Scope
The loaded rows cover rule 39 limits for cosmetics imported or manufactured in India and permitted colours used in cosmetics. Product-specific BIS standards listed in the Ninth Schedule are separate companion standards and are not expanded here unless their values appear in this source.
Exact limit and units
| Metal | Matrix | Limit | Unit | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | Cosmetics intended for use only in the area of eye, as a preservative | not exceeding seventy parts per million (0.007 per cent.) | ppm / percent | calculated as the metal |
| Mercury | Other finished cosmetic products | unintentional mercury shall not exceed one part per million (1 ppm) | ppm | finished cosmetic product |
| Lead | Permitted synthetic organic colours and natural organic colours used in cosmetics | 20 | parts per million | calculated as lead |
How tested
The rules require cosmetics to comply with applicable BIS standards and recognize testing by approved laboratories. Rule 39 states the relevant concentration bases; this page does not expand the separate BIS method documents.
Enforcement posture
No cosmetic may be imported or manufactured unless it complies with the specifications and rule-level requirements. The rules provide licensing, inspection, testing, confiscation, and destruction mechanisms for nonstandard cosmetics.
History of changes
The Cosmetics Rules, 2020 were issued as G.S.R. 763(E) on 15 December 2020 under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. Later amendment rules are handled separately when they contain routeable HMI values.
How it compares
The broad mercury rows are finished-product limits. The lead row is a colourant impurity limit and should not be read as a finished cosmetic lead limit.
Sources
Update history
No substantive edit history is available in this build. The full commit record is available in git.