Is Lead Still In Lipstick?

It was 8 years ago that I reviewed “Lipstick’s lethal lead’. I think it’s time to check it out again.

Back then I wrote

We eat while wearing lipstick
We drink while wearing lipstick
We kiss while wearing lipstick.
We spread the lead around.

The average American woman, inadvertently, can eat 4 pounds of her lipstick in her lifetime. No exposure is without harm. But this is not new news. Back in 2003 lead in lipstick made the headlines. Many of you were exposed and specific brands targeted for the lead contaminants in the lipsticks.
In 2009 the FDA scientists (PCPC) claimed that there are no toxic levels of lead in lipstick. CSC (Campaign for Safe Cosmetics) disagreed.

If we believe the FDA we think we are safe. If we believe the CSC (Campaign for Safe Cosmetics) we question our safety. The FDA scientists back up their studies, but if you read it carefully it seems that they knew beforehand what it was they wanted to prove. 

An update

In 2016 the FDA reported:

More than 99 percent of the cosmetics we surveyed contained less than 10 ppm lead. Based on our surveys we determined that manufacturers are capable of limiting lead content in cosmetic products to 10 ppm or less if they are careful about selecting their ingredients and follow good manufacturing practices.

No exposure is without harm

The manufacturers may be capable, but are they all being cautious? It seems not much has changed. It is not illegal for there to be lead in your lipstick. 

Lead in your lipstick can come from colorants, petroleum, paraffin and mineral oil. The European union has banned chemicals in cosmetics that cause birth defects, mutations and cancer. The FDA has failed to take any action to protect customers re lead and lipstick. Canada follows what the FDA says. The CSC still claims that any level of lead is dangerous.  It is the cumulative effects of the lead that should be looked at and it is not. Dr. Mercola cites it as high as 10 lbs., not just 4 lbs. that can be consumed in a lifetime.
 
Joe Schwartz wrote an article on May 20th, 2017: ‘Is There Lead In My Lipstick?’ Quote: “…lead of course is of greatest concern during the developmental period. But lipstick is not a food and furthermore is not used by children, so the comparison of the lead content of lipstick to that allowed in food is totally inappropriate.” 
True, lipstick may NOT be classified as food, but we do ingest it through the skin. Children do sometimes wear lipstick and not just on Halloween either.  Young children often apply makeup if involved in dance or theatre. 

There is no safe level for anyone

 If you wear lipstick or are concerned about someone who does, you can write to the companies and ask them about lead in their lipstick. They will tell you that they do not add lead to the lipstick. This should not ally your fears, as you now know, that it may inadvertently be in other contaminated ingredients. 

In my original article I asked if you had access to a 24K-14K gold ring and a lipstick you fear may contain lead? Rub some lipstick on the back of your hand and scratch with the gold ring. If the lipstick color changes to black then you can be sure the lipstick contains lead.

Continue to ask, "Is there still lead in my lipstick?"