Assessment of volatile organic compounds and heavy metals concentrations in some Nigerian-made cosmetics Full Paper INTRODUCTION Skin is an effective barrier to the environment and any disturbances to it may lead to various skin prob- lems. Of the products applied to the skin, cosmetics are one. They are used to conceal imperfections such as spots, scars, eye shadows, redness of skin and to promote smoothness and skin clarity. They are also used to protect the skin, making it soft, beautiful, attractive, cleanse and change appearance its appearance [1-3] . They are used by millions of consumers worldwide, cutting across different socio-economic classes. They are made L.Azeez 1 *, M.D.Adeoye 1 , A.T.Lawal 1 , Z.A.Idris 1 , T.A.Majolagbe 1 , B.K.O.Agbaogun 2 , M.A.Olaogun 3 1 Industrial and Environmental Chemistry Unit, Chemical Sciences Department, Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun State, (NIGERIA) 2 Department of Chemistry, University of Ibadan, Oyo state, (NIGERIA) 3 Environmental Chemistry Unit, Environmental Accord Nigeria, Limited, Gbagada, Lagos State, (NIGERIA) E-mail: azeez012000@yahoo.com up of mixtures of ingredients such as emulsifiers, pre- servatives, thickeners, colour, fragrance and pH stabi- lizers. Undesirable side effects have been noticed to be caused by some of the ingredients used in cosmetics [4] . Various reports have established that heavy metals are present in cosmetics as a result of impurities in the pig- ments or are introduced by the metallic devices used during their production. Heavy metals and their com- pounds are water-soluble and sweat can promote their percutaneous absorption [5,6] . Levels of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, chromium, copper and nickel have been reported in soaps, powders, lipsticks, body KEYWORDS Heavy metals; VOCs; Medicated powder; Nail paint; Lipstick. ABSTRACT This study assessed concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and heavy metals in twelve (12) cosmetic products: medicated powder; talcum powder brands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, lipstick bands 1, 2, 3 and nail paint brands 1, 2 and 3 manufactured in Nigeria. Except nail paints 1, 2 and 3 which were acidic, other products were alkaline. None of them had the pH suitable for skin suggesting that they could significantly affect the func- tions of the skin. Fe, Zn, Cu, Cr, Cd and Pb were present in the products. Their presence especially Cr, Cd and Pb which have no biological uses raises questions about the safety of the products. Formaldehyde, toluene, trichloroethene and tetrachloroethene were all present in the cosmetic prod- ucts analyzed. High concentrations of formaldehyde and toluene espe- cially in the lipsticks and nail paints call for concern because they are carcinogenic and neurotoxic. There is need to have standards for heavy metals and VOCs in cosmetic products to ascertain their safety.  2013 Trade Science Inc. - INDIA Trade Science Inc. ACAIJ, 12(12) 2013 [443-448] An Indian Journal Volume 12 Issue 12 Analytical CHEMISTRY Analytical CHEMISTRY ISSN : 0974-7419