Heavy Metal Index
Ask the IndexAboutIndex Pro
An unmarked glass jar and ceramic dish of fine white powder with a plain metal spoon illustrating cosmetic clay ingredient context.

Heavy metals in Cosmetic clay

Lead, cadmium and total mercury in cosmetic clay: monitoring results, studies, references by form and basis, limits, testing and controls.

Cite this pageVersion history
Quick read

Cosmetic clay in the HMI library has 104 reported results for lead, cadmium, total mercury, nickel, chromium, uranium, Fe, Mn, Zn, V, Se, arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), Th, Ti, Y and Zr from 2 sources.1S’busiso M Nkosi, Nokukhanya Thembane · 2024Physical, chemical and biological characteristics of clays from Durban (South Africa) for applications in cosmeticsAnalytical Science AdvancesRead source →2Fischer A, Brodziak-Dopierała B, Jańska W, Jeyranyan L, Malara B · 2025Analysis of Mercury Concentration in Cosmetic ClaysToxics 2025, 13, 507Read source →

Cosmetic clay overview

Cosmetic clay in the HMI library has 104 reported results for lead, cadmium, total mercury, nickel, chromium, uranium, Fe, Mn, Zn, V, Se, As, Hg, Th, Ti, Y and Zr from 2 sources.1S’busiso M Nkosi, Nokukhanya Thembane · 2024Physical, chemical and biological characteristics of clays from Durban (South Africa) for applications in cosmeticsAnalytical Science AdvancesRead source →2Fischer A, Brodziak-Dopierała B, Jańska W, Jeyranyan L, Malara B · 2025Analysis of Mercury Concentration in Cosmetic ClaysToxics 2025, 13, 507Read source →

Fischer et al. 2025 reported total mercury at 23.7 µg/kg (median) in cosmetic clay, as sold from all products, Polish market.2Fischer A, Brodziak-Dopierała B, Jańska W, Jeyranyan L, Malara B · 2025Analysis of Mercury Concentration in Cosmetic ClaysToxics 2025, 13, 507Read source →

For a buyer the practical points are the form bought, the basis a result is reported on, where the cosmetic clay came from and the laboratory’s reporting limit. Testing finds contamination but does not remove it.

What counts as cosmetic clay

This page covers cosmetic clay, as sold (104 results).1S’busiso M Nkosi, Nokukhanya Thembane · 2024Physical, chemical and biological characteristics of clays from Durban (South Africa) for applications in cosmeticsAnalytical Science AdvancesRead source →2Fischer A, Brodziak-Dopierała B, Jańska W, Jeyranyan L, Malara B · 2025Analysis of Mercury Concentration in Cosmetic ClaysToxics 2025, 13, 507Read source →

Results stay on the basis each source reports: as sold or fresh weight, dry weight, or unstated. Dry-weight, as-sold and unstated results are never pooled, and no moisture conversion is applied.

Heavy metal contamination profile of cosmetic clay

The table holds every extracted cosmetic clay result: one row for each statistic a source reports for a form, group and metal, 104 rows in all, grouped by metal and form; percentiles, ranges and maxima for the same samples as a mean or median are shown on that row.1S’busiso M Nkosi, Nokukhanya Thembane · 2024Physical, chemical and biological characteristics of clays from Durban (South Africa) for applications in cosmeticsAnalytical Science AdvancesRead source →2Fischer A, Brodziak-Dopierała B, Jańska W, Jeyranyan L, Malara B · 2025Analysis of Mercury Concentration in Cosmetic ClaysToxics 2025, 13, 507Read source → Monitoring medians are HMI calculations from individual submissions; non-detects remain intervals between zero and the reporting limit and are never read as zero.

0 rows can be rated against an HMI reference for the same form and basis, 26 rows have a direct same-study comparison, and the rest stay unrated with the reason recorded.

Comparison methods and scope

Each row is one statistic a source reports for one form of cosmetic clay, group and metal; percentiles, ranges and maxima reported for the same samples as a mean or median are shown on that row. Different forms and preparation states are kept apart, and dry-weight results never share a reference with as-sold or fresh-weight results. Ratings place a result against an HMI reference built from monitoring results and ordinary-setting medians for the same form and basis. Same-study contrasts compare a contaminated or treated site with its control, targeted with random sampling, a prepared form with the unprocessed one, or one group of a study with the median of its other groups. Held rows failed a check against their own source and are shown but not compared.

