Is Lead Acetate safe in cosmetics?
Lead Acetate has a safety rating of "POOR" in our database. EU status: prohibited. US status: prohibited.
Lead Acetate
Also known as: Lead(2+) acetate), Plumbous acetate, Acetic acid, lead(2+) salt, Acetic acid, lead(2 +) salt, Acetic acid lead(2+) salt (+7 more)
INCI: LEAD ACETATE
Lead Acetate (CAS 301-04-2) is a cosmetic cosmetic ingredient functioning as Historically used as hair darkening agent in progressive hair colorants via. EU Regulation 1223/2009 status: prohibited; GHS signal word DANGER. Industrial safety data is also available in the chemical safety database. Same-CAS public records also appear in industrial chemical safety and food safety data.
View industrial chemical safety profile for CAS 301-04-2 →
Auto-generated CPSR Part A draft with source citations
Cross-Vertical Regulatory Divergence
Lead Acetate is prohibited in EU cosmetics but has active industrial GHS classifications (H351, H360, H360Df, H362, H373, H400, H410, H315).
Source: Cosmetics: ingredients.eu_status; Chemicals: ghs_classifications.signal_word/hazard_statement_code
Function
Historically used as hair darkening agent in progressive hair colorants via gradual lead deposition on hair shaft; now prohibited in most jurisdictions
Safety Rating
POOR
Chemistry & Identifiers
IUPAC Name
lead(2+) diacetate
InChIKey
GUWSLQUAAYEZAF-UHFFFAOYSA-L
Regulatory Status
EU EU Status
prohibited
US US Status
prohibited
US Notes
FDA banned lead acetate in hair dye products effective October 2019. Previously permitted at ≤0.6% for rinse-off hair dyes only. No longer permitted in any cosmetic formulation in the US. California Prop 65 listed substance.
For full compliance data across multiple jurisdictions, use the Substance Compliance tool.
Safety Data
Margin of Safety, dermal absorption, and sensitization profile summaries for Lead Acetate.
Calculate MoS for your specific formulation with the MoS Calculator.
GHS Hazard Classification
Globally Harmonized System classification per ECHA C&L inventory and ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Cards.
Signal Word
DANGER
Pictograms
CancerHealth hazEnviroAqua
Hazard Statements
Suspected of causing cancer May damage fertility or the unborn child May cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects
Short-term Exposure Effects
The substance is irritating to the eyes. The substance may cause effects on the blood and central nervous system. This may result in haemolytic anaemia, nervous disorders and kidney impairment. The effects may be delayed. Medical observation is indicated.
Long-term Exposure Effects
The substance may have effects on the blood, bone marrow, cardiovascular system, kidneys and nervous system. This may result in anaemia, increase of blood pressure, paralysis, kidney impairment and behavioural effects. This substance is possibly carcinogenic to humans. Causes serious reproductive toxicity in humans.
Routes of Exposure
The substance can be absorbed into the body by inhalation and by ingestion.
EU CLP Annex VI Harmonized Classification
Legally binding harmonized classification per Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 (CLP) Annex VI.
Signal Word
Danger
Pictograms
Health HazardEnvironmental Hazard
Hazard Class and Category
Repr. 1A; STOT RE 2 *; Aquatic Acute 1; Aquatic Chronic 1
Hazard Statements
- H360Df
- H373 **
- H400 Very toxic to aquatic life
- H410 Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects
Inserted via ATP: CLP00
Endocrine Disruptor Evidence (Expanded)
Cross-referenced EDC classifications, mechanism data, and dose-response evidence from EDLists, SIN List, and cosmetic-specific detail sources.
