We “officially” tested our first cosmetic product for Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic, & Mercury using cosmetics-specific laboratory testing: Story and 2025 Lab Report Here

ByTamara Posted: Updated:
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Published: March 2, 2025, Sunday

A Not-so-Quick Note (and a bit of a story) from Tamara Rubin:

As many of you know, I almost never use cosmetic products (if I do use them, I use them very rarely). I am currently 55 -years-old and — as I have aged, and as my priorities have shifted — my position on the use of cosmetics products has evolved and changed.  When I learned (c. 2012) that my favorite tinted lip balm (in the exact reddish brown color I used — “merlot”) tested positive for unsafe levels of Lead that pretty much put the last nail in the coffin for cosmetics for me personally. That “revelation” is included in my documentary film, linked here.

Fast forward to 2024 and I connected with an amazing person — her name is Miranda.

Miranda and I have too much in common in some ways, and absolutely nothing in common in other ways. She has four sons. I have four sons. Her four sons are about 12 years apart (from oldest to youngest). My four sons are about 12 years apart from oldest to youngest. Her eldest son is from a different dad, and my eldest son also has a different bio-dad from his brothers. She was also about the same age as I when she had her first kiddo, and around the same age as I too when she had her fourth! She grew up spending time on her grandmother’s farm and my kids grew up spending time on my mother’s (their grandmother’s) farm. Her non-toxic journey kicked into high gear when her mother was diagnosed with cancer and mine did as well (with my mother’s diagnosis and passing). We have so much in common, but she’s 14 years younger than me! 

Perhaps the most important thing we have in common is that she and I are also both environmental activists, committed to environmental sustainability in our work and businesses, committed to protecting the Earth (and the resources of “Mother Nature”), committed to healthy living, and committed also to protecting women and children from exposure to environmental contaminants (now and for future generations).

I first learned about Miranda’s business (her history of environmentally-focused work and what she was up to in the world) last winter, when she started following me on Instagram (of all things!). She founded a cosmetics company called “Kora Organics.” When I went to visit her at her home last summer she gifted me a goodie bag with all of the different products from her cosmetics line. Charlie (my youngest son) tried the facial scrub and loved it. My boys also tried her new sunscreen and they did well with it … yay! (We don’t usually use sunscreen as a family because my kiddos can get life-threatening hives from sunscreens and other topical ointments.) While getting to know Miranda a bit, I learned all about her company and products (and her commitment to meeting the highest standards for safety and efficacy) and was very intrigued even though I don’t personally use cosmetics!

Since shortly after we first connected, Miranda has been a generous supporter of the work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC — even personally sponsoring the testing and reporting for quite a few of the products we have sent to the lab this past year (including contributing to many of our crowd-funded campaigns for product testing)!

I am so thankful that her support of this work — and specifically her involvement in Lead Safe Mama, LLC’s community-collaborative laboratory testing initiative — made it possible for us to test many products that we otherwise might not have had the resources to test.

As a simple “thank you” to her, I decided  —  without her knowledge, as a surprise — to purchase and test one of her skin care line products and publish the results, sharing them with all of you.

I think it is really important to highlight a few key points:

  • The most important point I try to reiterate in every article I write is that all relevant federal agencies agree there is no safe level of Lead exposure for human beings.
  • It is also important to note that the LEGAL LIMIT of LEAD in cosmetics (from the United States, our federal FDA standard) is 10 parts per million (10 ppm).
    • Ten parts per million is 10 thousand (10,000) parts per billion (ppb).
    • This is not a health-protective standard — it is an industry-protective standard (limiting manufacturer liability).
  • In January of 2025 the State of Washington’s new Toxic-Free Cosmetics Act went into effect/ became enforceable.
    • The Washington State limit is stricter than the FDA limit.
    • This stricter regulatory standard (which is more protective of human health than the FDA standard, but still not perfect) limits the allowable amount of Lead in cosmetics to ONE Part Per Million (one thousand parts per billion).
  • Given the context of the above points, is very important to understand that the Kora Organics cosmetics products could LEGALLY test positive for levels of Lead up to those thresholds (1,000 to 10,000 ppb), however this first Kora Organics product that we sent to the lab for testing did not test positive for Lead!
    • In fact, this is such exciting news to share because it tested NON-DETECT (effectively negative) for Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, and Arsenic — with a low threshold of detection of 5 parts per billion for each of these metals.

