Lead in Your Lipstick?
In case you haven't heard yet, your lipstick could contain high levels of lead. Why is lead so bad, you might ask? Small amounts of 
daily lead exposure can add up, and no amount or lead, no matter how small, is considered safe. Lead can affect your nervous system, increase your blood pressure, and can cause anemia. It can also cause damage to the kidneys and the brain. Pregnant women may suffer a miscarriage from lead exposure, and men may experience damage to their sexual organs.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics wanted to test lipsticks for lead levels, since small amounts get ingested when you wear them. They collected 33 brand-name lipsticks from four random cities including Boston, Hartford (Connecticut), San Francisco and Minneapolis. So what did they discover? To find out read more
Twenty out of the 33 lipsticks contained detectable amounts of lead, ranging from 0.03 to 0.65 parts per million (ppm). Eleven of the lipsticks tested exceeded the 0.1 ppm amount established by the FDA. Here are the lipsticks to watch out for:
- 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
- Dior Addict "Positive Red" - 0.21 ppm
My good friend Bella told me that the FDA doesn't review or approve cosmetics, only the contents that go into them. Lead isn't intentionally added, it's a byproduct of the manufacturing process.
Fit's Tips: Don't throw your arms up in a panic though. It's possible to find lipsticks that don't contain lead. Look for brands that clearly state they are lead-free such as Josie Maran Cosmetics.
