Öko-Test reveals: Heavy metals in face masks with mineral earth

Created: 10/21/2022 5:14 p.m

They are available with mineral earth or in the peel-off version with plastic: cleansing masks for the face that are intended to ensure a fine complexion.

But sometimes there are also harmful substances in it.

Cologne - plastic beats mineral earth in the magazine "Öko-Test".

The consumer advocates examined a total of 25 facial cleansing masks in their November issue - including 14 face masks with mineral clay and ten so-called level-off masks.

The latter masks contain the plastic polyvinyl alcohol.

This turns into a removable layer on the skin of the face - and was rated "very good" or "good" by the testers in nine out of ten cases.

The testers only found the artificial musk scent Galaxolid in one product, which can accumulate in the fatty tissue of the lower layers of the skin.

Here the ecological test verdict was “unsatisfactory” – especially since formaldehyde was also found in the mask, which according to the official classification can cause cancer, according to the testers in their verdict.

Peeling masks cover the face like a second skin.

(Iconic image) © Wassilis Aswestopoulos/imago

Öko-Test uncovers: Traces of heavy metals in masks with mineral earth

However, out of a total of 14 masks with mineral clay, four failed as “insufficient”, three received the verdict “inadequate”.

The reason: they are contaminated with harmful heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium or lead.

In its inorganic form, arsenic and cadmium are carcinogenic, and lead is toxic.

The heavy metals can occur naturally in clay, medicinal or mineral soils.

According to the tester, traces of it are therefore permissible – if they cannot be avoided technically.

However, eleven of these 14 masks tested also exceeded one or more limit values ​​specified by the Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) for this case.

Manufacturers still have a lot to do to reduce the amount of potentially harmful substances in their cleansing masks. 

Öko-Test in November issue 2022

According to the testers, this does not mean that the products automatically pose a health risk to consumers.

Nevertheless, their conclusion is: "The levels have to go down." Finally, four of the mineral earth masks were also rated "very good", all of them certified natural cosmetic products.

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