Cosmetic-Specific Mechanism
Category: heavy metal
Receptor targets: ERα, TR, GPER, steroidogenic enzymes
LOEC: 1 µM
EU status: banned in cosmetics (Annex II)
agonist (ERα via metalloestrogen); inhibitor (steroidogenic enzymes STAR, CYP17A1, HSD3B1)
Dose-Response Data Points
| Endpoint | Target | Value | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| ERE reporter gene; cell proliferation | ERa | EC50/IC50: EC50 ~10-100 uM (much weaker than Cd); LOEC: 10 uM; NOEC: 1 uM mixed | agonist (weak metalloestrogen) |
ECHA REACH Registration
European Chemicals Agency REACH dossier and Substances of Very High Concern listing.
Registration Type
Full
Tonnage Band
10 - 100 tonnes
Substance Type
SUBSTANCE; GROUP
SVHC Candidate
Yes (since 16-Dec-2013)
Hazard classification: Restricted (Annex XVII)
SVHC reason: Toxic for reproduction (Article 57c)
Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC)
Included: 16-Dec-2013
Toxic for reproduction (Article 57c)
Expanded Jurisdictional Detail
Additional regulatory detail beyond the 7-jurisdiction summary: Saudi SFDA, Korea MFDS, ASEAN ACD, Japan/Korea, Brazil/India, and cross-jurisdictional restriction entries.
Additional Jurisdictional Restrictions (6)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Max % | Product Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN | banned | - | - |
| AU | banned | - | all |
| BR | restricted | 0.6 (as lead) | Oxidative hair dye products only; max 0.6% as lead |
| BR | permitted_hair_dye | 0.6 (as lead) | Oxidative hair dye products only (Grade 2 registration required) |
| CA | banned | - | - |
| KR | prohibited | - | - |
Additional Ingredient Properties
6 property records from structured ingredient metadata.
depigmentation
{"cas_number": "301-04-2", "ingredient_class": "melanocyte_cytotoxic", "primary_mechanism_of_action": "Heavy metal toxicity; historically used; now banned globally", "secondary_mechanisms": "Variable", "molecular_target": "other", "tyrosinase_inhibition_IC50_uM": "varies", "tyrosinase_inhibition_type": "competitive", "melanin_reduction_pct_in_vitro": "25-45", "melanin_reduction_pct_clinical": "15-…
ecotoxicity
{"biodegradable": "no", "biodegradation_days": "non-biodegradable", "bioaccumulative": "yes", "aquatic_toxicity_level": "very-high", "coral_reef_safe": "no", "marine_toxicity": "extremely toxic", "freshwater_toxicity": "heavy metal accumulation", "soil_toxicity": "severe contamination", "endocrine_disruptor": "yes", "persistent_organic_pollutant": "yes", "microplastic": "no", "nano_particle": "no"…
hair_dye
{"cas_number": "301-04-2", "ingredient_class": "metallic_salt_dye", "chemical_class": "other", "molecular_weight_Da": "325.29", "color_result_on_hair": "Progressive dark brown-black", "shade_range": "brown", "primary_function": "direct_deposit", "requires_developer": "no", "deposit_only": "yes", "permanence": "progressive", "wash_fastness_shampoos": "15-20", "light_fastness": "excellent", "oxidati…
pediatric_safety
{"safe_for_newborn_0_6m": "avoid", "safe_for_infant_6_12m": "avoid", "safe_for_toddler_1_3y": "avoid", "safe_for_child_3_12y": "avoid", "safe_for_teen_12_18y": "avoid", "pediatric_max_concentration_pct": "0.0", "adult_max_concentration_pct": "banned", "pediatric_dermal_absorption_factor": "very high", "immature_skin_barrier_risk": "very high", "oral_ingestion_risk": "very high", "eye_irritation_ri…
regulatory
{"eu_status": "banned", "us_status": "banned", "eu_max_concentration": "0", "restricted_in": "all products", "regulation_reference": "Annex II/17"}
skin_suitability
{"oily_skin": "avoid", "dry_skin": "avoid", "sensitive_skin": "avoid", "combination_skin": "avoid", "normal_skin": "avoid", "acne_prone": "avoid", "rosacea": "avoid", "eczema": "avoid", "hyperpigmentation": "avoid", "aging_mature": "avoid", "dehydrated": "avoid", "skin_benefit_secondary": "toxic", "mechanism_of_action": "Neurotoxic, banned in cosmetics, accumulates in body", "evidence_level": "str…
PubChem Annotations
Safety and regulatory annotations from PubChem (NCBI) aggregated sources.
