PFAS in Cosmetics: FDA Report Finds Safety Data Gaps for Most Chemicals

A federal review of the 25 most common PFAS added to cosmetics concluded that safety could not be confirmed for many of them.

By Noor Rahimi · 3 min read

Shoppers reading cosmetic ingredient labels in a bright store aisle — PFAS in Cosmetics: FDA Report Finds Safety Data Gaps for Most Chemicals

The Food and Drug Administration published its Report on the Use of PFAS in Cosmetic Products and Associated Risks on December 29, 2025, and concluded that it lacks sufficient data to determine the safety of most PFAS intentionally added to cosmetics. Per the FDA, the review covered the 25 most frequently used PFAS in cosmetics sold in the United States, a group the agency estimates accounts for roughly 96 percent of all PFAS deliberately added to these products.

BEAUTYISE publishes information, not medical advice. Regulatory findings describe how ingredients are assessed at the agency level, not how any single product will behave on any single person, and they are not a diagnosis or a treatment recommendation.

What did the FDA actually find?

Of the 25 PFAS reviewed, the agency judged that 5 posed low safety concern under intended conditions of use. For the remaining chemicals, per the FDA press announcement of December 29, 2025, the agency identified significant data gaps and could not make a safety determination. The report also flagged one substance as a potential concern, per legal analyses of the document. The agency noted that the review covered only intentionally added PFAS, not trace amounts that can enter products through manufacturing or packaging contamination.

Where do PFAS show up in beauty products?

PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are synthetic chemicals that repel both water and oil, which is why formulators have used them to make long-wear foundation, waterproof mascara, and certain dental flosses glide and last. The same durability that makes them useful is why they persist in the environment and in the body, earning them the nickname "forever chemicals." The FDA report does not ban any ingredient and does not require an immediate formula change; it documents what the agency knows and, more often, does not yet know.

What happens next?

Per the FDA, the report fulfills a requirement under the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act, the 2022 law that expanded federal oversight of cosmetics. The agency said it will continue to evaluate emerging data and did not announce restriction timelines in the December 29, 2025 release. Some states have already moved to limit PFAS in cosmetics on their own, so shoppers may see reformulated products regardless of federal action.

What this changes for your routine

Nothing in this report requires you to throw anything away, and the FDA did not say the products it reviewed are unsafe. For a beginner building a routine, the practical takeaway is simpler: if long-wear and waterproof claims matter less to you than ingredient transparency, you can check ingredient lists for "fluoro"-containing names, which usually signal PFAS, and choose formulas without them. Brands are already marketing PFAS-free lines, and clearer federal data should eventually make those labels easier to trust.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are PFAS banned in cosmetics in the US?

No. As of the FDA report published December 29, 2025, there is no federal ban on PFAS in cosmetics. The agency found sufficient data to judge only a handful of the 25 most common PFAS, judged five to be of low concern, and said it will keep reviewing new evidence. Some individual states have passed their own restrictions.

Should I stop using waterproof mascara now?

The FDA did not conclude that products with PFAS are unsafe, so there is no regulatory reason to discard what you own. If you prefer to avoid these ingredients, look at the ingredient list for names containing "fluoro" and pick a formula labeled PFAS-free. Comfort and wear time matter too, so switch only if it suits your routine.

What are PFAS, in simple terms?

PFAS are man-made chemicals designed to repel water and oil. In cosmetics they help makeup last longer and resist smudging. They break down very slowly, which is why they accumulate in the environment and are called forever chemicals, and why regulators want better safety data on them.

Does the FDA report cover contamination in products?

No. Per the FDA, the December 2025 report addressed only PFAS intentionally added as ingredients. Trace amounts that enter products through equipment, packaging, or raw material contamination were outside its scope, and the agency handles those cases separately.

Sources

Report publication date, scope of 25 PFAS, 96 percent estimate, five low-concern findings, data gaps — FDA press announcement: FDA Finds Insufficient Data to Determine Safety of PFAS in Cosmetic Products