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Poison Kiss: Lead in
Lipstick
Women are being warned that some lipsticks could contain lead. The
warnings come in the wake of a U.S. ruling that a class action suit can
proceed against luxury goods giant LVMH, the manufacturer of Dior Addict
Positive Red lipstick, which has been found to contain lead.
The lipstick was among dozens of lipsticks found to contain lead when
the U.S. group Campaign for Safe Cosmetics commissioned an independent
laboratory to test lead levels in 33 brand-name lipsticks.
Sixty-one percent of the lipsticks tested had detectable lead levels.
One-third of the lipsticks exceeded accepted U.S. levels of lead for
products that are ingested. The Dior lipstick was found to contain more
than twice as much lead as is allowed.
Sources:
Last year
it was revealed that many lipsticks sold in the United States contain
lead. And these were not off brands from a discount store, either.
More than half (61 percent) of 33 name-brand lipsticks tested in
September 2007 contained lead levels ranging from 0.03 to 0.65 parts per
million (ppm). And one-third of them had more lead than the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration’s 0.1 ppm limit for lead in candy.
It may sound shocking, but the FDA has not set a lead limit for
cosmetics, including lipstick!
Yes, you put it directly on your lips. And yes, you ingest it when you
wear it (the average women ingests 10 pounds of lipstick in a lifetime).
But it can contain as much lead as the manufacturers see fit, and it
doesn’t have to say so on the label.
Among the U.S. lipsticks with the highest lead levels were:
ü
L’Oreal
Colour Riche “True Red” –- 0.65 ppm
ü
L’Oreal
Colour Riche “Classic Wine” –- 0.58 ppm
ü
Cover
Girl Incredifull Lipcolor “Maximum Red” –- 0.56 ppm
ü
Dior
Addict “Positive Red” –- 0.21 ppm
I think
names like “Toxic Red” or “Maximum Lead Red” would be more fitting,
don’t you?
The issue has surfaced again in the media because it was recently ruled
that a class-action lawsuit against LVMH, the manufacturer of Dior
Addict Positive Red lipstick, can proceed.
It will be interesting to see how the case turns out, considering that …
It’s Not Illegal for Lead to be in Your Lipstick
I’m not one for increased government intervention, but come on.
What exactly is the point of having a “Food and Drug Administration” if
they are not going to make sure that toxic substances are kept out of
the products you put on your lips or slather all over your body?
And when it comes to toxins, lead is certainly at the top of the list.
Studies have found that there is no safe level of lead, and since it
does not break down in your body you will accumulate it for a lifetime.
According to the
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, which conducted the lipstick study last
year:
“Lead is a proven neurotoxin that can cause learning, language and
behavioral problems. Lead is also linked to infertility and miscarriage.
Pregnant women and young children are particularly vulnerable to
exposure because lead easily crosses the placenta and enters the fetal
brain, where it interferes with normal development.”
Lead in your lipstick may come from one of two places: colorants, which
may contain lead, or as byproducts from ingredients obtained from raw
materials like petrolatum, mineral oil and paraffin. The only limit that
the FDA has established is for FD&C color additives that are sometimes
used to color lipstick, and these are allowed to contain 10-20 ppm of
lead!
Anything Goes When it Comes to Cosmetics
Lead is just the beginning of the toxins that exist in your makeup and
cosmetics. It says right on the
FDA’s Web site:
"The regulatory requirements governing the sale of cosmetics are not as
stringent as those that apply to other FDA-regulated products...
Manufacturers may use any ingredient or raw material, except for color
additives and a few prohibited substances, to market a product without a
government review or approval."
This is not so in many other regions such as the European Union, which
banned the use of chemicals that may cause cancer, mutation or birth
defects. Apparently the FDA has no problem with these, because they get
the green light here in America.
Ingredients to watch out for include:
ü
Paraben, a chemical found in underarm deodorants and other
cosmetics that has been shown to mimic the action of the female
hormone estrogen, which can drive the growth of human breast tumors.
Phthalates, plasticizing ingredients (present in nearly
three-quarters of 72 products tested by the Environmental Working
Group), which have been linked to birth defects in the reproductive
system of boys and lower sperm-motility in adult men, among other
problems.
ü
Mercury, used in mascara, gels, and even eye drops, this metal can
damage your brain function. Look for it listed as “thimerosal.”
ü
Musks, used as fragrances, can accumulate in your body, and have
been linked to skin irritation, hormone disruption, and cancer in
laboratory studies.
ü
Artificial fragrances, which are among the top five known
allergens, and can cause asthma and trigger asthma attacks.
Fragrances can also contain neurotoxins and cause hormone
disruption.
ü
Petroleum byproducts, used in makeup, shampoo (even baby shampoo),
face creams and more, these chemicals have been linked to cancer.
ü
Methylisothiazolinone (MIT), a chemical used in shampoo to
prevent bacteria from developing, which may have detrimental effects
on your nervous system.
Are Any Lipsticks Safe?
Your cosmetics should be just as pure as the food you eat because
ultimately they both end up in the same place: your body. Look for
products that actually list their ingredients, and then accept only
those with items you recognize.
Good
News: Neways True Touch Cosmetic line is totally free of lead and
any other toxic ingredient! I am just beginning to promote this safe
cosmetic line in the salons I work with.
Click Here if you want information about True Touch Cosmetics
or
contact me –
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Revised:
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