Lead in Lipstick!

[PrettySquareGal]

Interesting!

For me, the bottom line is, I don't want lead in my lipstick. If it is coming from water sources than they should be using filtered water in the manufacturing process which I assume they would be doing anyway. Also, the lab did release the results which Fancy Mouse linked to above.

http://www.boston.com/news/daily/11/poison_kiss_final1.pdf

I think most groups have some sort of motivation to skew results one way or another. It seems that both the FDA and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics are in agreement that there is some lead in lipstick, but the disagreement comes from how much if any is safe or acceptable.

I'm all about informed consent. Let the consumer decide what they feel comfortable with, but first, let them know it's there. Until this study was released, I had no idea that there was any lead at all in lipstick.

 

[Paisley]

Another Way of Looking at It

Let's say you throw out your lipstick and replace it for $25. What else could you have done with the money to make yourself safer or healthier?

• You could have bought a Brita water filter that reduces the lead in your water by 93%.
  
• You could have gotten a flu shot.
  
• You could have bought a fire extinguisher.
  
• You could have bought a smoke alarm or a carbon monoxide detector.
  
• You could have bought a wide-brim hat and a bottle of sunblock.

And so on. There's an unlimited number of things that can be done to make ourselves safer. But since we have a limited amount of money, we have to make tradeoffs and ask ourselves what the best us of our money is. At some point, you get diminishing returns.

 

[~*Red*~]

Let's say you throw out your lipstick and replace it for $25. What else could you have done with the money to make yourself safer or healthier?

• You could have bought a Brita water filter that reduces the lead in your water by 93%.
  
• You could have gotten a flu shot.
  
• You could have bought a fire extinguisher.
  
• You could have bought a smoke alarm or a carbon monoxide detector.
  
• You could have bought a wide-brim hat and a bottle of sunblock.

And so on. There's an unlimited number of things that can be done to make ourselves safer. But since we have a limited amount of money, we have to make tradeoffs and ask ourselves what the best us of our money is. At some point, you get diminishing returns.

Well said. Anyone that watches the news or stays somewhat current with it knows that just about everything is either going to kill you, give you a heart attack, cancer, cholesterol, pick your ailment. We're all going to die one way or another, and no one can live 100% safe and clean. So just do the best you can do, or that you want to do, and be happy with it. The best thing that came out of this, was simply the knowldege (or maybe reminder) that some of our favorite lippys contain lead. Now that you ahve that, you can determine what it means to your life.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

Indeed...its all about having the info...to make the -personal- choice about things.

 

[nyx]

Let's say you throw out your lipstick and replace it for $25. What else could you have done with the money to make yourself safer or healthier?

• You could have bought a Brita water filter that reduces the lead in your water by 93%.
  
• You could have gotten a flu shot.
  
• You could have bought a fire extinguisher.
  
• You could have bought a smoke alarm or a carbon monoxide detector.
  
• You could have bought a wide-brim hat and a bottle of sunblock.

And so on. There's an unlimited number of things that can be done to make ourselves safer. But since we have a limited amount of money, we have to make tradeoffs and ask ourselves what the best us of our money is. At some point, you get diminishing returns.

That's so funny, because I bought a Brita water filter a couple months ago for the lead thing and I'm getting a flu shot in a couple of weeks. I've got a smoke alarm and some sunblock, so I need to invest in a wide-brim hat and a fire extinguisher and I'm set! lol

In all seriousness though, what you've said makes good logical sense. If we take into consideration everything that could hurt us, we'd all be hiding under our beds (but then they'd tell us that dust bunnies could kill us). There's a point where you just can't sweat the small stuff. Thanks for bringing a good calm attitude to the discussion, Paisley!

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Indeed...its all about having the info...to make the -personal- choice about things.

Indeed! And being savvy enough to recognize the difference between blind alarmist non-thinking ("everything will kill me, so I better live in a bubble") versus taking a thoughtful, calm proactive approach to the things we do have control over, mainly, what we choose to buy (whether a material item or information.)

