Ingredient Index

Is Mercury banned in Europe?

Banned in EU

Yes: mercury and its compounds are banned in EU cosmetics; the US allows only unavoidable traces below 1 ppm (with a narrow eye-area preservative exception), and the real danger in both markets is illegally imported skin-lightening creams.

CAS: 7439-97-6 Also seen as: Mercury compounds, Phenylmercuric salts, Calomel

What the EU does

Banned. Mercury and its compounds are prohibited in EU cosmetics under Annex II of the Cosmetics Regulation, with one antique exception that survives on Annex V: phenylmercuric salts as preservatives in eye makeup at up to 0.007%, a legacy allowance that modern formulators essentially never use. The Minamata Convention (the global mercury treaty) separately commits the EU (and the US) to banning manufacture and trade of skin-lightening cosmetics above 1 ppm mercury.

Mercury's appeal to rogue formulators is that it works: it suppresses melanin production effectively. It also accumulates in the kidneys and nervous system, which is why this is one of the least ambiguous prohibitions in the entire database.

Citation Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, Annex II (mercury); Annex V/17 (phenylmercuric salts ≤0.007%, eye area); Minamata Convention

What the US does

Effectively banned as an ingredient. Under 21 CFR 700.13, US cosmetics may contain mercury only as an unavoidable trace below 1 ppm, with the same narrow eye-area preservative exception (≤65 ppm as phenylmercuric salts, where no alternative preservative works), another legacy allowance modern products don't use.

The live problem is enforcement, not law: the FDA and state health departments repeatedly find imported skin-lightening and anti-aging creams (sold in ethnic groceries, markets, and online) containing mercury at thousands of ppm. Documented poisonings, including of household members who never used the cream, follow. This is the rare entry where the practical advice outranks the regulatory comparison.

Citation 21 CFR 700.13 (mercury in cosmetics)

Products that commonly contain it

Legal products are not the issue. Mercury turns up in:

Illegally imported skin-lightening creams (the dominant source, both markets)
Unlabeled "anti-aging" or "freckle" creams from informal sellers
Some traditional medicinal preparations
Antique mascaras (the historical phenylmercuric use; not on modern shelves)

What to look for on a label

The FDA's own checklist for spotting mercury creams is worth repeating:

"Mercurous chloride," "calomel," "mercuric," "mercurio," or "mercury" anywhere on a label: stop using it
No ingredient label at all, or labels not in English, on a lightening product sold informally: treat as suspect
Products promising dramatic lightening or "freckle removal" from unfamiliar brands deserve the most suspicion
Legal lightening actives (azelaic acid, vitamin C, kojic acid within limits) are labeled plainly

Or skip the squinting: paste the whole ingredient list into our checker and it flags everything in our database. Nothing you paste leaves your browser.

Frequently asked questions

Is mercury banned in cosmetics in Europe?

Yes: mercury and its compounds are on Annex II of the Cosmetics Regulation. A legacy 0.007% allowance for phenylmercuric eye-makeup preservatives exists on paper but is essentially unused.

Is mercury banned in US cosmetics?

As an ingredient, effectively yes: 21 CFR 700.13 limits it to unavoidable traces under 1 ppm, with a narrow legacy eye-area exception. Products above that are illegal, which is exactly what imported lightening creams routinely violate.

How do I know if a skin cream contains mercury?

Check for "mercurous chloride," "calomel," "mercuric," or "mercurio" on the label, and treat unlabeled lightening creams from informal sellers as suspect. The FDA recommends discarding such products in sealed bags and washing hands.

What does mercury in a cream actually do to you?

It absorbs through skin and accumulates, causing kidney damage, neurological symptoms (tremor, memory problems), and skin discoloration. Poisonings have been documented in family members of users, via contaminated surfaces, which is the reason health departments treat discoveries seriously.

Related ingredients

Primary sources

Last reviewed June 10, 2026 · How we assign statuses