Last month, a Consumer Reports study found cancer-causing carcinogens in ten synthetic braiding hair brands, including Sensationnel and Shake-N-Go. After testing two samples from each, lead was detected in 9 out of 10 of the brands in addition to other volatile organic compounds (VOCs), like acetone and benzene. However, experts question whether the findings are cause for serious concern.
“They concluded all ten products contained levels of lead that exceeded the maximum allowable dose level as set by California, because there is no national level for this,” cosmetic chemist Javon Ford said in a TikTok video. “However the MADL (maximum allowable dosage level) they went off of is for drinking water, which is only based on oral exposure not dermal exposure.”
While you’re not eating your braids, exposure to harmful chemicals could come by using your mouth to separate strands, eating after touching the hair, or children putting braids in their mouth. And, although Ford claims he understands why Consumer Reports used the oral testing model, he disagrees with the validity of it.
“I don’t agree with it because, again, you’re not intentionally ingesting braids,” he said. Referencing a 2009 SGS SA report, the limit for lead allowed in lipstick is 5 PPM (which is the current limit in 2025), while none of the lead tested in the Consumer Reports braid samples exceeded 0.2 PPM. “You’re much more likely to ingest lead via lipstick than you are via hair.”
Lead is elemental, which means it is difficult to avoid in most products, and in reference to the synthetic hair findings, Ford says the lead tested is in “very conservative limits” while the VOCs, like benzene, is “far below the standard set by Osha for daily exposure.” It’s worth mentioning, however, the US isn’t known for having high health and safety standards in cosmetics, which has even led to a lawsuit against hair relaxer brands for causing cancer in almost 10,000 customers. The EU has stricter regulations, banning or restricting over 1,300 chemicals in cosmetics, while the US has banned fewer than 30.
The biggest concern in the study, according to Ford, is the level of acetone, even though we are often exposed to the chemical at the nail salon. Nevertheless, when synthetic braids are dipped in boiling water to seal the ends, the VOCs emitted can exacerbate respiratory issues. “Otherwise, I don’t find their findings cause for alarm because the levels are far below other things, like bentonite clay,” he said, an ingredient often used in skincare.
However, Ciara Imani May, founder of non-toxic plant-based braiding hair brand Rebundle tells ESSENCE she’s still concerned. “I’m concerned the chemicals are present, but I’m not surprised,” she says. According to Rebundle, one in three wearers will experience scalp irritation from the toxins in plastic synthetic hair. “It’s fair to look at those test results and feel anger or disappointment that there’s no safe level of consumption of lead.”
Some hair stylists are even resorting to washing synthetic hair in apple cider vinegar to prevent their clients from having skin reactions. “I recently braided my hair and I had to take it out because I was getting an allergic reaction,” one TikTok hairstylist says. “My armpits, my belly, my neck, itching, itching, itching. And even my clients have been saying they need the hair pre-rinsed.”
Having conducted an independent study years ago, Rebundle found similar toxins as Consumer Reports and have been using their platform to educate why alternatives should exist. Using regenerative materials, Rebundle braiding hair is 97 percent bio-based made from banana fiber and designed to replicate textured hair. “Most synthetic hair is made out of plastic,” May says. “We take a more careful approach to sourcing ingredients that are skin safe.”
However, safe, reusable braiding hair comes at a price. “Price has been a conversation for us since the beginning,” she says. With one pack of Rebundle hair starting at 36 dollars, the price of synthetic hair is cheaper and easier to access at a beauty supply store instead of ordering online. Although Rebundle is reusable and better for our skin, which can help justify the price, “we can’t compete with the price point of synthetic hair and aren’t trying to,” she says. “There’s quality and safety being sacrificed [to reach the low price] as we now know.”
