Maryland has 1 cosmetics ingredient law we track, naming 25 substances.
Md. Code, Health-General § 21-259.2 (definition of cosmetic: § 21-101(e)) · first date: January 1, 2025
“(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, a person may not knowingly manufacture, sell, deliver, hold, or offer for sale in the State a cosmetic product that contains any of the following intentionally added ingredients:”Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
“That this Act shall take effect January 1, 2025.”Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
“That this Act shall take effect July 1, 2026.”Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
“(12) LEAD (CAS NO. 7439–92–1); OR”Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
Cosmetic products: any substance or component applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering appearance (Title 21 definition of 'cosmetic'); soap is excluded. Applies to 'intentionally added' ingredients; incidental ingredients (21 C.F.R. 701.3(l)) are not 'ingredients'. No leave-on/rinse-off distinction. Leave-on and rinse-off products.
Soap: Soap excluded. Health-General § 21-101(e)(2), which defines 'cosmetic' for all of Title 21, says it does not include soap. § 21-259.2 itself uses 'cosmetic product' and does not define it; soap is not defined.
“(2) “Cosmetic” does not include soap.”Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
Sell-through: None in the text.
Standard is 'knowingly' and 'intentionally added'. Exemption for technically unavoidable trace quantities (impurity, manufacturing process, storage, packaging) when the product was made through a process intended to comply. No sell-through period, no small-business exemption, no retailer exemption. Original act (2021 ch. 490, HB 643, enacted without the Governor's signature May 30, 2021) had no enforcement section of its own. From 2026-07-01 (2026 chs. 283 and 284, cross-filed SB 656 / HB 1533, both approved April 28, 2026): violation is an unfair, abusive or deceptive trade practice under the Maryland Consumer Protection Act (Commercial Law § 13-301(14)(xlix)); new § 21-259.2(d) private civil damages for actual harm, court may award treble damages, punitive damages if willful, and attorney's fees, 3-year discovery-rule limitation; new § 21-259.2(e) Maryland Department of Health may investigate complaints, enter and inspect premises, and sample products. Both chapters also direct MDH with the Attorney General to report a plan for a harmful-hair-chemicals fund by December 1, 2026 (the stand-alone fund section § 21-259.3 was struck by amendment in both chapters). LEAD: only ch. 284 (HB 1533) adds lead (CAS 7439-92-1) as item (12); ch. 283 (SB 656) does not. In ch. 284 a Senate Finance amendment struck the lead wording from the bill's purpose paragraph but not the lead item in the body; the chapter PDF shows the lead item unstruck (checked visually 2026-10-04) and the DLS revised fiscal note says the bill adds lead. How the two chapters are reconciled in the codified section is not yet shown: the MGA statute page retrieved 2026-10-04 still shows the pre-2026 text (no lead, no (d)/(e)). CAUTION for quote use: the .txt extractions of chs. 283/284 drop strikethrough formatting, so struck text (e.g. § 21-259.3 fund, § 6-226) appears in them as if enacted. Maryland's separate stand-alone PFAS law (SB 273 of 2022) is covered by another group and not recorded here.
“(2) “Ingredient” does not include an incidental ingredient, as described in 21 C.F.R. § 701.3(l).”Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
“(2) Contains a technically unavoidable trace quantity of an ingredient listed in subsection (b) of this section due to:”Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
“(e) (1) “Cosmetic” means any substance, or any component of a substance, that is intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed on, introduced into, or otherwise applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering appearance.”Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
“it is the intent of the General Assembly that this Act be construed in a manner that is consistent with the prohibition on the presence of the same intentionally added ingredients in cosmetics enacted by the European Union under European Parliament and Council Regulation No. 1223/2009”Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
“(XLIX) SECTION 21–259.2 OF THE HEALTH – GENERAL ARTICLE; OR”Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
“(D) (1) IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER PENALTIES UNDER THIS TITLE, A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS LIABLE FOR CIVIL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM ACTUAL HARM SUSTAINED BY THE INDIVIDUAL RESULTING FROM THE VIOLATION.”Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
“(I) TREBLE DAMAGES;”Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
“(II) IF THE VIOLATION WAS WILLFUL, PUNITIVE DAMAGES; AND”Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
“AN ACTION UNDER THIS SECTION MUST BE BROUGHT WITHIN 3 YEARS AFTER THE DATE ON WHICH THE PLAINTIFF DISCOVERED OR REASONABLY SHOULD HAVE DISCOVERED”Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
“THE DEPARTMENT MAY INVESTIGATE ANY COMPLAINT ALLEGING THAT A PERSON HAS VIOLATED THIS SECTION.”Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
“Approved by the Governor, April 28, 2026.”Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
“Approved by the Governor, April 28, 2026.”Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
“also adds lead (CAS no. 7439-92-1) as an additional prohibited ingredient in cosmetic products. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.”Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov
“On page 1, strike beginning with “prohibiting” in line 5 down through “lead;” in line 7”Source: mgaleg.maryland.gov