Comparative study of heavy metals content in cosmetic products of different countries marketed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

The study was undertaken in order to determine heavy metal content in fifteen (n = 15) cosmetics products both imported and locally manufactured by unauthorized company marketed at district Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. An analytical test was performed for eight metals in cosmetics products using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The overall mean (n = 15) concentration for each heavy metal was analyzed i.e. Pb, Cd, Cu, Co, Fe, Cr, Ni, Zn were 141.6 ± 0.016, 0.238 ± 0.001, 26.62 ± 0.012, 0.527 ± 0.002, 860.8 ± 0.061, 0.074 ± 0.002, 0.674 ± 0.002 and 268.6 ± 0.086 μg/g, respectively. The results of our study revealed that the concentrations of Fe, Zn, Pb and Cu in the samples within each class under investigation were higher. It also emphasize that the spurious nature of these products cannot be ignored because most of the developing and under developed countries are facing the problems to manufacture good cosmetics products. Hence, are selling these products under the brand name of well reputed national and international companies. Since no safe limit relating to cosmetic products is available in Pakistan, it is therefore difficult to ascertain if the values of metals obtained in this study are too high or low. Prolonged use of such products containing these elements may pose threat to human health and could curb the beauty of the environment.