YONKERS, NY—Consumer Reports (CR) has again detected heavy metals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in popular braiding hair products in a follow-up investigation released today. This investigation builds upon CR’s initial 2025 reporting on synthetic braiding hair safety.
Braiding hair is widely used by Black women and girls for styles that may be worn for months at a time. Because braids are worn continuously and sometimes styled with heat, potential exposure can be cumulative.
“Consumers should be able to trust that the personal care products they use are safe, and the burden of safety should never fall on the people who use them,” said Alexandra Grose, senior counsel for sustainability policy at Consumer Reports. “We are continuing to advocate for immediate corporate accountability, transparent ingredient disclosure, and strong laws to improve the safety of braiding hair and other personal care products in an under-regulated industry”.
Key Findings from the Investigation
CR recently tested three samples each of 30 braiding hair products from 29 brands (90 samples total). The products included synthetic, plant-based, and human hair. The results highlighted safety gaps in the braiding hair industry:
- Lead was detected in 29 out of the 30 products tested. The nine human hair products contained significantly higher lead levels than the other categories.
- All of the products contained VOCs, including acetone, a respiratory irritant, and low levels of carcinogens (toxins that may be linked to cancer).
- Brands that make claims about safety or quality of ingredients contained contaminants, too, although at sometimes lower levels than many other products tested.
- Cleaner options are possible: No heavy metals were detected in Dosso Beauty Hypoallergenic Kanekalon Fiber Braiding Hair.
CR’s findings align with a recent Silent Spring Institute study of 43 hair extension products, which uncovered 48 toxic chemicals—such as phthalates and flame retardants—in all but two samples.
“During this testing effort, we identified products that had smaller amounts down to undetectable amounts of the heavy metals. This suggests that in the production of synthetic braiding hair, these products can be made without being contaminated with these potentially harmful chemicals,” said James E. Rogers, PhD, director and head of product safety testing at CR, who also highlighted that in the 2025 report, seven out of 10 products came back negative for benzene, a known carcinogen that can cause acute myeloid leukemia.
Industry Response to CR’s Evaluation
When contacted for comment, several brands outlined steps to improve their testing protocols while others challenged CR’s methodology. Crucially, the investigation showed that brands with products that contain traces of these contaminants are committed to reducing them. In fact, braiding hair brands like Dosso Beauty, New Village Braid, and Rebundle have been allies in these efforts, actively supporting and championing the introduction of more policy into this highly unregulated market.
CR Advocates for Personal Care Product Safety
Because there is a lack of federal oversight of braiding hair, CR has launched a petition calling on braiding hair companies to take meaningful action by examining their supply chains, rigorously testing their products for heavy metals and other chemicals, and publicly disclosing the results.
To ensure a safer marketplace, CR is advocating for legislation at both the state and federal levels. In New York, CR is championing the Beauty Justice Act (S.2057A / A.2054A), which would ban some of the most toxic chemicals from personal care and beauty products sold in the state. Federally, CR supports the Safer Beauty Bill Package, a suite of four bills aimed at removing the most toxic chemicals from personal care products, increasing ingredient transparency, and funding research to protect women of color and salon workers who face disproportionate exposure risks.
“The New York Legislature must act now to protect New Yorkers from toxic ingredients in everyday personal products”, Grose adds. “We’re hoping that CR’s testing spurs the personal care and beauty product industry to do better. In 2009, the European Union banned over 1,300 toxic ingredients from cosmetics and personal care products—it continues to update that list as more ingredients are found to be unsafe. Meanwhile, the U.S. has banned 11. Since manufacturers are already making products that comply with European regulations, if they say it can’t be done in the U.S., we just don’t buy it—literally and figuratively.”
Join the Virtual Forum and Take Action
Consumers should not bear the brunt of an unregulated market; they deserve protection through corporate accountability and robust regulation. CR is hosting a virtual forum, “Safety of Braiding Hair: What CR Tests Found,” on Tuesday, February 24, at 7 p.m. ET. The event will feature CR testing experts, partner organizations, and advocates discussing the path forward.
Consumers can join the movement by signing CR’s petition to call for industry transparency and safer alternatives.
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Media Contact: Emily Akpan, emily.akpan@consumer.org