used over a longer period of time. Thus, besides its good
qualities of nourishing and strengthening the hair, and giving
it a healthy shine, henna can also have adverse effects due to
prolonged use. The results of this study show that henna lead
contents eventually lead to an increase in the total lead content
in the hair, which can then become a potential source of toxic
metals released in the body.
Bearing in mind the cumulative toxic effects of lead, the
detected total lead content in the analyzed hair samples treated
with henna during 1 to 3 years represents only the Bcurrent^
load of this heavy metal in the hair.
The content of detected lead in most analyzed samples of
cosmetic beauty products was high and above 20 g/g which
is the allowed maximum content for this contaminant in this
type of products. Only samples of lip gloss and henna hair dye
had lead content below 20 g/g. Due to its highly toxic and
cumulative effects, it is necessary to monitor and control the
content of this metal in cosmetic products.
Zinc is an essential element necessary for growth, develop-
ment, and normal functioning of human bodies. However,
increased concentrations of zinc in the body can adversely
affect human health. Some tests have shown that increased
intake of zinc in the body leads to a deficiency of copper in
the liver, serum, and heart and reduced activity of copper
metalloenzymes [20, 21]. Also, increased intake of zinc in
the body may have a detrimental effect on the storage of iron
and can cause anemia [36].
Compared to the detected lead content, the content of zinc
in all of the tested samples was higher. The higher zinc content
in relation to lead may be due to the addition of zinc com-
pounds (oxides, stearate) to cosmetic products, in order to
reduce their irritability and increase water resistance [4].
The content of zinc in tested samples of lipsticks
ranged from 0.35 to 3.81 mg/g (Fig. 5). The highest con-
tent of zinc was detected in bright pink colored lipstick
with a pearly shine and the lowest in the matte orange
lipstick. The usage of different auxiliary substances which
improve quality and allow color diversity in lipsticks can
contribute to the detected difference in Zn content in dif-
ferent colored lipsticks.
Zinc compounds that are added to eye shadows in or-
der to achieve greater durability and lessen skin irritability
can contribute to a total zinc content of the analyzed sam-
ples, with the said content ranging from 0.21 to 4.24 mg/g
(Fig. 9).

Table 1 Total Pb content in the

tested samples of untreated and Samples Total Pb content (g/g) Variations of Pb Total Pb Variations of Pb
hair treated with red henna (for contents N T1y (%) content (g/g) contents N T3y (%)
the duration of 1 and 3 years) and N T (1 year) T (3 years)
the percentage of lead increase in
hair samples after being treated 1 5.21 0.01 5.47 0.03 4.99 6.20 0.02 19.00
with henna 2 5.84 0.03 6.42 0.07 9.93 6.73 0.04 15.23
3 6.43 0.04 6.97 0.02 8.40 7.59 0.03 18.04
4 6.85 0.02 7.28 0.05 6.28 7.96 0.03 16.20
5 7.81 0.01 8.58 0.07 8.97 8.97 0.01 14.85
6 8.29 0.07 8.83 0.03 9.86 9.92 0.08 19.66
7 8.44 0.04 9.04 0.05 7.11 9.98 0.02 18.25
8 9.07 0.03 9.54 0.04 5.18 10.98 0.05 21.06
9 10.11 0.06 11.10 0.02 9.79 11.39 0.04 12.66
10 10.36 0.08 10.95 0.06 5.69 12.38 0.08 19.50

N non-treated hair samples, T treated hair samples

A Study of the Possible Harmful Effects of Cosmetic Products
In the samples of henna hair dye, zinc was detected only in
the samples of black henna, and its content was 0.490 mg/g
(Fig. 11).
The content of zinc in the analyzed samples was signifi-
cantly higher in relation to lead content, because this metal is
added to cosmetic products in larger quantities to improve
their properties. Zinc is an essential element, but its presence
in the contents above the prescribed may lead to adverse ef-
fects in terms of skin irritation, rash, conjunctivitis, allergic
reaction, and others.
Conclusions
Based on the results, we can conclude that the analyzed cos-
metic products (lipsticks, lip glosses, eye shadows, and henna
hair dyes) used for cosmetic purposes can have an adverse
effect on human health due to their highly toxic lead contents
which could cause cumulative toxic effects. Highly toxic met-
al, cadmium, is not detected in the tested samples. The cos-
metic products that were analyzed in this study contain a cer-
tain amount of zinc, which is an essential element, but its
presence in the content that is above prescribed may lead to
side effects.
After reviewing the results this study provided, we can
conclude that henna hair dye, in addition to the aesthetic ef-
fect, can also have a harmful effect on both the hair and the
whole organism. These results showed that total lead content
in the hair samples was raised over a long-term treatment of
hair with henna dye.
The PSA method developed in this study gave highly re-
producible results and can therefore be used in the analysis of
heavy metal contents (Pb, Cd, and Zn) in the same or similar
samples.
Acknowledgments These results are part of the projects N 45017 and
N 41018, financially supported by of the Republic of Serbia Ministry of
Education, Science and Technological Development.
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