Lead in Lipstick
Lead in LipstickA February 2012 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) study found lead in hundreds of lipsticks. The issue first came to light when through independent lab tests by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics in 2007, which found lead in 61 percent of samples from 33 popular brands, including L'Oreal, Cover Girl and Dior.
Those findings spurred a 2009 FDA study, which found lead in all samples of tested lipstick, at levels four times higher than in the Campaign's earlier tests. Lipsticks made by Procter & Gamble (Cover Girl), L'Oreal (L'Oreal, Body Shop and Maybelline) and Revlon had the highest levels. Five of the 10 most lead-contaminated brands in the latest FDA study are made by L'Oreal USA.
There is no safe level of lead exposure. Lead poses special risks to
pregnant women and young children, and has been implicated in learning,
developmental, language and behavioral problems, including lowered IQ.
The Campaign and Clean Water Action are pressing FDA to limit lead in
lipstick to the lowest levels manufacturers can achieve. Visit the
Campaign for Safe Cosmetics for more information.