About this table
Food formCollection scopeFindingComparisonEvidence
Cosmetic clay findings from monitoring programmes, total diet studies and every extracted field, market and contaminated-site study, in µg/kg with each source’s form, basis, statistic and censoring retained.
Food formCollection scopeFinding (µg/kg)ComparisonEvidence
2 findings · 1 study
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024red clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportedsample value.
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024white clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportedsample value.
2 findings · 1 study
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024red clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportednot detected.
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024white clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportednot detected.
31 findings · 1 study · 41 spread figures folded in
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025all products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmedian.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025all products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmean.Same samples: 1.87 µg/kg (minimum); 201 µg/kg (maximum); 4.08 µg/kg (percentile); 32 µg/kg (percentile)
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025black clay products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmedian.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025black clay products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmean.Same samples: 2.38 µg/kg (minimum); 41 µg/kg (maximum); 3.02 µg/kg (percentile); 40.6 µg/kg (percentile)
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025blue clay products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmedian.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025blue clay products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmean.Same samples: 3.12 µg/kg (minimum); 4.61 µg/kg (maximum); 3.32 µg/kg (percentile); 4.08 µg/kg (percentile)
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025green clay extreme valuesCollection date unreportedsample value.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025green clay extreme valuesCollection date unreportedsample value.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025green clay extreme valuesCollection date unreportedsample value.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025green clay products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmedian.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025green clay products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmean.Same samples: 13.7 µg/kg (minimum); 201 µg/kg (maximum); 29.4 µg/kg (percentile); 38.6 µg/kg (percentile)
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025green clay, manufacturer ACollection date unreportedmedian.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025green clay, manufacturer CCollection date unreportedmedian.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025purple clay products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmedian.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025purple clay products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmean.Same samples: 1.87 µg/kg (minimum); 3.31 µg/kg (maximum); 2.24 µg/kg (percentile); 2.88 µg/kg (percentile)
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025red clay products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmedian.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025red clay products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmean.Same samples: 5.82 µg/kg (minimum); 33.6 µg/kg (maximum); 7.26 µg/kg (percentile); 28.1 µg/kg (percentile)
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025red clay, manufacturer ACollection date unreportedmedian.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025red clay, manufacturer CCollection date unreportedmedian.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025rhassoul clay products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmedian.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025rhassoul clay products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmean.Same samples: 29.2 µg/kg (minimum); 48.3 µg/kg (maximum); 29.7 µg/kg (percentile); 47.4 µg/kg (percentile)
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025Rhassoul clay, manufacturer DCollection date unreportedmedian.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025Rhassoul clay, manufacturer ECollection date unreportedmedian.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025rose clay products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmedian.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025rose clay products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmean.Same samples: 8.36 µg/kg (minimum); 12.6 µg/kg (maximum); 9.37 µg/kg (percentile); 11 µg/kg (percentile)
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025white clay products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmedian.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025white clay products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmean.Same samples: 2.31–158 µg/kg (range); 2.31 µg/kg (minimum); 158 µg/kg (maximum); 3.51 µg/kg (percentile); 99.4 µg/kg (percentile)
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025white clay, manufacturer ACollection date unreportedmedian.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025white clay, manufacturer BCollection date unreportedmedian.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025yellow clay products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmedian.
Cosmetic clay, as soldFischer et al. 2025yellow clay products, Polish marketCollection date unreportedmean.Same samples: 26.7 µg/kg (minimum); 32.6 µg/kg (maximum); 27.1 µg/kg (percentile); 29.6 µg/kg (percentile)
2 findings · 1 study
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024red clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportedsample value.
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024white clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportednot detected.
2 findings · 1 study
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024red clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportedsample value.
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024white clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportedsample value.
2 findings · 1 study
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024red clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportednot detected.
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024white clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportednot detected.
2 findings · 1 study
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024red clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportedsample value.
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024white clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportedsample value.
2 findings · 1 study
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024red clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportedsample value.
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024white clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportednot detected.
2 findings · 1 study
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024red clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportedsample value.
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024white clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportedsample value.
2 findings · 1 study
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024red clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportedsample value.
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024white clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportedsample value.
2 findings · 1 study
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024red clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportednot detected.
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024white clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportednot detected.
2 findings · 1 study
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024red clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportednot detected.
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024white clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportednot detected.
2 findings · 1 study
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024red clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportednot detected.
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024white clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportednot detected.
2 findings · 1 study
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024red clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportednot detected.
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024white clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportednot detected.
2 findings · 1 study
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024red clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportedsample value.
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024white clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportedsample value.
2 findings · 1 study
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024red clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportedsample value.
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024white clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportedsample value.
2 findings · 1 study
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024red clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportedsample value.
Cosmetic clay, as soldNkosi et al. 2024white clay (single bulk sample)Collection date unreportedsample value.
Shared dataset methods and interpretation

Source summaries retain their original statistic, material, basis and censoring. Each source drawer identifies methods and overlapping samples. No matched reference or pooled distribution is inferred.

