February 20, 2012
Is Your Lipstick Putting You at Health Risk?
By Jennifer DeLeo
I'm not a fan of makeup. I just never really liked the way it feels on my face, and it sometimes aggravates my sensitive skin. In my career, of course, I'll wear makeup to look polished and professional, brushing on a soft complexion with some rosy cheeks and plum-colored lips.
Once the weekend hits, however, I'm all about going au naturale.
Now I've learned of another reason to dislike makeup. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, which analyzed a study conducted by the FDA, found that 400 lipsticks on the market tested positive for lead. You read that right, lead!
The worst offenders were Maybelline Color Sensational and L'Oreal Color Riche lipsticks. I own Maybelline lipstick, so I immediately grabbed my purse to check the name. I let out a huge sigh of relief when I saw the label Maybelline Moisture Extreme Silver Plum: it wasn't on the list. But other shades of my lipstick were. Although I only put on this lipstick occasionally, I still wondered if I could be at risk.
Products that contain below 5 parts-per-million of lead are considered safe by the State of California. However, Maybelline and L'Oreal lipsticks are reported to be above California's standards: Maybelline was measured at 7.19 ppm and L'Oreal at 7.0.
Several other products, such as Nars and CoverGirl lipsticks, hover just below the 5ppm level: 4.93 and 4.92, respectively.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics wants the FDA to set a limit on how much lead lipstick can contain and to study whether there are any dangers to applying, particularly on the lips of children and pregnant women.
For me it's a scary notion to think that my little cousins who sometimes rummage through my purse to look for candy may find my lipstick there and put it on.
If you are concerned about yourself or perhaps a child, you can ask your family physician or internist for a blood test.
The FDA disagrees with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics' statements, saying that the levels of lead found in these lipsticks pose no safety concerns. From Jefferson doctors discovering in Chinatown in Philadelphia that there was lead paint on children's toys to porcelain kitchen items testing positive for lead, can we ever be too careful with what we're touching or ingesting?
Do you think that more steps need to be taken to ensure the safety of the millions of Americans who use lipstick? Sound off in our comments.