This little gift/ experiment of mine could have backfired!

The Kora Organics product we tested (the Noni Glow Face Oil) could EASILY (and legally) have tested positive for Lead.

Cosmetics are often positive for high levels of many toxicants, and the cosmetics industry is simply not sufficiently regulated to be protective of human health, which is one of the reasons Miranda started her business. She wanted women to have access to skin care products that were truly clean, safe, and “nontoxic” (in spite of the lack of appropriate regulation in this industry).

Below are some screenshots from her website:

Over the years I have tested several cosmetics products (using XRF technology, which tests in ppm) that have tested positive for VERY HIGH levels of toxicants  (Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic, etc.), so I know for a fact the test results for the Noni Glow Face Oil product from Kora Organics are not common — they are the exception and not the rule.

Even if the Kora Organics Noni Glow Face Oil product had been positive for low levels of Lead under the above noted regulatory thresholds it would be fully legal — however the lab report for this product (see the full lab report below) actually came back “non-detect” for Lead and other toxicants! The test results for the Kora Organics product we tested are a CLEAR INDICATION that Miranda walks the talk with her company (and serves as a wonderful example that other companies could actually follow)!

In light of the previous cosmetics testing we have completed, linked above, I find this quite impressive.

In my experience, there are very few companies that have a publicly stated commitment to high standards for ingredient safety that actually live up to the language in their marketing materials (as confirmed with independent, third-party testing). I am so thrilled to have science clearly demonstrate that Miranda’s commitment to safe skincare is more than “skin deep.”

In Conclusion…

In thanks for Miranda’s support of the work of Lead Safe Mama, LLC, I wanted to test this product for her (as a bit of a gift to her, not sponsored in any way) and then share the results with all of you. I was hoping and praying the test results would come back clean (a new addition to our list of safer product choices!) — and they did! While we have only tested ONE product from Kora Organics so far (the Noni Glow Face Oil), that product definitely has my (unofficial) seal of approval as a safer choice (it’s only “unofficial” as I have vowed never to create an actual official “Lead Safe Mama Seal of Approval” — lol). We have added this product to our safer choices list  (scroll down!), which is now up to 52 safer choices (including this one)!

I hope to test more products from Kora Organics soon, and will share those results with you when I do. Here’s our Amazon affiliate link to the product we tested: https://amzn.to/43hy2XO — the full lab report is at the bottom of this page. If you would like to avoid Amazon and purchase it directly from her site (we have no affiliate relationship with Kora Organics),  here’s that link, too!

Click here to see the full list of all the products we have tested using independent, third-party, community-funded laboratory testing (with the links to the lab reports for each of those products).

The full lab report for this product is at the bottom of this article.

As far as safer choices for foods and supplements go, we have a few lists on our food and supplement testing landing page (linked here) that you may find helpful in making safer choices for your family. We even have one dedicated to safer snack choices here. You may also find this link helpful, as it takes you to our most recently updated safer choices list of 50 lab-tested safer foods and supplements!

Please check out our open/ not-yet-funded campaigns on GoFundMe if you would like to support some of our additional independent, crowd-funded, third-party laboratory testing. Thank you!

For those new to the Lead Safe Mama website:

Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her four sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005).

This is an ad-free article.

Advertising and affiliate income help Lead Safe Mama, LLC cover the costs of the work we do here (independent consumer goods testing and childhood Lead poisoning prevention advocacy). We have removed ads from most of our more widely-read articles (and newly published articles, too — like this one!) to make them easier for you to read. In addition to supporting this work by starting any shopping you might be doing with a click on our affiliate links, if you would like to support the independent consumer goods testing and childhood Lead poisoning prevention advocacy of Lead Safe Mama, LLC by making a contribution (which will also help us keep our more widely-read articles ad-free), click here. Thank you!

 

Are you interested in seeing MORE safer choices?

