Lips Against Lead

Over time, those who wear lipstick containing lead are at risk of absorbing high levels of a neurotoxin that may cause behavioral, learning and other problems.

There are no F.D.A. standards limiting lead and other toxins in lipstick. It is up to manufacturers to decide which safety and efficacy tests to perform on their products. Cosmetics companies are required to list their “intended” ingredients on labels but lead is considered an “unintended” by-product of the manufacturing process!

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has a consumer database where it lists the ingredients in more than 42,000 products. Its Campaign for Safe Cosmetics did an independent study in 2007 and found that one-third of 33 lipsticks had lead in excess of 0.1 parts per million (p.p.m.), the federal limit for candy. Now, price had nothing to do with lead levels - less expensive brands have been found to contain no lead, whereas a branded tube contained 0.21 p.p.m.

When asked if consumers should be worried about lead in lipstick, doctors, including Dr. Sean Palfrey, a professor of pediatrics and public health at Boston University and the medical director of the Boston Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, said, “Yes, these are small amounts and if you licked your lips once you probably would not cause damage — at least not to adults,” he said, adding, “Lead is a substance that builds up in the body over time, so small amounts applied daily can add up and stay in our bodies.”

Dr. David Bellinger, a researcher at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health who has conducted studies on the health risks of very low lead exposures, agreed that “no level of lead exposure appears to be ‘safe.’ ”

Personally, Canadian government should be commended as an exemplary authority that takes the welfare of its nation into its governance holistically. Read how Canada is addressing this here.

Also, consumers should demand their right to health as well. Doing this adds pressure to manufacturers to be more ethically responsible. For a start, cautious consumers can turn to organic personal-care products and support the “Lips Against Lead” campaign to ban lead in lipstick. Read the full article here.