Where The Holistic Rubber Meets The Scientific Road

Lead In Cosmetics Can Kill You

There are NO safe levels of lead. A new analysis conducted by the FDA finds lead levels in many lipsticks are even higher than those reported in 2007 (by the consumer advocacy group Campaign for Safe Cosmetics).

But- guess what? – the FDA says it’s quite safe. Too bad they don’t read any science. Everywhere in the world scientists and MDs are agreed that there are no safe lead levels, the safety limit is ZERO.

But apparently you can wipe it around your mouth and swallow that – it doesn’t count. So say the FDA investigators.

Listen, we all have WAY too much lead as it is. Any more at all is too much.

There is no known reason for putting lead into lipstick. It’s a health hazard.

“Lipstick is a product intended for topical use, and is only ingested incidentally and in very small quantities,” said FDA an spokeswoman. What nonsense: what happens to the lipstick during the course of a day? Ask any woman: it gets licked off and swallowed. So puts more on. Then more…

Take your lipstick and watch it go down. Why? Because you ate it!

The real story is that lead is very bad indeed for babies and kids; they are 100 times more susceptible to neuro damage from lead than adults.

So you might say (but couldn’t) that women who never intend to get pregnant could use lipstick, maybe. But most lipstick users are capable of getting pregnant, quite likely to, and the consequences for the fetus would be bad. Plus there is the issue of build up.

This is all known, documented, there is no dispute. Just the FDA won’t acknowledge and talks in fudgy language.

According to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, the average level of lead found in the lipsticks — 1.7 parts per million — is more than 10 times higher than the standard imposed on candy.

L’Oreal, Cover Girl, Christian Dior and Maybelline were among the brands found to have high lead levels. For example, L’Oreal Colour Riche True Red had a lead content of 0.65 parts per million, L’Oreal Colour Riche Classic Wine had 0.58 parts per million and Cover Girl’s IncrediFull Lipcolor Maximum Red had 0.56 parts per million.

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics called on the FDA to “immediately set standards to require manufacturers to minimize lead in lipstick to the lowest achievable levels.”

FDA does have authority to regulate color additives in cosmetics, but not other ingredients.

So if the FDA can’t stop it, what do you do? Don’t buy the muck. Switch brands and get something better.

[Source: July/August 2009 Journal of Cosmetic Science]

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