A new study has found mercury in fairness creams and chromium and nickel in lipsticks.

About half of the 73 national and international brands of popular cosmetics contain high levels of toxic heavy metals, a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report said.

The tests found mercury in 44% of the fairness creams, chromium and nickel, both carcinogens, in 50% and 43% of the lipstick samples respectively.

Fairness creams Aroma Magic Fairy Lotion, Olay Natural White and Pond's White Beauty were the top three with high mercury content.

Hearts & Tarts-080V, Lancome L'Absolu Nu-204 and MAC So Chaud-A82 had high chromium content.

The top three lipstick brands with high nickel content were Lancome L'Absolu Nu-204, Hearts & Tarts-080V and MAC So Chaud-A82.

Mercury is universally recognized as a neurotoxin and is extremely toxic and chromium is carcinogenic, and their use in cosmetics is prohibited in India.

Chandra Bhushan, CSE deputy director general and head of the lab said that this sector has extremely weak regulations and almost no enforcement of the laws that exist which is why some companies are getting away with flouting the law.

However, lead and cadmium were not found in any cosmetic productsl.