Below is an expanding list of products (foods, supplements, cosmetics, and personal care items) that tested “non-detect” for Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, and Arsenic with independent, third-party, community-funded laboratory testing coordinated by Lead Safe Mama, LLC (an Oregon-based small business with a unique community-collaborative business model and a focus on consumer goods safety and childhood Lead poisoning prevention). The product examples below clearly demonstrate that companies can manufacture safer choices (at least from the perspective of a concern for heavy metals contamination).
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The limits of detection (low-threshold of detection) for each of the metals tested are noted in the lab report for the specific product listed. To see the full original lab report for any of these products, type the brand name into the search bar at the top of any page on Lead Safe Mama dot com (and scroll down to the bottom of the related article). All our published lab reports are also linked here, on our lab testing landing page.
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Flavors (or specific variations) tested are noted, and other flavors of the same product (or other products from the same brand) have either not been tested or have been tested but did not yield similar results. Test results only apply to the specific products linked below.

Products on our “safer choices” list are retested periodically (annually or more frequently, as funding permits). If a product no longer tests clean, it is removed from the list.

LIST UPDATED — June 4, 2025
Now at 68 products + 6 “bonus” options. Scroll down to see all 74 Lab-tested Safer Choices:
  1. Baby Food — 1 — Little Spoon Kale, Carrot + Pear BabyBlends
  2. Baby Food — 2 —Little Spoon Butternut Squash + Blueberry BabyBlends
  3. Baby Food — 3 — Little Spoon Sweet Potato BabyBlends
  4. Baby Food — 4 — Little Spoon Sweet Potato + Carrot BabyBlends
  5. Baby Food — 5 — Little Spoon Banana + Pitaya BabyBlends
  6. Beverage — 1 — Honest Kids Organic Appley Ever After Apple Juice Drink: https://amzn.to/4fjGhov
  7. Beverage — 2 —  Olipop Grape Tonic: https://amzn.to/4cjFYZu
  8. Breakfast Cereal — 1 — Nature’s Path Envirokidz Organic Panda Puffs: https://amzn.to/4fo1crf
  9. Breakfast Cereal — 2 — Nature’s Path Envirokidz Organic Corn Puffs Gorilla Munch: https://amzn.to/3FHZCDO
  10. Candy — 1 — Cavendish & Harvey Wild Berry Drops, not organic (Germany): https://amzn.to/3Z1Jxjr
  11. NEW! Candy — 2 — Haribo Gummy Bears** (Made in Germany, Not USA Produced): https://amzn.to/3FCGVlu
  12. Candy — 3 — Lindt White Chocolate Bar (Made in USA, New Hampshire): https://amzn.to/3OXkyIm
  13. Coffee & Tea — 1 — Chameleon Handcrafted Organic Cold Brew Concentrate: https://amzn.to/3OcrH77
  14. Coffee & Tea — 2 —Tao of Tea Organic Genmaicha (Tamara’s favorite, from Japan, sold by a Portland, Oregon-based company!): https://amzn.to/3Dp8Fsd
  15. Coffee & Tea — 3 — Califia Farms Almond Latte Cold Brew (XX Espresso): https://amzn.to/4gTTGoJ
  16. Coffee & Tea — 4 — Death Wish Organic Espresso Roast Ground Coffee (Multi-country origin, non-USA): https://amzn.to/3yo1eiL
  17. Cosmetic— 1 — Babo Botanicals Sensitive Baby Lotion: https://amzn.to/3YmKxy1
  18. Cosmetic — 2 — Kora Organics Noni Face Oil: https://amzn.to/43hy2XO
  19. Dairy — 1 — (cheese) — Babybel Mini Original Snack Cheese: https://amzn.to/3ZY5noO
  20. Dairy — 2 — (coffee creamer) —  Organic Valley Grassmilk Half and Half: https://amzn.to/4fHJIWT
  21. Fruit Snack — 1 — (bar) — Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars in Raspberry Lemonade Flavor: https://amzn.to/3XcFsIp
  22. Fruit Snack — 2 — (bar) —Pure Organic Layered Fruit Bars in Strawberry Banana Flavor: https://amzn.to/3WQEekA
  23. Fruit Snack — 3 — (pouch) — Costco’s Kirkland Organic Apple Sauce Pouch: https://amzn.to/4gOYpZ9
  24. Fruit Snack — 4 — (pouch) — GoGo Squeez Organic Apple Sauce Pouch: https://amzn.to/3XhWYLe
  25. Fruit Snack — 5 — (pouch) — Once Upon A Farm Dairy Free Fruit Smoothie Pouch in Strawberry Banana Swirl Flavor: https://amzn.to/3CPMbAw
  26. Infant Formula — 1 — Bobbie Organic Gentle Infant Formula Milk-Based Powder with Iron (pink and white can): https://amzn.to/3YYb849 
  27. Infant Formula — 2 — Bobbie Organic Infant Formula Milk-Based Powder with Iron (green and white can): https://amzn.to/3VOr4Vy
  28. Infant Formula — 3 — Bobbie Grass-Fed Milk-Based Powder with Iron (green can): https://amzn.to/3ZlAaeJ
