Urban Decay | 24/7 Glide-On Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil | Shade: Zero – Black Matte | 0.04 ONZ
Waterproof cosmetics often use PFAS. Skip or contact Urban Decay directly.
The waterproof treatment remains undisclosed. Urban Decay provides no PFAS information. Waterproof cosmetics frequently contain PFOA or related fluorochemicals without transparency.
The safe swap
Ere Perez
Ere Perez Jojoba Eye Pencil Gem (lilac haze)
75/100 safety
Same rubric that flunked this product. The swap earned Excellent.
Still want this one anyway? Check the price on Amazon. We’d swap it.
Material
wax/pigment pencil with waterproof treatment (formulation undisclosed)
Brand disclosure
Brand is silent on PFAS
Lab data
No public lab test
What’s concerning
Waterproof / stain-resistant treatment
Water-repellent treatments have historically contained PFAS chemicals.
Category baseline
PFAS exposure happens more often with clothing products.
No PFAS disclosure
The company has not publicly discussed PFAS in this product.
PFAS
Waterproof eyeliners routinely use PFAS to achieve durability. Urban Decay does not disclose the waterproofing mechanism, and industry practice suggests PFAS is probable. This is graded separately but drives the overall verdict.
Source: ATSDR ↗Fragrance allergens and sensitizers
The product label does not specify fragrance or allergen disclosures. If the formulation includes fragrance compounds, eye-area application increases risk of irritation or allergic contact dermatitis, especially in sensitive individuals.
Mechanical injury from pencil shape and sharpening
Pencil eyeliners carry an inherent risk of sharp particles or splintering if over-sharpened or used with pressure near the eye. This is a user-error hazard rather than a formulation defect, but is more common with this format than gel or liquid.
What’s reassuring
Heavy metals
No recalls or testing data for Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner showing lead, cadmium, or arsenic. Black pigments in cosmetics are often iron oxides or synthetic organics, which carry low inherent risk, but the brand does not publish heavy metal test reports.
Source: FDA ↗Formaldehyde / VOCs
No public evidence that Urban Decay uses formaldehyde releasers (e.g., quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin) in this product. Wax-based pencils typically do not require such preservatives, but ingredients are not fully transparent.
Source: ATSDR ↗The full breakdown
What it's made of and why it matters
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On is a wax-based pencil eyeliner with pigments and a waterproof treatment whose specific chemistry is not disclosed by the brand. The waterproof property is the safety concern: conventional waterproofing in cosmetics often relies on fluorochemicals (PFAS) or silicone-based polymers to create water resistance on the eye area. The pencil format means direct application to sensitive mucous membranes and potential for particles or wax transfer into the eye.
The brand's record and disclosure
Urban Decay does not publicly disclose waterproofing agents in this product or provide ingredient-level transparency beyond the label. The brand has no known certifications for heavy metal screening, PFAS-free formulation, or independent safety auditing. No significant recalls or safety controversies specific to this eyeliner are on record, but the company's silence on waterproofing chemistry is notable given industry-wide PFAS use in long-wear cosmetics.
How it compares in its category
Waterproof eyeliner pencils are high-risk for PFAS exposure because water resistance typically requires persistent fluorochemicals or synthetic polymers. Brands like Fiona Stiles, RMS Beauty, and some drugstore lines (e.g., Maybelline) offer non-waterproof or PFAS-transparent alternatives. Urban Decay's formulation sits in the middle of the market: widely used, no major safety alerts, but zero transparency on the waterproofing agent that poses the main hazard.
If you buy it
Sharpen before each use to avoid bacterial growth in the barrel; do not insert the pencil deeply into the eye or tear duct. Replace every 3 months or if the tip becomes rough (risk of corneal irritation). Avoid use if you have sensitive eyes or contact lens wear; waterproof formulas are harder to remove and may cause irritation. Contact Urban Decay directly to ask whether the waterproofing agent contains PFAS; their silence is a red flag.
What we don’t know
- Basis
- Model estimate, 42% confidence, not a lab result
- Lab test
- None on record for this exact product
- Brand statement
- Urban Decay has made none
Formulations change between production runs, so check the current label. How we grade.
Safer alternatives in Eyeliner
MAC
Chromaline Gel - Hi-Def Cyan
gel pigment formulation (primary ingredients not publicly disclosed for proprietary reasons)
Heavy metals
Limited concern
Formaldehyde / VOCs
Limited concern
1,4-dioxane (contaminant in polyethylene glycol or emulsifiers)
Limited concern
Eye irritation from film formers or fragrance compounds
Moderate concern
Lower concern, but brand doesn't disclose full formulation details.
⚠Risky category by default
Ere Perez
Jojoba Eye Pencil Gem (lilac haze)
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Fragrance allergens
Limited concern
Microorganism growth in oil matrix
Limited concern
Eye irritation or sensitization from wax/oil breakdown
Limited concern
Lower concern. Natural formula shows no PFAS risk signals.
⚠Risky category by default
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JOJOBA EYE PENCIL Natural Black
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Fragrance allergens or essential oil irritants
Limited concern
Microbial or oxidative degradation of oil base
Limited concern
Lower concern. Natural formulation unlikely to contain deliberate PFAS.
⚠Risky category by default
More eyeliner grades
How we score: every product runs through the same public 0–100 rubric based on materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls. See the full methodology → Spotted a mistake? Report an error.