Safety (4)
Carcinogen Classification
Organic lead compounds are not classifiable as to their carcinogenicity to humans (Group 3). To the extent that organic lead compounds are metabolized in part to ionic lead, they are expected to exert the toxicities associated with inorganic lead (Group 2A, probably carcinogenic to humans). (L135)
Source: Toxin and Toxin Target Database (T3DB)
Evidence for Carcinogenicity
There is limited evidence in humans for the carcinogenicity of inorganic lead compounds. ... There is sufficient evidence in experimental animals for the carcinogenicity of inorganic lead compounds. There is sufficient evidence in experimental animals for the carcinogenicity of lead acetate, lead subacetate, lead chromate, and lead phosphate. There is inadequate evidence in experimental animals fo
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
ICSC Safety Card
0910
Source: ILO-WHO International Chemical Safety Cards (ICSCs)
Skin Eye Respiratory Irritation
Symptoms of exposure include irritation on the eyes, respiratory tract, and alimentary tract; headache, nausea, vomiting, colic, constipation, leg cramps, muscle weakness, paralysis, paresthesias, depression, dizziness, loss of consciousness, coma, and death.
Source: Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)
Expert Verdict
Expert safety assessment and concern-level summary for Lead Acetate.
Regulatory Flags
eu-prohibited
us-banned-2019
lead-compound
do-not-use
hair-dye-banned
prop-65-listed
systemic-toxin
endocrine_disruptor
prop65
Known Synonyms
Lead(2+) acetate)
Plumbous acetate
Acetic acid, lead(2+) salt
Acetic acid, lead(2 +) salt
Acetic acid lead(2+) salt
Caswell No. 523A
EINECS 206-104-4
EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 048001
NSC 75797
RCRA waste number U144
Unichem PBA
UNII-KL498O6790
Australian Status
AICIS status: listed
Cross-Vertical Safety Context
Same-CAS public records found in food safety data.
SOURCE
EFSA / FDA GRAS
food_additives
Food Safety Data
Same-CAS food additive or FDA GRAS records from the core public database.
Food Name
Lead acetate (Sugar of Lead)
Food Category
sweetener
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lead Acetate allowed in the EU?
Lead Acetate EU regulatory status: prohibited. This is based on EU Regulation 1223/2009 and its amendments.
What does Lead Acetate do in cosmetics?
Lead Acetate functions as: Historically used as hair darkening agent in progressive hair colorants via gradual lead deposition on hair shaft; now prohibited in most jurisdictions. It is classified as a cosmetic ingredient in our database. CAS number: 301-04-2.
Is Lead Acetate classified as hazardous under GHS?
Lead Acetate carries a GHS signal word of "DANGER". Hazard statements: Suspected of causing cancer May damage fertility or the unborn child May cause damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects. This classification is based on the ILO/WHO International Chemical Safety Card and ECHA C&L inventory data. Note: GHS classification applies to the pure substance — at cosmetic use concentrations, hazard thresholds may not be met.
Is Lead Acetate used outside cosmetics?
Lead Acetate also appears in industrial chemical safety and food safety data. The cross-vertical cards on this page render same-CAS public rows from the matched databases.
Does Lead Acetate have different safety status in cosmetics vs industrial chemicals?
Lead Acetate is prohibited in EU cosmetics but has active industrial GHS classifications (H351, H360, H360Df, H362, H373, H400, H410, H315).
Compliance Tools
Check Lead Acetate compliance across multiple jurisdictions:
Ingredient Decoder
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82 Allergen Checker
Check for EU declarable fragrance allergens
Substance Compliance
Check compliance across multiple jurisdictions
MoS Calculator
Calculate Margin of Safety using SCCS methodology
Heavy Metal Limits
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