  29. Infant Formula — 4 — ByHeart Infant Formula (USA-made, not organic): https://amzn.to/48DJjTb
  30. Infant Formula — 5 — HiPP Bio Combiotik Infant Formula Powder, Stage 1 (imported)
  31. Infant Formula — 6 — HiPP HA Stage PRE (0+ Months) Combiotic Formula  (imported)
  32. Infant Formula — 7 — Holle Bio Goat Stage 2 Infant Formula (for 6-10 months, organic, European — Swiss/ German/ Austrian) is not available on Amazon, but the Stage 3 version of this product is (not yet tested, but will likely test similarly): https://amzn.to/3BVU7zI
  33. Infant Formula — 8 — Kendamil Goat Infant Formula (not organic): This product may be available at Target (it is not available on Amazon)
  34. Infant Formula — 9 — Kendamil Organic Follow-On Milk (European/ British Toddler Formula, for 6-12 months, Cow Milk): Not available on Amazon 
  35. Infant Formula — 10 — Kendamil Whole Milk Infant Formula (from Europe, pink can, not organic), available at Target
  36. Infant Formula — 11 — Kendamil Organic Infant Formula (Cow Milk): Not available on Amazon but may be available at Target
  37. Ingredient — 1 — (baking flour) — Jovial Organic Einkorn Flour (Italy): https://amzn.to/3LIqxix 
  38. Ingredient — 2 — (beans) — Jovial Organic Chickpeas, Product of Italy: https://amzn.to/4iRON1l
  39. Ingredient — 3 — (vinegar) — Napa Valley Naturals Organic Red Wine Vinegar (California): https://amzn.to/4jWhHOg
  40. Oil — 1 — (avocado) — Chosen Foods 100% Avocado Oil (not organic): https://amzn.to/3YDZSuv
  41. Oil — 2 — (coconut) — Dr. Bronner’s Regenerative Organic Coconut Oil: https://amzn.to/40xwBmv
  42. NEW! Oil — 3 —  (olive) — Bryan Johnson BluePrint Snake Oil Olive Oil** (not organic): https://amzn.to/4mMieUj
  43. Oil — 4 — (perilla seed) —  Dr. Adorable’s Organic Perilla Seed Oil (Korea): https://amzn.to/3NDt7Yc
  44. Plant-Based Milk — 1 — (coffee creamer) — Laird Superfood Coconut Creamer: https://amzn.to/4fItA7A
  45. Plant-Based Milk — 2 — (plant milk) — Kiki Milk Organic Plant-Based Milk (original flavor): https://amzn.to/3AA6Qrt
  46. Plant-Based Milk — 3 — (soy milk) — West Soy Unflavored Unsweetened Organic Soy Milk: https://amzn.to/4dwev8l
  47. Salt — 1 — Jacobsen’s Sea Salt (Oregon, USA): https://amzn.to/4dcbk5L
  48. NEW! Salt — 2 —Maldon Sea Salt Flakes**: https://amzn.to/4iTzWTE
  49. NEW! Salt — 3 — Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt** : https://amzn.to/4cVQMiy
  50. Seeds — 1 — (chia) —Navitas Organic, Gluten-Free Chia Seeds (Mexico): https://amzn.to/3YvE7xC
  51. Seeds — 2 —  (hemp) — Costco Kirkland Organic Hemp Seeds: https://amzn.to/4e05RP9
  52. Supplement — 1 — (adult) — Doctor’s Best Vitamin C with Q-C: https://amzn.to/4hlVvea
  53. Supplement — 2 — (adult) —Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Fish Oil: https://amzn.to/48q1j2V
  54. Supplement — 3 — (adult) — Pectasol Modified Citrus Pectin, Formulated in the USA: https://amzn.to/3QUmZfN
  55. Supplement — 4 — (adult) — Pendulum Metabolic Daily Dietary Supplement: https://amzn.to/4gY5wOm
  56. Supplement — 5 — (kids) —Baby Ddrops, Organic Vitamin D3 Supplement for Babies: https://amzn.to/49C3ktH
  57. Supplement — 6 — (kids) — Mary Ruth’s Organic Toddler Multivitamin Liquid Drops with Iron: https://amzn.to/3YPhcgx
  58. Supplement — 7 — (kids) —Mary Ruth’s Organic Toddler Elderberry Liquid Drops: https://amzn.to/42617TU
  59. Supplement — 8  — (kids) — Nordic Naturals Kids Vitamin D3 Gummies (Ages 3+): https://amzn.to/4l7117a
  60. Sweetener — 1 — (sugar) — Anthony’s Organic Granulated Cane Sugar: https://amzn.to/4jf6vLv
  61. Sweetener — 2— (xylitol) — Espure Organic Xylitol: https://amzn.to/3GsCSrU
  62. Sweetener — 3— (xylitol) —Now Real Food Granulated Xylitol: https://amzn.to/4cNWDpM
  63. Toothpaste — 1 — Fluoride-free Orajel Kids Training Toothpaste in Natural Berry Fruity Flavor with Elmo Sesame Street Packaging: https://amzn.to/41wxtrY
  64. Toothpaste — 2 — Fluoride-free Miessence Mint Toothpaste: https://amzn.to/4bJc4PO
  65. Toothpaste — 3 — Dr. Brown’s Fluoride-free Baby Toothpaste in Strawberry Flavor: https://amzn.to/3DCehzZ
  66. Toothpaste — 4 — Pegciz Kids Foam Toothpaste in Watermelon Flavor, Low Flouride (packaging varies, see report): https://amzn.to/3YzP68e
  67. Toothpaste — 5 — Kid’s Spry Fluoride-free Tooth Gel with Xylitol in Original Flavor: https://amzn.to/41GZb4e
  68. Toothpaste — 6 — Fluoride-free Essential Oxygen BR Certified Organic in Peppermint Flavor: https://amzn.to/4lARZ2J

