How to self-check whether cosmetics contain mercury or lead

As women in modern society pay more and more attention to their appearance, makeup has become a technique comparable to plastic surgery. Many women look like they have a new head after putting on makeup. Therefore, some corresponding cosmetic brands are gradually coming to the market. However, due to their uses, cosmetics, especially lipsticks, contain a very large amount of mercury. So how should we self-check the mercury and lead content in cosmetics?

1. Hazards of mercury and lead in cosmetics

1. Lead and mercury are both heavy metals that are harmful to the human body, but some cosmetics still contain these two ingredients because they can make the skin "instantly" white. Compared with the whitening effect achieved by long-term diet and skin care, the former is undoubtedly "immediate". However, the side effects of lead and mercury are also serious, such as: loss of pigmentation, skin damage, allergic inflammation and even insomnia and fatigue. More seriously, it can also affect liver function. Long-term use of cosmetics containing lead and mercury will combine with the sulfur in the skin to produce black precipitates, form spots, and may also cause cancer.

2. Testing methods for whether cosmetics contain lead and mercury

1. Silver necklace detection method

You can easily test yourself at home using only a silver necklace. Because silver is very easy to oxidize, we can feel when we wear silver jewelry that it is very easy to "turn black" compared to other jewelry such as platinum. This is the result of the surface of the silver jewelry being oxidized by the air. Because lead and mercury can also make the surface of silver jewelry "turn black", so, we just need to apply cosmetics on the surface of silver jewelry to see if it turns black, and we will know whether the cosmetics contain lead and mercury.

2. Coin detection method

A dime, a piece of white paper, and the skin care and cosmetics you use. Dime - For best testing results, it is best to use a new coin; if it has been used, please wipe it clean, especially the front surface. The standard for cleanliness is that when you scratch the paper with the front side of a coin (the small side that touches the table when the coin is standing on the table), no black scratches will be produced. Apply a little cosmetic on white paper, wait for a while, and after it penetrates into the paper, use the front of a coin to scratch back and forth. If there is no change, it can be preliminarily determined that it does not contain lead. If it turns black, it means it contains lead. The darker the color, the higher the lead content.

3. Clean water cup test method

Take a small amount of the product and put it in a transparent cup filled with clean water. If there is sediment at the bottom of the cup, it means it contains lead and mercury. If there are floating objects on top, it means it contains minerals. If it sticks to the edge of the cup, it means it contains animal oil.