A Poison Kiss - Troubling Levels of toxic Metals in Lipstick and Lip Glosses

When it comes to toxins in skin care, cosmetics and personal care products it is hard to find products that are safe and nontoxic. On the other side, Millions of women put on cosmetics every day without ever considering whether dangerous chemicals lurk inside the tube…
I’ve written before about toxins in personal care products, from toothpaste to make up. Now, another study has found that heavy metals in lipsticks and lip glosses are of concern.
Researchers from University of California, Berkeley tested 33 lipsticks and lip glosses commonly found in drugstores and department stores and used by young women in a California youth program. They detected lead, cadmium, chromium, aluminium and five other metals, some of which were found at levels that could raise potential health concerns.
The highest lead levels where found in brands like Procter & Gamble (Cover Girl brand), L’Oréal (L’Oréal, Body Shop and Maybelline brands) and Revlon as well as Dior.

The following results for lead content in a selection of lipsticks were obtained by scientists at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and reported in the Journal of Cosmetic Science (see there for complete list)

High Ingestion Rates

Lipstick and lip gloss are of special concern because when they are not being blotted on tissue or left as kiss marks, they are not only absorbed through the skin, they are literally ingested.
For example, in the University of California study, researchers found women applied lipstick from two to 14 times every day.

In terms of chemical exposure, that translates into ingesting or absorbing as much as 87 milligrams of product a day.
Now consider that exposure over the course of a lifetime of applying lipstick; that’s a significant level of lead and other toxins to ingest. Some sources speak of ingesting 3kg of lipstick in a lifetime….

Cumulative and long-term Exposure

While the dose of toxic metals might be low per application of lipsticks and lip gloss, the exposure to a little bit of a toxic chemical over an extended period can add up to harm.

The researchers compared what the women were likely ingesting in lip products to health standards for heavy metal consumption like those defined by the EPA for drinking water. They found that average lipstick or lip gloss use in these products resulted in women exceeding daily intake guidelines for aluminium, cadmium, chromium and manganese. In 10 of the products they looked at, daily use meant that a woman would exceed chromium intake recommendations by 100 percent.

High use of these makeup products could result in potential overexposure to aluminium, cadmium and manganese as well. Over time, exposure to high concentrations of manganese has been linked to toxicity in the nervous system.

No Safe Dose 

The recent science indicates there is no safe level of lead exposure. Lead is a neurotoxin and can be dangerous at small doses. Medical experts are clear that any level of lead exposure is unhealthy.

Health Effects of Heavy Metals

• Led is a neurotoxin, linked to learning, language and behavioural problems. It may cause reduced fertility in both men and women as well as hormonal changes and menstrual irregularities
  
  
• Antimony impacts the cardiovascular system, the liver and the lungs.
  
  
• Arsenic has been linked to cancers of the bladder, liver and lung. It also plays a factor in heart and vascular diseases, death from diabetes, and gastrointestinal function.
  
  
• Cadmium is also a human carcinogen. It’s been linked to bone and kidney dysfunction.
  
  
• Chromium is linked to stomach tumours.
  
  
• Manganese may be linked to neurobehavioral problems.
  
  
• Mercury can cause allergic reactions and affect the nervous system. It can impair kidney function or cause weakness and memory loss.

Three Tips: What you can do to avoid Toxins in your Lipsticks and other Cosmetic Products

   1. Buyer beware: Lead and other heavy metals don’t show up on ingredient labels – they are not exactly an ingredient, but rather a contaminant in the raw materials used. There can be other toxins present in your lipstick like Parabens, Acetate…

Use this handy guide to check the safety of ingredients in your personal care products.

   2. Don’t fall for Organic or Natural: “Natural” Doesn’t Always Mean “Non-Toxic”. Both are marketing terms, used in a badly regulated market. Just because one ingredient might be truly organic that does not mean there are no other - toxic - ingredients in a product. And as far as natural goes - heavy metals are naturally occurring...

   3.  Choose a company you can trust: I recommend Modere, a brand that pioneered the Live Clean Philosophy back in 1987 – leaving out over 3000 potentially harmful ingredients from their personal care and home care products.

Modere Australia has an amazing toxin-free, vegan Make Up Range – I wrote a little summary about it here.

Modere Colour - MAKE UP that is DOWN TO EARTH

• Certified Organic Botanicals
  
• Natural mineral pigments
• Colours to suit young and mature ladies
• Made without potentially harmful ingredients
• Vegan Friendly without animal products
• No animal testing
• GMO free
• BPA free packaging
• Goes hand in hand with Modere's Skin Care
• Made in Australia
• All under $50
  

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Modere is a global company. To view products available in your country search on-line for your countries Modere website and enter promo referral code: 174339 for a discount on your first order.