Tampax Pearl Tampons Super
Summary
Tampax Pearl Tampons Super scores 31/100. Independent lab testing cited in Barton v. The Procter & Gamble Company (active litigation) detected ~0.480 µg lead per tampon at Super absorbency. Ingredients per packaging: cotton, rayon, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, glycerin, paraffin, ethoxylated fatty acid esters, PEG-100 stearate, titanium dioxide — plus plastic applicator and LeakGuard braid. Rayon/cotton core is non-organic; synthetic channeling fibers and TiO₂ in prolonged internal contact. OEKO-TEX Standard 100; fragrance-free. Owned by Procter & Gamble.
At a glance
Contaminants 1
Source: Independent third-party laboratory testing
Lead 0.48 µg per tampon Moderate
Detected at a moderate level — a meaningful fraction of health-based exposure limits, worth factoring in for regular use. No safe level of lead exposure exists per CDC, AAP, and WHO; for an internally-worn product this is weighted more strictly than a food-contact trace.
Lead detected at ~0.48 µg per tampon in independent lab testing cited in Barton v. The Procter & Gamble Company (active litigation).
Key ingredients 5
Rayon + Cotton Blend (Non-Organic)Bad
Rayon is a semi-synthetic fiber derived from chemically processed wood pulp. Its manufacturing can produce trace levels of dioxins and furans. The cotton is not organically grown, meaning potential exposure to pesticide residues including glyphosate, which has been detected in conventional cotton tampons in peer-reviewed studies.
See more about Rayon + Cotton Blend (Non-Organic) →Polypropylene + Polyethylene (Synthetic Fibers in Body)Bad
Synthetic plastic fibers woven into the tampon body for fluid channeling and smooth removal. These are in prolonged contact with vaginal mucosa for 4-8 hours per use. Organic cotton tampons achieve the same function without synthetic fibers.
See more about Polypropylene + Polyethylene (Synthetic Fibers in Body) →Titanium DioxideBad
Classified as a suspected carcinogen (EU Category 2). Used as a cosmetic whitener — purely aesthetic, providing zero functional benefit in a tampon. Unnecessary additive in a product with prolonged internal contact.
See more about Titanium Dioxide →Ethoxylated Fatty Acid Esters + PEG-100 StearateBad
Two ethoxylated ingredients that carry contamination risk from 1,4-dioxane, a probable human carcinogen and byproduct of the ethoxylation manufacturing process. Present in a product with prolonged vaginal mucosal contact where absorption rates are significantly higher than skin.
See more about Ethoxylated Fatty Acid Esters + PEG-100 Stearate →Paraffin Wax + Glycerin
Petroleum-derived paraffin wax and glycerin used as processing aids. Lower-priority concerns compared to the ethoxylated ingredients and TiO2, but petroleum derivatives where natural alternatives exist.
See more about Paraffin Wax + Glycerin →Get the full breakdown in the Scout app
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