Lead Found In Lipstick

by Heather McLaughlin

In the newest round of recalls, a number of lipsticks were found to contain higher levels of lead than what is allowed.

Lipstick brands affected included Cover Girl, L’Oreal and Christian Dior. Some brands had more lead in them than others.

One-third of the lipsticks tested contained an amount of lead that exceeded the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s 0.1 ppm limit for lead in candy — a standard established to protect children from ingesting lead, the group said. Thirty-nine percent of the lipsticks tested had no discernible lead, it said.

“It’s critical that manufacturers reformulate their product,” said Stacy Malkan, a co-founder of the coalition. “It’s possible to make lipsticks without lead, and all companies should be doing that.”

In a public statement issued by Proctor and Gamble the company stated that the levels of lead contained in lipsticks were not dangerous to consumers.

“is hundreds of times less than the amount that she would get from eating, breathing and drinking water.”

Dr. Mark Mitchell, president of the Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice disagreed with their statement saying:

“Lead builds up in the body over time and lead-containing lipstick applied several times a day, every day, can add up to significant exposure levels. The latest studies show there is no safe level of lead exposure.”

High exposure to lead can lead to learning disabilities in children.

What are your thoughts on these findings? Are you going to check your lipsticks?

Yahoo News.