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Beauty ingredient · Preservative / skin lightener

Mercury compounds

CAS
7439-97-6

Mercury salts found in some imported skin-lightening creams and, rarely, as an eye-area preservative (thimerosal).

  • Heavy metal compound
  • Skin-lightening agent
  • Expert review pending
Very high concern Level 4 of 4 How concern levels work

Banned or revoked by a major regulator, or classified by IARC as Group 1 or 2A at relevant exposure. The concern level sets how many points mercury compounds costs on a product’s receipt.

What the evidence says

  • Heavy metalRegulatory

    The FDA limits mercury in cosmetics to trace amounts (eye-area preservatives up to 65 ppm) and warns about mercury in skin lighteners; mercury is prohibited in EU and Canadian cosmetics. [1][2][3][4]

Evidence tiers say how sure the evidence is, separately from how much it matters. About evidence tiers.

Rules around the world

WhereStatusDetailsDateSource
United States Restricted Only trace amounts; eye-area preservative use up to 65 ppm (21 CFR 700.13). — [1]
European Union Banned Prohibited in cosmetic products (Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009). (entry 221), except listed preservative uses in Annex V. — [3]
Canada Banned Mercury and its compounds are prohibited. — [4]
California (US) Banned Not allowed in cosmetics from January 1, 2025 (AB 2762). Jan 1, 2025 [5]

“Banned” means explicitly prohibited or withdrawn after review; “not permitted” means never authorized there. We use each regulator’s own words.

Names GoodSwap recognizes on labels (15)
  • calomel
  • mercury
  • thimerosal
  • thiomersal
  • hydrargyrum
  • quicksilver
  • mercuric oxide
  • mercuric chloride
  • mercury compounds
  • ammoniated mercury
  • mercurous chloride
  • phenylmercuric borate
  • phenylmercuric acetate
  • phenylmercuric nitrate
  • phenyl mercuric acetate

Sources

  1. 21 CFR 700.13 Use of mercury compounds in cosmetics including use as skin-bleaching agents

    Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), U.S. Office of the Federal Register · Nov 29, 2016 · Law

    “The toxicity of mercury compounds is extensively documented in scientific literature.”

    ecfr.gov

  2. FDA Warns Consumers of Skin Products Containing Mercury and/or Hydroquinone

    U.S. Food and Drug Administration · Aug 24, 2026 · Regulator

    “There are no FDA-approved or legally marketed OTC skin lightening products.”

    fda.gov

  3. Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of 30 November 2009 on cosmetic products

    European Union (Official Journal) · Nov 30, 2009 · Law

    “cosmetic products shall not contain any of the following: (a) prohibited substances — prohibited substances listed in Annex II”

    eur-lex.europa.eu

  4. Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist: prohibited and restricted ingredients

    Health Canada · Aug 13, 2025 · Regulator

    “The following ingredients are only permitted in cosmetic products under the conditions of use specified below:”

    canada.ca

  5. California AB 2762 (2020), Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act (Health and Safety Code §108980)

    California Legislative Information · Sep 30, 2020 · Law

    “Commencing January 1, 2025, no person or entity shall manufacture, sell, deliver, hold, or offer for sale, in commerce any cosmetic product that contains any of the following intentionally added ingredients”

    leginfo.legislature.ca.gov