*Lipstick Contaminated with Lead?* *Written By **Michael Greger M.D. FACLM * <https://nutritionfacts.org/about/>*• March 23, 2023* Dozens of lipsticks and lip glosses are put to the test.
“Over the past years, using cosmetic products has increased <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25787160/>worldwide at an alarming rate due to unending pursuit for individual beautification…” There’s nothing necessarily wrong with that unless cosmetic products contain <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26296330/> ingredients that may be linked to disease—ingredients such as toxic heavy metals like lead. As you can see at 0:28 in my video *Flashback Friday: Is Lipstick Safe Given the Lead Contamination?* <https://nutritionfacts.org/video/flashback-friday-is-lipstick-safe-given-the-lead-contamination/>, lead has been found <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24530804/> in a wide range of cosmetic products, from eye shadow to skin cream, and foundation to blush. You may recall that I talked about lead in henna in my video *Is Henna Safe?* <https://nutritionfacts.org/video/is-henna-safe/>, but in looking at the data, “important warnings can be recognized <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24530804/>”: the presence of lead in lipsticks. This is concerning because lipstick wearers may actually swallow a little bit of it. In fact, it has “been estimated that a woman inadvertently ingests <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23598019/> 1.8 kg [about 4 lbs] of lipstick during her lifetime.” “Moreover, lipsticks can be used <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24530804/> by pregnant women or women of child bearing age.” (I mean, *obviously*.) Yes, lead is highly toxic, but how much lead can there be in lipstick? Surely, it is <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25787160/> “a very minor source….Nonetheless, one should not exclude the fact that lead accumulates in the body due to over time and repetitive lead-containing lipstick or hair dye application, which lead to significant exposure levels.” You don’t really know, though, until you put it to the test. Thirty-two lipsticks and lip glosses were tested <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23674482/>, and lead was detected in 75 percent of the products, which “suggests potential public health concerns.” But how much lead did the researchers actually find? About half of the samples exceeded the FDA-recommended maximum level set for candy. That limit is set for something kids may eat every day, though. Kids are not going to eat tubes of lipstick each day. “Nevertheless, it is generally accepted that there is no safe level of Pb [lead] intake,” and, ideally, we should get contaminant levels down to zero. As a consumer group pointed out, a quarter of the lipsticks were lead-free, so we know it can <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23732812/> be done. Maybe we should better regulate <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23732812> toxic metals in cosmetics to protect women’s health in the United States, as has already been done in Europe. Fair enough, but it wasn’t well-received. The billion-dollar lipstick industry wasn’t happy. In an article that tried to downplay the risks, the scientists-for-hire firm that once played villain in the real-life Erin Brockovich case concluded <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25839902/> that, even though lipstick may contain lead, the concentrations are so low that they “are not expected to pose any health risks to adults or children.” Children’s blood lead levels are influenced more by background lead exposures, such as lead in the air, dust, water, and food, than by lipstick exposures, but just because our environment is so contaminated doesn’t mean we need to add to the problem. In fact, because there’s so much lead around anyway, maybe there’s that much more reason to cut down on additional exposures. But in that article, the scientists-for-hire calculated that an adult would need to apply lipstick more than 30 times a day to raise their blood lead level to even the most stringent limits and 695 times a day to get blood levels up to more concerning levels. However, as you can see at 3:13 in my *video* <https://nutritionfacts.org/video/is-lipstick-safe-given-the-lead-contamination/>, this was based <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25839902/> on an assumption that lipstick would only have about one part per million lead or, at the extreme end, maybe two or three parts per million (ppm). But by 2016, about ten times more lipsticks were tested <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27187630/>, and they averaged nearly 500 ppm—with 10 percent exceeding 1,000 ppm—going all the way up to 10,000 ppm, with more than one out of five exceeding FDA and even Chinese safety limits on lead in cosmetics. As you can see in the graphs below and at 3:42 in my *video* <https://nutritionfacts.org/video/is-lipstick-safe-given-the-lead-contamination/>, lip gloss was <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27187630/> worse than lipstick; orange and pink colors had more lead than brown, red, or purple; and all of the really contaminated cosmetics were the cheaper ones, sold for less than five dollars each. Hold on. The highest concentration found was 10,185 mg/kg. That’s 10 grams per kilogram, which means the lipstick was 1 percent pure lead. That means a single application could expose <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8359314/> a grown woman to perhaps 12 times the tolerable daily intake. And if a woman is interested in having <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27187630/> children, that poses a “particular concern,” as lead accumulates in our bones and “may be released into the bloodstream during pregnancy,” where it