No Smiling Matter: There Really Is Lead in Some Lipstick
Toys made in China aren’t the only products laced with dangerous heavy metals: lipsticks manufactured in the United States and used daily by millions of American women also contain surprisingly high levels of lead, according to new product tests just released by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.
The lead tests were conducted by an independent laboratory in September on lipsticks bought in Boston, Hartford, Conn., San Francisco and Minneapolis. More than half of the 33 brand-name lipsticks tested contained detectable levels of lead, with levels ranging from 0.03 to 0.65 parts per million (ppm).
One-third of the tested lipsticks exceeded the FDA guideline for lead in candy, 0.1 ppm, established to reduce lead exposure among children. Even though lipstick products, like candy, are directly ingested and absorbed into the body, the FDA has not set a limit for lead in lipstick. It’s part of a disturbing pattern of lax safety standards in the $50 billion personal care products industry.
Among the leading brands found to contain lead were:
• L’Oreal Colour Riche “True Red” – 0.65 ppm
• L’Oreal Colour Riche “Classic Wine” – 0.58 ppm
• Cover Girl Incredifull Lipcolor “Maximum Red” – 0.56 ppm
• Christian Dior Addict “Positive Red” – 0.21 ppm
Lead is a proven neurotoxin that can cause learning, language and behavioral problems such as lowered IQ, reduced school performance and increased aggression. It has also been linked to infertility and miscarriage. Pregnant women and young children are particularly vulnerable to lead exposure because lead easily crosses the placenta and can interfere with fetal brain development.
One-third of the lipsticks tested had no detectable amount of lead, so lead-free lipstick is possible. And, the amounts of lead in the lipsticks tested didn’t correlate with the price of the product, so we know that manufacturing lipstick without lead doesn’t break the bank.
Compact for Safe Cosmetics http://www.safecosmetics.org/
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