Will a New Bill Banning PFAS in Makeup Protect You in 2026?

A bill moving through statehouse committees would ban eleven "forever chemicals" from cosmetics sold in the state, according to reporting from Capitol City Now. If it becomes law, it would be one of the more specific efforts yet to keep PFAS out of products that go directly on your skin and lips. Here's what the bill actually does, why PFAS end up in makeup in the first place, and what you can do right now while lawmakers debate.

What Happened?

According to Capitol City Now, the legislation names eleven specific PFAS compounds and would prohibit their intentional use in cosmetic products manufactured or sold within the state. The report describes the bill as targeting "forever chemicals," the nickname for PFAS because they resist breaking down in the environment and can persist in the human body for years. The article doesn't detail an effective date, enforcement mechanism, or whether the bill has cleared committee, so those specifics are still developing.

PFAS show up in cosmetics mainly for functional reasons, manufacturers have used certain PFAS compounds to make foundation and concealer more waterproof, to help eyeliner and mascara resist smudging, and to give lip products a smoother glide. That performance benefit is exactly why regulators are now scrutinizing the ingredient category.

Who Is Affected?

Anyone who buys pressed powders, liquid foundation, waterproof mascara, long-wear lip color, or similar products sold in the state could be affected if the bill passes. Cosmetics manufacturers and retailers doing business there would need to reformulate or pull noncompliant products from shelves.

This isn't happening in a vacuum. PFAS Authority's own scoring of 10,371 products found that 48% fail our PFAS and toxin screen overall, based on published ingredient lists, materials disclosures, and certifications rather than laboratory testing. That screening approach means our scores reflect what brands have, or haven't, disclosed, which is itself often revealing. Among the brands we track that disclose nothing about PFAS in their products, MAC stands out as a cosmetics name consumers may recognize; others in our database with similar disclosure gaps include Cuisinart, The North Face, T-fal, Calphalon, Nike, Columbia, and Patagonia, spanning cookware and outdoor gear as well as beauty.

Why Does This Matter?

Scientific studies have associated exposure to certain PFAS compounds with a range of health concerns, including effects on cholesterol levels, immune response, thyroid function, and reproductive outcomes, according to research summarized by agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. It's important to be precise here, these are associations observed in population studies, not proof that any single product or exposure causes a specific health outcome in an individual person. Researchers are still working to understand dose, duration, and which of the thousands of PFAS compounds carry the most risk.

What makes cosmetics a particular focus is proximity and frequency. Products applied to lips, eyes, and skin every day represent a different exposure pathway than, say, a rain jacket worn occasionally. Lip products in particular have drawn attention because anything applied to the lips can be ingested in small amounts over time.

What Should You Do Now?

You don't have to wait for legislation to make more informed choices. A few practical steps.

• Check for "fluoro" ingredients. Look for ingredient names containing "fluoro" or "perfluoro" on cosmetic labels, these are common markers of PFAS compounds in formulations.
• Be skeptical of "waterproof" and "long-wear" claims. These performance claims are sometimes achieved using PFAS, though not always, so they're a signal to check further rather than an automatic red flag.
• Look up products before you buy. You can search specific cosmetics and other household products using our product finder to see how they score on our PFAS and toxin screen.
• Understand how scoring works. Our methodology explains that we evaluate products using published ingredients, materials, and certifications rather than independent lab testing, so scores reflect disclosed information and known formulation patterns.
• Watch for brand transparency. Brands that publish clear PFAS-free certifications or detailed ingredient disclosures generally give consumers more to go on than those that stay silent on the topic.

Bottom Line

A pending bill would ban eleven named PFAS compounds from cosmetics in one state, adding to a growing patchwork of PFAS restrictions nationwide. Whether or not this specific bill passes, the underlying data suggests PFAS exposure through everyday products is common, our own screening found 48% of scored products fail on PFAS and toxin criteria. Products that carry a fluorinated ingredient or come from brands with no PFAS disclosure history deserve a closer look, and products that use fewer synthetic waterproofing agents or carry third-party PFAS-free certification represent a lower-concern choice, though no product can be flatly called "safe" absent full testing transparency.

FAQ

Does this bill mean all makeup with PFAS is already illegal?

No. According to Capitol City Now's reporting, the bill is still moving through the legislative process and targets eleven specific compounds; it has not been reported as enacted law, and existing products remain on shelves in the meantime.

How do I know if my makeup contains PFAS?

Check the ingredient list for terms containing "fluoro" or "perfluoro," look for brand disclosures or PFAS-free certifications, and use tools like our finder to check specific products against our screening database.

Are PFAS in cosmetics proven to cause harm?

Research has found associations between certain PFAS exposures and health effects such as cholesterol changes and immune impacts, according to agencies like the EPA and ATSDR, but this represents observed associations in studies, not confirmed causation for any individual product or user.