This is a call to action folks! It seems that it's not only loose lips that sink ships - but RED LIPS do too!!
What am I talking about? In October 2007 the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC), a coalition of a environmental and health organizations (including my favorite - the Environmental Working Group), tested over 30 popular brands of lipstick and found 61% contained lead!!
My understanding is that even small amounts of lead are considered a health concern. Lead builds up in the body over time - and think about the number of times lipstick is applied in a day. Lead is a known neurotoxin and can cause learning disabilities, and a number of other unpleasantries.
The FDA has not moved quickly, if at all, to remedy or regulate cosmetic ingredients. And it doesn't stop with the lipstick. According to a news release from CSC on February 9, 2009, the Canadian government announced that they have found lead in children's face paint. I'm going to go out on my editorial limb and suggest that children's makeup might not be safe...!?!
Some of the cosmetic companies are self-regulating on their ingredients and there are lipsticks and other cosmetics that are better than others - but it is still legal in the US to use unlimited amounts of lead in cosmetics. So what can we do?
Awareness is a first step. The report from the lipstick study is available to read (this link will take you directly to page 10 that names the brands tested):
Another very helpful resource is the Environmental Working Group's bodycare/cosmetics database, Skin Deep (fantastic!), that has loads of products listed and a rating system ranging from ok to beware. Well they use better words. Find it here:
And here is the call to action - within the EWG's SkinDeep Website listed above (first page past the e-mail sign-up) is a petition to Congress for help in making our cosmetics safe. SIGN IT!!
And while you're there, browse through and look up the products you use every day. Interesting and insightful! Can't find your product? Sign up for their email updates and you can enter the ingredients list and get a provisional report.
So let's get the lead out!!
