Share Lead With a Kiss

Eco News Articles

Natural Health

Eco News

Estimates indicate that the average western woman consumes up to 1 kg of lipstick a year. Now that may sound gross by itself, but a recent article in Reuters revealed that more than half the lipsticks of popular brands such as L'Oreal, Cover Girl and Christian Dior actually contain lead.

Further to this, the Campaign for safe Cosmetics tested over 33 lipsticks and it was found that 61% contained detectable levels of lead (0.03 to 0.65 parts per million (ppm)).

While 0.03 ppm may not seem like a lot, the concern with any lead content is that it is not easily detoxified and is readily stored by the body. So, if you are consuming 1 kg of lipstick each year, this is a serious cause for concern.

As a toxic metal, lead can cause all sorts of issues such as behavioural problems, aggression and learning disorders. It has been linked with miscarriage in women and infertility in men and once a build-up of lead occurs in the body, it is very hard to eliminate.

Lead is not added to lipsticks intentionally. It is actually found in some colorants, particularly red shades.

The big worry to consumers is that lead content in lipsticks is unregulated. However, there are calls for a review of this. In addition there are also calls for the cosmetic industry to reduce the levels or to eliminate lead from lipsticks altogether. It is definitely possible to make lipsticks without lead, so there is really no excuse for continuing with the current practices. There is a popular misconception that by applying lipstick to a gold ring, it will indicate the presence of lead. This is not so. As lead is not an ingredient listed on lipstick labels, it is difficult to know if the brand you use contains lead. A quick visit to SafeCosmetics.org may enlighten you as to how much lead your favorite lipstick contains.To the modern woman, lipstick is something they refuse to go without, even in tough economic times. And, as an affordable luxury, it is even more important that the lipstick used is safe.

Before you puchase cosmetics and skin care products, it is advisable to start researching the chemicals used. Visit www.hazard.com/msds This will take you to the SIRI (Safety Information Resources Inc.) MSDS website. Another smart option is to visit 'Skin Deep', a safety guide to cosmetics and personal care products brought to you by researchers at the Environmental Working Group.

Skin Deep has the largest integrated data resource of its kind and pairs ingredients in more than 25,000 products against 50 definitive toxicity and regulatory databases. As the FDA doesn't require companies to test their own products for safety, accessing these databases is an important service for the consumer -

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

Stephanie Kwisnek, a spokeswoman for the FDA Food and Drug Administration, said in an interview that the agency had conducted its own analyses based on past reports and found that such concerns about lipstick were unfounded. She said the agency was currently conducting a review of the latest report. The list of products that were tested in the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics Study, along with the full report, are available at www.safecosmetics.org. By arming yourself with independent information about the many toxic ingredients found in today's cosmetic and skin care products, you can make an informed decision to protect the health of you, loved ones and your family.

So, pucker up with certified organic lippies or do-it-yourself cosmetics and know what you are eating or sharing with a friend.

Comments (2)

Why would you bother. No wonder there are so many illnesses out there all in the cause of vanity. Make a simple lipstick out of cocoa and beeswax. Much nicer to digest and you aren't supporting a cosmetic multi-national that is marking up their product by 10,000 per cent.

It's all about dollars with these large multi-nationals...Only use organic products for anything. If you can't afford it. ecobites have some great DIY recipes.