Does MAC lipstick have PFAS?
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Top-graded picks in the categories readers replace first, every one scored on the same rubric.
Aqua Pure
3M Aqua-Pure AP802B Whole House Filter Housing
- polypropylene filter housing, carbon/sediment cartridge
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial growth in spent cartridges
3 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
Aquasure
Premier Series 75 GPD Under Sink Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System
- RO membrane, carbon filters, stainless steel housing
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Bacterial and microbial growth in housing and filters
4 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
Avocado
Vegan Mattress
- organic cotton, natural latex, coconut coir, recycled steel coils
- The brand calls it PFAS-free, which we have not verified
- Heavy metals
2 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
MAC lipstick averages 69 out of 100 on PFAS Authority's PFAS and toxin screen across the 8 MAC lipstick products graded as of October 2026, above the 65 out of 100 median for the 10 other lipstick brands graded alongside it.
MAC lipstick averages Good on our four-band scale. 7 of the 8 we graded are worth buying. That is above 55% of the lipstick brands we grade.
PFAS Authority is a scoring system, not a laboratory. We do not test products ourselves. Grades are model-based, built from published ingredients, materials, certifications, brand disclosures and third-party lab results where they exist. See the rubric.
What MAC says and does about PFAS
In November 2023 CBC Marketplace lab testing found PFAS in two MAC products, Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 foundation and Stack Waterproof Mascara, including two PFAS that Canada restricts when used intentionally, found in two of the three MAC foundation samples. MAC told Marketplace it does not intentionally add PFAS as an ingredient to any of its makeup. MAC is also covered by the Center for Environmental Health’s 2022 court-enforceable settlement on intentionally added PFOA, and Ulta’s ingredient list for one MAC mascara includes PTFE.
- Independent testCBC Marketplace’s 2023 lab testing named MAC Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 in NC5 and MAC Stack Waterproof Mascara in black among five makeup products found to contain PFAS. CBC News ↗
- Independent testTwo fluorotelomer alcohols that Canada restricts when used intentionally were found in two of the three MAC foundation samples. CBC News ↗
- Brand statementMAC told Marketplace it does not intentionally add PFAS as an ingredient to any of its makeup, and that it constantly reviews the latest safety and environmental data on its products. CBC News ↗
- Legal caseThe Center for Environmental Health’s March 2022 court-enforceable settlement with Estée Lauder names MAC among the brands whose foundations and concealers will not contain intentionally added PFOA or ingredients known to degrade to it. Center for Environmental Health (archived page) ↗
- MaterialsUlta’s ingredient list for MAC In Extreme Dimension 3D Volumizing Black Lash Mascara includes PTFE. Ulta Beauty ↗
- Regulatory filingA Proposition 65 notice of violation filed with the California Attorney General named MAC Mineralize Concealer in NC42, by UPC, as an example of a product alleged to expose consumers to perfluorooctanoic acid. A 60-day notice is an allegation by the filing group, not a finding. Center for Environmental Health, notice filed with the California Attorney General ↗
- Regulatory filingAn earlier notice over makeup foundation and concealer listed Make-Up Art Cosmetics Inc. among the responsible parties. Center for Environmental Health, notice filed with the California Attorney General ↗
- Regulatory filingIn January 2026 Estee Lauder Cosmetics Ltd. was fined $750,000 at the Ontario Court of Justice over eyeliner products that listed perfluorononyl dimethicone as an ingredient, which Environment and Climate Change Canada describes as a PFAS. The release names the Canadian company, not MAC specifically. Environment and Climate Change Canada ↗
Sources checked October 1, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.
MAC lipstick worth buying Good or better, best-graded first
MAC
Frost Lipstick
- wax, oils, pigments, emollients (typical lipstick base)
- Lead, Lipstick pigments, especially iron oxides, synthetic organic dyes, and mica, can carry trace heavy…
3 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
MAC
Sleek Satin Lip Set
- liquid/cream lipstick with standard pigments and emollients
- Fragrance allergens and sensitizers, MAC lipsticks typically contain fragrance compounds, which can trigger…
2 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
MAC
M·A·C MAC Macximal Sleek Satin Lipstick
- wax, oils, pigments, talc-based blends
- Fragrance allergens and sensitizers, Macximal Sleek Satin lipsticks are lightly scented; full fragrance…
2 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
MAC
Cosmetics MACximal Silky Matte Lipstick
- wax, oils, pigments, standard cosmetic binders
- Heavy metals, MAC lipsticks use FDA-approved colorants, but independent testing occasionally detects trace…
3 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
MAC
Lipstick Matte
- Wax, oils, pigments, talc
- Talc contamination with asbestos or respirable particles, Talc in cosmetics carries a theoretical risk of…
3 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
MAC
Macximal Silky Matte Lipstick
- Lipstick wax blend, silica, pigments
- Heavy metals, Synthetic color additives (FD&C reds, yellows, browns) used in dark or warm matte shades may…
4 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
MAC
Powder Kiss Hazy Matte Lipstick
- pigments, waxes, oils, film-formers in lipstick base
- Lead, Lipsticks are low-ingestion-risk products, but MAC does not publish independent heavy-metal testing…
3 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
Graded and flagged Poor and Bad, we’d swap these
MAC
Locked Kiss 24HR Lipstick
- pigments, waxes, film-forming polymers with waterproof binder
- Heavy metals, MAC does not publish pigment sourcing, testing protocols, or heavy metal limits. Synthetic…
3 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
Find an alternative on AmazonBetter lipstick from other brands
Graded higher than the MAC average of 69.
Burt's Bees
Suede Splash Lipstick
- Wax, oils, pigments, beeswax base
- Fragrance allergens (essential oils, fragrance compounds)
2 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
Charlotte Tilbury
Hot Lips Lipstick
- Wax, oils, pigments, and traditional cosmetic binders
- Lead
3 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
Coty
(2 pack) Coty Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick, 0.14 oz
- pigments, waxes, oils in lipstick base
- We found no PFAS statement from the brand
- Formaldehyde / VOCs
3 hazards checked on this product. See all of them.
The same question, asked of the other lipstick brands
Best average grade first. MAC averages 69.
See every MAC product we grade on the MAC brand page, or the full lipstick ranking.