Valentine Kisses with Toxic Lipstick 
Will you be wearing red lipstick on Valentine’s Day? Before you put it on you should know what’s hiding in it, because you don’t want to be wearing toxic lipstick. There are many known harmful ingredients listed on the label of your lipstick, but there are also some toxic chemicals that are not included on the label because the FDA does not require it. One of the worst ingredients not on your label is lead, a known neurotoxin. Lead is so harmful it is banned in paint and children’s toys, so why is it allowed in lipstick?
Some estimates in the past say that the average woman ingests 4 to 7 pounds of lipstick over their lifetime, but many have said these estimates are not realistic. Even though you may not be ingesting that much, anyone who wears lipstick does ingest some and the chemicals in lipstick can also be absorbed through the skin. A good rule to live by is to not put anything on your skin that you wouldn’t consider safe to eat.
According to the FDA, the amounts of lead in lipstick are not enough to cause harm, but I don’t trust that. The FDA site says that lipstick is “intended for topical use”, is “ingested only in very small quantities”, and it “is not a health concern”. But, lead accumulates in the body over time; just knowing this is very unsettling. Many women reapply toxic lipstick several times a day and even eat with their lipstick on! This can add up to significant amounts!
According to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a report in 2012 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. The report also stressed the importance of preventing lead exposure for both children and pregnant women. Lead is dangerous for pregnant women because it can cross the placenta and put the unborn baby at risk. An FDA study, reported in the news this time last year, found that 380 of 400 lipsticks had lead levels over the maximum amounts allowed in candy of 0.1 parts per million (ppm) and some were as high as 7.19 ppm! Talk about toxic lipstick!
Lead isn’t the only toxic chemical in lipstick. Many lipsticks and glosses contain cadium, chromium, aluminum and five other metals, which according to testing at the University of California-Berkeley’s School of Public Health may have levels that are harmful.
Dark, more intense colors may have highest concentrations of harmful metals due to a larger metallic load form contamination of the pigments. Shimmering lipsticks get their shine from flakes of mica which often contains lead, chromium, aluminum and manganese.
It’s best to make your own lipstick from natural ingredients or use none at all. Don’t forget if you do have to buy it, you may not be able to tell if your store bought lipstick has lead because it won’t be listed as an ingredient. Also, remember that there are other harmful chemicals, most of which are not included on the label.
I make all of my own makeup with ingredients from my kitchen and many of them are edible! See my recipes in my e-book. Here’s a picture of one of the lip-glosses I make that is included in my e-book:
If you’re not into making your own lipstick, make sure to check out the ingredients. One brand that I’ve found that seems to use pretty natural ingredients, is Juice Beauty.
If you want to check a certain brand of lipstick to find out the lead content, here is the FDA analyses for 2007.
Do you use toxic lipstick?
More Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/02/toxic-lipstick-metals_n_3195547.html?
Will you be wearing red lipstick on Valentine’s Day? Before you put it on you should know what’s hiding in it, because you don’t want to be wearing toxic lipstick. There are many known harmful ingredients listed on the label of your lipstick, but there are also some toxic chemicals that are not included on the label because the FDA does not require it. One of the worst ingredients not on your label is lead, a known neurotoxin. Lead is so harmful it is banned in paint and children’s toys, so why is it allowed in lipstick?
Some estimates in the past say that the average woman ingests 4 to 7 pounds of lipstick over their lifetime, but many have said these estimates are not realistic. Even though you may not be ingesting that much, anyone who wears lipstick does ingest some and the chemicals in lipstick can also be absorbed through the skin. A good rule to live by is to not put anything on your skin that you wouldn’t consider safe to eat.
Toxic Lipstick and Lead
According to the FDA, the amounts of lead in lipstick are not enough to cause harm, but I don’t trust that. The FDA site says that lipstick is “intended for topical use”, is “ingested only in very small quantities”, and it “is not a health concern”. But, lead accumulates in the body over time; just knowing this is very unsettling. Many women reapply toxic lipstick several times a day and even eat with their lipstick on! This can add up to significant amounts!
According to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a report in 2012 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. The report also stressed the importance of preventing lead exposure for both children and pregnant women. Lead is dangerous for pregnant women because it can cross the placenta and put the unborn baby at risk. An FDA study, reported in the news this time last year, found that 380 of 400 lipsticks had lead levels over the maximum amounts allowed in candy of 0.1 parts per million (ppm) and some were as high as 7.19 ppm! Talk about toxic lipstick!
Other Harmful Chemicals that may be Hiding in Your Lipstick
Lead isn’t the only toxic chemical in lipstick. Many lipsticks and glosses contain cadium, chromium, aluminum and five other metals, which according to testing at the University of California-Berkeley’s School of Public Health may have levels that are harmful.
- Cadium – A harmful metal linked to lung cancer, respiratory system damage (when inhaled) and linked to kidney problems.
- Chromium- A toxic metal that is a known human carcinogen and has been linked to lung cancer and stomach tumors.
- Aluminum- This ingredient may be in your toxic lipstick; it is commonly found in deodorant (antiperspirant). Aluminum mimics estrogen and can damage DNA. According to the Breast Cancer Fund, studies haven’t found a direct link to breast cancer risk, but a concentration of aluminum has been found in breast tissues where many breast cancers have been originally diagnosed.
- Parabens- Types of preservatives, which have been found in high concentrations in breast tumors. The preservatives mimic and interfere with you body’s estrogen.
Be Watchful of These:
Dark, more intense colors may have highest concentrations of harmful metals due to a larger metallic load form contamination of the pigments. Shimmering lipsticks get their shine from flakes of mica which often contains lead, chromium, aluminum and manganese.
What You Can Do
It’s best to make your own lipstick from natural ingredients or use none at all. Don’t forget if you do have to buy it, you may not be able to tell if your store bought lipstick has lead because it won’t be listed as an ingredient. Also, remember that there are other harmful chemicals, most of which are not included on the label.
I make all of my own makeup with ingredients from my kitchen and many of them are edible! See my recipes in my e-book. Here’s a picture of one of the lip-glosses I make that is included in my e-book:
If you’re not into making your own lipstick, make sure to check out the ingredients. One brand that I’ve found that seems to use pretty natural ingredients, is Juice Beauty.
If you want to check a certain brand of lipstick to find out the lead content, here is the FDA analyses for 2007.
Do you use toxic lipstick?
More Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/02/toxic-lipstick-metals_n_3195547.html?
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