You Might Want To Rethink That Red Lipstick, It May Contain Lead - Page 2
While there is a certain amount of lead naturally present in some ingredients used to make lipsticks, most in the cosmetic industry say it is not intentionally added. And a group representing the cosmetic industry says that the amount of lead present in makeup is negligible, anyway:
The trade association representing the cosmetic industry acknowledged "negligible" levels of lead in some lipsticks, but said it is not intentionally added."Consumers are exposed daily to lead when they eat, drink water and breathe the air," said John Bailey, an executive vice president at the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association. "The average amount of lead a woman would be exposed to when using cosmetics is 1,000 times less than the amount she would get from eating, breathing, and drinking water that meets Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards."
Does it never end? Our pets are poisoned, our fruits and vegetables are tainted, the toys we buy our preschoolers are toxic, and now we can't wear lipstick without worrying that we're endangering our health. I don't wear red red lipstick, but it's worrisome just the same. Most lip colors are just some shade of red, anyway...pink, brown, violet, coral, all shades of red. I don't think there is a need to get hysterical about this, but it should make us stop and think about the products we use on our faces and bodies, and perhaps push for them to be more stringently regulated.
A historical note: Some scholars say that Queen Elizabeth I was slowly poisoned by the lead in her makeup, called ceruse...a mixture of white lead and vinegar. We have come a long way since Elizabethan times....I think.
You can download the entire report including names of all test subjects and their performance here.
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