Heavy metals
Mercury
Banned in European Union, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, South Africa, Rwanda and Minamata Convention countries; also banned in Nigeria.
Why it matters
Mercury in skin creams and soaps can irritate the skin and damage the nerves and kidneys.
What to look for on the label
Mercurous chloride, calomel, mercuric, mercurio, quicksilver, hydrargyri. Some fake creams do not list it at all.
Full name: Mercury and mercury compounds
Country by country
Ghana: Banned in cosmetics in Ghana.
Around the worldBanned in European Union, United Kingdom, United States, Canada, South Africa, Rwanda and Minamata Convention countries; also banned in Nigeria.
Why: Mercury in skin creams and soaps can irritate the skin and damage the nerves and kidneys.
| Place | Status |
|---|---|
| Nigeria | bannedSchedule A prohibited agent; only an unavoidable trace is allowed (Bleaching Agents Regs 2019) |
| European Union | bannedAnnex II #221, except special cases in Annex V (eye-product preservatives); 2009 text |
| United Kingdom | bannedAnnex II #221; only thiomersal/phenylmercuric salts allowed, in eye products at max 0.007% Hg (Annex V) |
| United States | bannedOnly as eye-area preservative at max 65 ppm, or an unavoidable trace under 1 ppm (21 CFR 700.13) |
| Canada | bannedHotlist prohibited: mercury and its compounds, including thimerosal and phenylmercuric salts |
| South Africa | bannedMercury and salts prohibited; thiomersal/PMA preservative max 65 mg/kg eye make-up (R.1227) |
| Rwanda | bannedProducts with mercury are on the Rwanda FDA prohibited list (Ministerial Order 20/38, 2016) |
| Minamata Convention countries | bannedCOP-5 removed the 1 ppm limit; Parties must stop production, import, export and sale of mercury-added cosmetics |
Sources: NAFDAC Bleaching Agents Regs 2019 (PolicyVault copy) · Reg 1223/2009 Annex II as adopted (legislation.gov.uk) · UK Cosmetics Reg Annex V (legislation.gov.uk) · eCFR 21 CFR 700.13 · Health Canada Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist · SA Regulation R.1227 (1988, amended) · Rwanda FDA prohibited cosmetics list (Sep 2023) · Minamata Convention: mercury in cosmetics. Checked 2026-10-19; rules change, so check the regulator before relying on it.
Is it in your product?
Paste the ingredient list, scan the barcode or read it from a photo. The check flags mercury and anything else worth knowing.
Read next
Education, not legal advice. Rules change: check with your country's regulator before relying on this.