Background & Objectives: Cadmium and lead are the common environmental contaminants used in various cosmetic products.  The aim of this study was to determine concentrations of cadmium and lead in hair dye and lipstick marketed in Kermanshah.

Methods: In this study, 300 samples were taken from six different brands of lip gloss and four different brands of hair color with the highest sales rate in Kermanshah city. Concentrations of lead and cadmium were measured by AAS and reported as μg/kg of dry weight.

Results: Concentrations of lead were higher than cadmium levels found in the cosmetics. The lead and cadmium concentrations in lipsticks ranged from 211.71 to 429.19 µg/kg and 25.11 to 68.25 µg/kg, respectively. Lead and cadmium concentrations in hair color were in the ranges of 57.69-76.42 µg/kg and 7.91-14.58 µg/kg, respectively. The highest concentration of lead and cadmium were found in American lipstick and the lowest concentration was measured in Iranian and Italian hair colors. Cadmium and lead concentrations in different brands of lipstick and hair color were significantly different (p<0.001).

Conclusion: The concentrations of cadmium in cosmetics were higher than the recommended levels. Given the health risks of these metals, comprehensive interventions are necessary to increase community awareness on hidden dangers of cosmetics to promote health and to enforce regulatory and legal actions.