Scope
The loaded rows cover lead in permitted synthetic organic and natural organic colours used in cosmetics, mercury in eye-area cosmetics when used as a preservative, and unintentional mercury in other finished cosmetic products.
Exact limit and units
| Metal | Matrix | Limit | Unit | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| lead (Pb) | Permitted synthetic organic colours and natural organic colours used in cosmetics | 20 | ppm | calculated as lead |
| total mercury (tHg) | Cosmetics intended for use only in the area of the eye | 70 | ppm | mercury calculated as the metal, preservative use |
| total mercury (tHg) | Other finished cosmetic products | 1 | ppm | unintentional mercury |
How tested
The rules include heavy metal, arsenic, and mercury as laboratory test categories in the fee schedule, but the extracted limit clauses do not prescribe a detailed analytical method.
Enforcement posture
The rules apply to imported, manufactured, sold, and distributed cosmetics in India. Non-compliant products may be treated as not of standard quality or unsafe under the Act and rules.
History of changes
The rules state that they come into force on publication in the Official Gazette. The local copy identifies G.S.R. 763(E), dated and published on 15 December 2020.
How it compares
The 20 ppm lead and 1 ppm mercury values align with the South Asian cosmetic-standard pattern represented elsewhere in the register. The arsenic trioxide value is intentionally not converted into elemental arsenic.
Sources
Update history
No substantive edit history is available in this build. The full commit record is available in git.