Is There Lead in Your Lipstick?

It's not just toys from China that contain lead. Believe it or not, it may be in your lipstick! Most women wear lipstick daily, and have never given a thought to whether it could poison them. More than half of 33 brand name lipsticks tested had detectable levels of lead. None of the lipsticks listed lead as an ingredient, but the levels ranged from 0.03 to 0.65 parts per million. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics had an independent laboratory test red lipsticks. One third of the lipsticks tested exceeded the U. S. Food and Drug Administration's 0.1 parts per million limit for lead in candy. Lipstick is ingested directly into the body, just like food, but there is no limit set by the FDA for lead in lipstick. Studies show that there is no safe level of lead. Applying lipstick several times a day, almost everyday, exposes women to significant risks. While licking our lips, eating and drinking, or even kissing, we can be exposed to the lead in lipstick. An often quoted statistic reports that women inadvertently eat about 4 pounds of lipstick in a lifetime.

Lead is a known neurotoxin, and it can cause speech problems, learning disabilities, and behavioral disturbances. It can interfere with child development and possibly cause miscarriage and infertility. A frightening fact is that lead does not break down in the body, but rather accumulates over time. It can increase aggression, cause anemia, seizures, and brain damage, as well as damage to the kidneys. Both male and female fertility is affected by lead, and it has even been linked to a delay in the onset of puberty. This is significant because many younger girls like to wear lipstick.

Stacy Malkan, author of the new book, "Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry" states, "The cosmetics industry needs to clean up its act and remove lead and other toxic ingredients from their products...Companies should act immediately to reformulate lead-containing products." The cosmetic industry refutes this information by saying that their products are safe.

If cosmetic companies can make products without lead, why aren't they doing it? For personal care products, consumer protection in the United States is lacking severely. Cosmetics are the least regulated products by the FDA. The FDA does not have the same regulatory authority over these products, as it does drugs and food. There is no premarketing approval required, with the exception of color additives. Even though the FDA has the right to remove products, once they are on the shelves, there is no one testing ingredients before marketing in a laboratory setting. Like the recent fiasco with toys containing lead paint, dangerous levels of chemicals or other ingredients in cosmetics, are often only discovered, after they have been used by the public, for a long period of time. (That's if they are discovered at all.) Cosmetic companies are the ones responsible for the safety of their ingredients and products. So you might say it's like the wolves guarding the hen house. Presently, the only response from the FDA is that it will "look into" the report that documented that 61% of the lipsticks tested contained lead. Their interests seem to be with the beauty industry, rather than in the protection of our citizens. It would be helpful if they would agree to test many lipsticks for lead, and release the information to the public. (They do inspect cosmetic manufacturing facilities in order to assure product safety.) Manufacturers are not required to register their cosmetic firms, file data on ingredients, or report cosmetic-related injuries to the FDA. They are encouraged to participate in the FDA's Voluntary Cosmetic Registration Program.

Of the 11 brands containing the most lead in the testing, 6 were made by the French company, Loreal. (This does not mean that all of Loreal's lipsticks contain lead, just that those tested did.) The company didn't apologize, or offer to get the lead out of their products. Instead they defiantly stated that they stand behind their products. While so many of the cosmetic companies insist that they have the answer to aging, and are able to take years off of our complexion, few seem to have any idea about how to make products without ingredients that cause brain damage or reproductive problems.

Sadly, consumers are exposed needlessly to dangerous ingredients in shampoo, lotions, lipsticks, makeup, deodorants, and other personal care products. Manufacturers have the ability to make lead free products, and consumers should demand that they do. Many lipstick manufacturers do make their products without lead, and should be commended for doing so. It is important to contact your cosmetic company and voice your concern about dangerous ingredients. Contact your governor and state legislators and encourage them to support endeavors to replace detrimental ingredients in cosmetics with safer alternatives. Make sure that your friends and family know of the risks, and encourage them to speak out by writing letters to the editor of their local newspapers, and by contacting government officials who can support needed legislation.

You will probably never feel the same about licking your lips again, and before you pucker up, consider that your sweetly colored kiss could also be poison.

Sources: http://www.safecosmetics.org/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/11/08/should-you-be-concerned-about-lead-in-lipsticks.aspx
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-206.html
http://continuumwellness.wordpress.com/2007/10/22/new-study-finds-lead-in-lipstick/