1 dataset

How metals reach cosmetic clay

No study in the library compared cosmetic clay from contaminated and ordinary settings, so the routes by which metals reach it are not measured here.

Which forms and regions measured lower

In one study, total mercury across 17 groups of cosmetic clay ranged from 2.54 µg/kg (purple clay products, Polish market) to 194 µg/kg (green clay, manufacturer C); the lowest is the lowest observed in that study, not an established sourcing preference.2Fischer A, Brodziak-Dopierała B, Jańska W, Jeyranyan L, Malara B · 2025Analysis of Mercury Concentration in Cosmetic ClaysToxics 2025, 13, 507Read source →

Processing, cooking and preparation

No study in the library measured the same cosmetic clay before and after washing, peeling, drying or cooking for metals, so no processing effect can be stated. Heat does not destroy metals; cooking or drying changes a concentration by moving water or metal, not by removing the element.

Mitigation for cosmetic clay

No control for metals in cosmetic clay was measured in the library; lot testing against the applicable limit remains the verifiable step.

No study in this library has yet measured a way to lower heavy metals in cosmetic clay; the results above show the levels measured, and lot testing against the applicable limit remains the verifiable check.

Trade-offs and limits of controls

Metals do not move together, so a lot that passes a lead limit says little about cadmium, arsenic or nickel unless those are tested as well.

Testing cosmetic clay for metals

Results depend on the method and its reporting limit.

A useful lot result names the form, the basis and a quantification limit well below the limit that applies.

Buying and verifying cosmetic clay

No maximum level for metals in cosmetic clay was verified from primary text for this page; buyers should confirm the limit that applies in the destination market.

Exposure from cosmetic clay

No source in the library converted cosmetic clay concentrations into a verified estimate of intake for a defined population. Concentrations describe the food, not individual risk.

Evidence review and remaining gaps

Every source record that names cosmetic clay was decided on its content: 2 occurrence extracted, 2 records in all. The occurrence table renders every extracted result; held values remain visible with their reason.

References identify the sources used in these answers. The Sources index preserves additional discovery links; inclusion there does not mean a source has been reviewed for this assessment. Corrections, completed searches, new direct evidence and changes in requirements should reopen the relevant answer.

Cosmetic clay FAQs

What heavy metals are found in cosmetic clay?

The library reports lead, cadmium, total mercury, nickel, chromium, uranium, Fe, Mn, Zn, V, Se, As, Hg, Th, Ti, Y and Zr in cosmetic clay, most often lead, cadmium and total mercury.1S’busiso M Nkosi, Nokukhanya Thembane · 2024Physical, chemical and biological characteristics of clays from Durban (South Africa) for applications in cosmeticsAnalytical Science AdvancesRead source →2Fischer A, Brodziak-Dopierała B, Jańska W, Jeyranyan L, Malara B · 2025Analysis of Mercury Concentration in Cosmetic ClaysToxics 2025, 13, 507Read source →

Which origins or products of cosmetic clay measured lowest?

In one study, total mercury across 17 groups of cosmetic clay ranged from 2.54 µg/kg (purple clay products, Polish market) to 194 µg/kg (green clay, manufacturer C); the lowest is the lowest observed in that study, not an established sourcing preference.2Fischer A, Brodziak-Dopierała B, Jańska W, Jeyranyan L, Malara B · 2025Analysis of Mercury Concentration in Cosmetic ClaysToxics 2025, 13, 507Read source →

References

Works cited on this page, in citation-number order. See Sources for this page’s source inventory. Each title links to a source record with bibliographic details, reported findings, and document provenance.

  1. Physical, chemical and biological characteristics of clays from Durban (South Africa) for applications in cosmeticsS’busiso M Nkosi and Nokukhanya Thembane · Analytical Science Advances · 2024 · doi.org/10.1002/ansa.202300062Peer-reviewed
  2. Analysis of Mercury Concentration in Cosmetic ClaysFischer A, Brodziak-Dopierała B, Jańska W, Jeyranyan L, and Malara B · Toxics 2025, 13, 507 · 2025 · doi.org/10.3390/toxics13060507Peer-reviewed

Sources

Browse Cosmetic clay Sources for sources cited on this page and additional discovery candidates. The searchable index distinguishes verified citation use from discovery relationships whose relevance has not been established.

Update history

22 October 2026: Rebuilt from every cosmetic clay record in the library: 2 occurrence sources, references by form and basis, same-study contrasts.

Referenced by

Graph View