There is Lead in Lipstick. Is it Lethal?
October 12, 2007 by Teri Cosenzi
Filed under Aging Fabulous
As many of you have probably seen on all of the newspaper and television reports that a study has been published about the different amounts of lead in lipsticks. Who sponsored and published the study? The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.
I am a skeptic, as I always am. I do not know how much credit I put into the report as it is a bit biased. I would feel better and maybe worry more if the study were produced by the FDA or a medical community. My thoughts are that most, MOST, of the lipsticks that were tested, actually contained smaller amounts of lead that are allowed by the FDA in candy. Now, candy is often eaten by children, is it not? Nah, I am not very worried. I do not eat my lipstick 
even though I know a bit of it must get ingested.
I have heard that this could be a PR nightmare, but as I have not heard one thing from any of the PR people I work with, they are not worried. I have worked with many of the brands that were mentioned in the report, and I am sure they are aware of it.
Total BS. I don’t even wear lipstick, but I think it’s strange for them to keep testing it for lead.
I’m a skeptic like you… wary of any study paid for by an interest group, not by impartial doctors or scientists. I’m not worried at all about lead in lipstick.
In any case, you write beautifully. Love your Blog. I’ve been using lipstick from health food stores for years, but as they say, “ya never know…”
It’s always wise to investigate those who perform these “studies”.. Their results are worded to cause alarm in many cases.
When you see the phrase “there are no safe levels….” there is no need to panic. This doesn’t necessarily mean that ANY amount of lead, regardless of how minute is dangerous. It usually means that no one has taken the time to find out what level IS safe.
I will continue to wear my red lipstick. I haven’t seen evidence of millions or lipstick wearers coming down with a severe case of “The Stupids”, so what ever the levels of lead are, they aren’t being metabolized quickly enough to cause problems.
I wonder if the lead only affects you if you are pregnant (and therefore the fetus may be affected) or if you give it to a kid to eat. I’m not clear on whether it can harm you by applying it the way it is meant to be.
There seems to be a correlation between how it’s metabolized and the results, but I haven’t had time to go research this yet.
Women wore makeup that contained mercury for centuries, if memory serves, with few ill effects while haberdashers (hat makers) went mad from constant exposure. Some toxic substances don’t become so unless they are stored in fat cells, others have to reach a level that could only be attained by eating the substance in large quantities.
As you mentioned, both pregnancy and childhood are years during which brain cells and the nervous system are still refining their functions. This seems to be the time when lead is most dangerous.
I agree, that you should always use caution when using anything while pregnant or on a child. It is common sense. But as the report stated, the amount that was found is cleared by the FDA for use in candy.
I think that common sense caution is definitely in order.
Thanks for the info! Although I have read it all over the news as well.
I’ll never stop wearing lipstick because I will always want to look feminine. It is an unkept/masculine look to have absolutely nothing on your lips!
Read it and weep-you can’t argue with mother nature. Men are simple creatures!
I never thought how the “man factor” could be behind the report, but it is part of it, I am sure. If it were something that men were to rely on on a daily basis, I bet the outcome may have been different! Or that such a fuss would not have been made.