A concerning new investigation by Consumer Reports has uncovered toxic chemicals in synthetic braiding hair products widely used by Black women. The report, released in March 2025, tested 10 popular synthetic hair brands and found alarming levels of carcinogens and heavy metals—especially lead—in nearly all samples.
What the Testing Found
The analysis included brands like Sensationnel, Magic Fingers, and Shake-N-Go. Nine out of 10 products contained lead, a metal that can cause lasting harm to the brain, nervous system, and reproductive health. Several also contained volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as benzene and methylene chloride—chemicals linked to cancer, hormonal disruption, and respiratory illness.
These findings are especially troubling given how braiding hair is typically worn for long periods and in close proximity to the scalp, increasing the potential for chemical absorption.
Health at Risk, Culture Under Threat
For Black women and femmes, protective styles like box braids, twists, and cornrows are more than beauty. They are cultural practice, political expression, and everyday survival. But this latest report makes clear that our go-to hair products may be silently compromising our health.
Dr. Jasmine McDonald, an epidemiologist at Columbia University, told AP News that we need both awareness and accountability. “Our hair is beautiful and worthy of adornment without risking our health,” she said. “The industry must do better.”
Regulatory Blind Spots
Hair care products marketed to Black consumers have long been under-regulated. The FDA currently does not require manufacturers to test synthetic hair for safety before going to market. Ingredient labels are also not mandatory for synthetic hair, making it difficult for consumers to make informed choices.
To address this, Consumer Reports has launched a petition urging the FDA to regulate synthetic hair and enforce full transparency in labeling. You can support the petition here.
Looking Ahead: Toward Safer Solutions
Some brands, like Rebundle, have emerged to offer non-toxic, biodegradable alternatives to traditional synthetic braiding hair. But cost and access remain barriers for many Black consumers who rely on mainstream options sold in beauty supply stores.
Until structural changes are made in product safety regulation, the burden falls—yet again—on Black women to protect ourselves.
Our Health is Non-Negotiable
This moment calls for more than alarm; it calls for action. Black women deserve hair products that are safe, transparent, and made with care for our health and culture.
Regulators must act. Manufacturers must be held accountable. And as a community, we must keep pushing for the truth—and for justice at the root.