can slip through the placenta or into breast milk. The good news is that the FDA is considering lowering <https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/draft-guidance-industry-lead-cosmetic-lip-products-and-externally-applied-cosmetics-recommended> the maximum allowable lead levels in lipstick from 20 ppm to 10 ppm, something Canada arrived <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24852494/> at a decade ago. But without enforcement, it doesn’t matter. As you can see in the graph below and at 4:39 in my *video* <https://nutritionfacts.org/video/is-lipstick-safe-given-the-lead-contamination/> , moving <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27187630> the legal limit from 20 ppm down to 10 ppm would just mean that instead of 23 percent of lip products exceeding legal levels, 27 percent would be exceeding legal levels. Right now, the limit’s 20 ppm, but what does it matter if there still may be products on store shelves that violate the legal limits? Key Takeaways - Lead has been found in a diversity of cosmetic products, and its presence in lipstick is concerning because users may actually swallow some. It’s been estimated that a woman “inadvertently ingests” about three pounds of lipstick in her lifetime. - Lead was detected in 75 percent of 32 lipsticks and lip glosses tested, and about half of the samples exceeded the recommended maximum level set for candy by the FDA. - In Europe, toxic metals in cosmetics are regulated, but not so in the United States. - A scientists-for-hire firm argued that an adult would need to apply lipstick more than 30 times a day to raise their blood lead level to the most stringent limits and 695 times a day to reach more concerning levels, but that was based on lipstick having only one to three ppm lead. - By 2016, about ten times more lipsticks tested for lead and found to average nearly 500 ppm—with 10 percent of them exceeding 1,000 ppm—going up to 10,000 ppm. - Lip gloss was worse than lipstick; orange and pink shades had more lead than red, brown, or purple; and the really contaminated cosmetics were sold for less than five dollars each. - Of “particular concern” are women who want to have children, as lead is accumulated in the bones and “may be released into the bloodstream during pregnancy,” where it can pass through to the placenta or into breast milk. - Presently, the limit in the United States is 20 ppm. In Canada, it was lowered to 10 ppm a decade ago, which the FDA is considering now. But, without enforcement, it may not make a difference. - Many videos showing how other industries where products have lead got away or a problematic to control. All video Link to click holding the mouse - - https://nutritionfacts.org/video/how-the-lead-paint-industry-got-away-with-it/ https://nutritionfacts.org/video/lead-in-drinking-water/ https://nutritionfacts.org/video/how-the-leaded-gas-industry-got-away-with-it/ II Our Asset from ancient India: There is evidence of highly advanced ideas of self-beautification and a large array of various cosmetic usages both by men and women, in ancient India. Many of these practices were subtly interwoven with the seasons (Sanskrit: *Rutus*) and the normal rituals of life (Sanskrit: *Dinacharyā*). Significantly, the use of cosmetics was directed not only towards developing an outwardly pleasant and attractive personality, but towards achieving merit (Sanskrit: *Punya*), Longevity with good health (Sanskrit: *Aayush* and *Aarogyam*) and happiness (Sanskrit: *Anandam*). In this context, the earliest reference of a beautician is from the great epic Mahabharata, where the Pandavas were in exile incognito. Draupadi worked for the queen of Virāta (Northern district of India). She called herself Sairandhri (A female attendant in the women's sections of the palace). There is a reference of her carrying a Prasādhana Petikā (A vanity case containing substances to beautify, toiletries and accessories to decorate).( B B Lall ancient cosmetics book researched) The word cosmetics defined as “Substances of diverse origin, scientifically compounded and used to i) cleanse, ii) allay skin troubles, iii) cover up imperfections and iv) beautify” (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1970), is used in this paper in a wider sense to include Oral hygiene as well. Different *Lepās* (Masks or applications) were recommended for different seasons for body beautification. The ingredients used during the cold seasons were quite different from those used in warm seasons. In fact *Ashtānga Hridaya* (a 1500 year old book of Ayurveda) offers six different formulations to be used for the six seasons of the year. Similarly special cosmetic *Tailams* (Oils) and *Ghritas* (Clarified butter or ghee) were used for facial beautification. Superfluous hair was considered to be a stigma and a large number of depilatory agents were recommended to get rid of it. Special ingredients were used for hair washes. Many remedies have been indicated for hair growth, prevention of falling hair and premature graying. Hair dyes, fragrant hair rinses and fumigants were also in use. Fragrant bath powders and body deodorants also find frequent mention. Oral hygiene in the form of care of teeth, mouth deodorants and coloring of lips were daily chores to be religiously pursued. It appears that the whole range of modern cosmetic usage was conceived by the ancient Indians and was practiced with the help of natural resources then available. In the book published by the author, 210 different botanicals have been studied and 314 formulations are listed and described. Of these 151 botanicals are identified, 21 are unidentified, and 38 remain uncertain. The scientific name of the plant species is followed by references equating the Sanskrit/Prakrit name or synonym and the references given in parenthesis relate to the scientific name only. A few examples are cited below to understand