**Lab reports pending/ Not yet published as of 6/4/2025

Here’s a link to our landing page featuring all the third-party lab reports for the foods, supplements, and cosmetic products we have published to date, including those listed above: https://tamararubin.com/2024/05/food-articles/

Stand by for more!

BONUS: Below are SIX additional products that each tested positive for trace (very low levels of) Arsenic — at levels considered safe by all standards (with the limits of detection noted in the lab report for the specific product listed).

  1. Infant Formula — Kendamil Goat Toddler Milk, not organic (positive for traces of Arsenic): May be available at Target or through other online retailers of European infant formulas
  2. Ingredient — Maseca Instant Corn Masa Flour, Product of Mexico (positive for traces of Arsenic):  https://amzn.to/4iR8qWN
  3. Fruit Snack —  That’s It Apple Cherry Bars, not organic (positive for traces of Arsenic): https://amzn.to/4fHkSWV
  4. Oil — Chosen Foods 100% Pure Avocado oil, organic (postive for traces of Arsenic): https://amzn.to/3BVQYQa
  5. Supplement — (adult) —  Now Sunflower Lecithin, not organic (positive for traces of Arsenic): https://amzn.to/3AFdHzO
  6. Supplement — (adult) —  WishGarden Immune Boost Seasonal Rescue for Pregnancy: https://amzn.to/3Cd940N

Amazon links are affiliate links. 

To see more articles related to the laboratory testing of foods, supplements, and cosmetics that Lead Safe Mama, LLC is conducting (including background on this initiative and safer food choices and guidelines), click the pink square below. To see the full, independent, third-party laboratory report for the product pictured above, please scroll down to the bottom of this page.

Amazon links are affiliate links. If you purchase something after clicking on a Lead Safe Mama, LLC Amazon affiliate link, Lead Safe Mama, LLC may receive a percentage of what you spend, at no extra cost to you.

Lab report for the product pictured above:

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3 Comments

  2. I’m sorry if this is a silly question, but whenever a product tests to be “safe by all standards”, does that mean that a different size of the same item still qualifies? I guess I am thinking of different equipment being used for different sizes. And i’m referring to ANYTHING that tests safe (food, toothpaste, skin care, etc.). Again i’m sorry if it’s silly to ask, but my brain works a lot different than most peoples

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