 

[gluegungeisha]

"Trick-or-treating for lead-free lipstick" (email from EWG)

Trick-or-Treating for Lead-Free Lipstick

The thrill of trick-or-treating lies in the unknown: will it be chocolate or gummy worms?

But when you're shopping for lipstick, you shouldn't have to cross your fingers and hope you get something good.

An October report by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, of which EWG is a founding member, found lead in 61% of the 33 top-brand lipsticks tested -- including L'Oreal, Cover Girl, and Christian Dior.

Lead is linked to learning and behavioral problems, but alarmingly, FDA doesn't regulate it in cosmetics.

Before you top off your Halloween look with lipstick, search for it in Skin Deep and read the report.


I know lipstick is a very popular item in the vintage world. Ladies, be safe -- check up on your brands before you purchase!

Kaeti

 

[pgoat]

here's another link, just in case wasn't posted already - http://www.safecosmetics.org/docUploads/A Poison Kiss.pdf

My wife never wears makeup; I remember my high school gf wearing it only once or twice for a reenactment type thing. Made me think of FL ladies when I saw this report, and a quick search revealed y'all are already on top of it, thank goodness!

 

[fernande]

make your own red!

I think its definately something to think about.

I was a makeup artist for a long time, and my fellow artists would always ask one another to pick up various Chanel lipsticks for each other when we were working in Paris-because, the formulations were different than in the USA and in our opinion the "pigments were better in France" I guess back then I was less concerned about the model's health, than the fabulous look on the page of the magazine. Yikes- I'm glad I've "evolved" a bit.

And from working in cosmetics development on the chemical/formulation side- to be honest- in almost everything-the chemicals involved, especially when you get into more mainstream pigments/Dyes- aren't that good for you!! You can take a "super natural" product base, but if you want a pretty cherry colour, you only have the option of using a handful of dyes. Especially with the preservatives that are used too- none of this stuff is particuarly "good" for you.

If you really want go take control of your lipstick.I would suggest buying some pigments and blending your own!
It might take a little more work, but it can be creative and fun- do some "google-ing" online and find a place that sells mineral cosmetic pigments, or just straight pigment.

I buy natural mineral pigments and then mix them with
"Jing Jang" cream- which is an herbal salve/lip gloss mix. (tastes great, very restorative) You add enough red pigment and you have a really great red, without all of the gross additives-
You'd have to have your own little lipgloss pot and a brush, and of course, none of it will have a preservative, but at least you know whats in it, because you made it.

Another upside to doing this- (and blending some of your own cosmetics) is that you save, a bucket-load o' dough. If I can give you one insight from being behind the scenes in the upscale cosmetics biz, is, Its a RACKET! most of the lipsticks (even the Dior, Chanel ones) cost......65 cents to make and its all packaging and propaganda, even worse, most of the brands, use the same formulas! (there are only 3-4 labs in the USA that can make cosmetics at all... so with all those lines out there, they often use the same ingredients list and then just customize their packaging)


If anyone has any questions about doing this sort of stuff. just PM me. I can tell you where to get the bases/pigments, powders. I even blend my own face powder, and then pour it into my own Art Deco compact.....
Its a blast. I like doing it- it takes some time, but its quite fun- and of course, I know I'm not poisoning myself!

 

[Lil' Miss A]

In all seriousness though, what you've said makes good logical sense. If we take into consideration everything that could hurt us, we'd all be hiding under our beds (but then they'd tell us that dust bunnies could kill us). There's a point where you just can't sweat the small stuff. Thanks for bringing a good calm attitude to the discussion, Paisley!

I agree, theres so much out there that could damage us which we simply cannot avoid.

Even toothpaste is dangerous.
Did you know 1 tube if eaten in one go is enough to kill a child.

 

[Helen Troy]

Anybody knows about the Besame lipsticks? I couldn't fint a report on them.