the trouble taken by ancient researchers to evolve the Science of cosmetics. Raja Serfoji ascended the throne of Tanjore (Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu State South India) in 1788 A.D and ruled till 1832 A.D. He is the architect of the great library called “Serfoji's Saraswati Mahāl,” at Tanjore. The Raja was very interested in medical preparations and research. He tested many recipes by actually having them administered to patients and had case histories of patients recorded by British doctors. He established an Institute of Medical Research called the “Dhanvantari Mahāl”, where experiments were conducted, and he selected a few thousand efficacious recipes after actually testing them. They were then given to Tamil pandits to be woven into verse and written on palm leaves or paper. The Tamil versions were in turn translated into colloquial Marathi (known as “Bakhar Marathi” or Old spoken and written Marathi during 18th-19th Century A.D.) for the benefit of Marathi speaking people. These recipes are called *Anubhoga Vaidya Bhāga*, which means recipes tested by experience. Several of these manuscripts have now been published along with a prose version. Many ancient families of Tanjore still possess medicines prepared in the Dhanvantari Mahāl, bearing the original seals indicative of the sample and the date of its preparation. To facilitate the preparation of medicines, Raja Serfoji established a grand herbarium in his palace where he had a nursery which supplied plants for experiments, to the Dhanvantari Mahāl. He also used artists and illustrated these plants in water color paintings and bound them in books for quick future reference. Few of his formulas are given below: Lip balm / lip salve “Cracked lips, besides being painful, spoil the beauty of the face. The following remedy was recommended in such cases – “If the rind of *Bel* fruit (Aegle marmelos Corr.) is levigated (i.e. powdered and mixed) in a woman's milk and the paste thus prepared is applied to the cracked lips, within 10 days the cracking will stop and the cracks will heal.” Skin lightening and exfoliating scrub Fair skin has always been an attraction for Indians. The following paste used to be applied to the body to make the skin a shade or two lighter and give it a natural glow – “Pound together The root of *Kosta* [Kooth or Kushtha, English name: Costus.] (*Saussurea lappa Clarke*.), *Til* seeds (*Sessamum indicum* Linn.), the leaves of *Sirisa* (*Albizzia lebbek* Benth.), the leaves of *Chopda* (*Pongamia pinnata* Pierr.), the wood of *Devdar* (*Cedrus deodara* Roxb.) and the wood of *Zadali Haled* (*Berberis aristata* DC.) Roast this mixture between dried cakes of Buffalo dung, then take it out and grind it properly to a fine powder. If the paste made from this compound is applied to the body for three consecutive days, the above-mentioned desired results will be obtained”. Cure for dandruff “Pound khas-khas seeds (*Papaver somniferum* Linn.) in milk and apply to the scalp. It will cure dandruff”. Rejuvenation process (Kayakalpa) A very famous rejuvenation treatment called *Kayakalpa* used to be practiced. The meaning of the word is to make a person look young, bring about a change in the color of the hair and texture of the skin, improve the eyesight and so forth. “Take equal quantities of *Kadunimba* (*Azadirachta indica* Juss.) leaves, *Maka* (*Eclipta alba* Haask.) leaves, *Mundi* [Gorakhmundi] (*Sphaeranthus indicus* Linn.) leaves, *Nirgundi* [Nagoda, Nirgundi and Nirgunda] (*Vitex negundo* Linn.)leaves and *Vova* (*Carum copticum* Benth.) leaves. Dry all the 5 ingredients in the shade. Then powder this mixture. Take internally two pinches of this powder twice a day. While the subject is under this treatment, the diet should mainly consist of milk and rice only. Quite soon the person will look younger, the skin will become lustrous and even the grey hair will turn black” Depilatory The presence of hair on arms, face, legs and pubic area, was considered an eyesore, and certain formulae were practiced to remove them. “Pound together dried fruits of *Aavalakatti* (*Emblica officinalis* Gaertn.) and dried fruits of *Pimpali* (*Piper longum* Linn.). Soak this mixture in the milky latex of *Nivadunga* (Cactus: *Euphorbia nivulia* Ham.) If this compound is applied to the desired place, the hair from that area will fall off”. Breast developers “Powder together the root of *Aswagandha* (*Withania somnifera* Dunal.), the fruit of *Gajapimpali* (*Scindapsus officinalis* Schott.), the root of *Kosta* (*Saussurea lappa* Clarke.), and the rhizomes of *Vekhanda* [Vekhanda, English name: Sweet flag.] (*Acorus calamus* Linn.). To this powder add butter made from buffalo's milk and massage the bust with this medicated butter. This will increase the bustline and make it firm and shapely”.Some more formulae from other sources, earlier than 18th and 19th cent A.D. include the following: Face pack “Take *Masura*—a lentil common in India (*Lens culinaris* Medic.) and pound with Madhu (Honey). The paste so prepared, rubbed for seven nights, gives the splendor of the petals of the white lotus flower to the face”. Cure for pimples “The application of plaster composed of *Kustumburu* [Dhana, Dhania, English name: Coriander](*Coriandrum sativum* Linn.), *Vacha* or *Vekhanda* (*Acorus calamus* Linn.), *Lodhra* [Lodhar, Lodhra. English name: The Lodh tree] (*Symplocos racemosa* Roxb.) and *Kushtha* or *Kosta* (*Saussurea lappa* Clarke.) pasted together is also recommended for curing pimples”. <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2825132/figure/F0001/> I quote a verse translated from Sanskrit: “Oh! beautiful damsel, make fragrant quickly, *Poog-phala* i.e. *Supari* or Betel nut (*Areca catechu* Linn.), for rulers of the earth (Kings) by mixing together *Kushtha* (*Saussurea lappa* Linn.), *Tagara* (*Valeriana wallichii* DC.), *Jatiphala* (*Myrstica fragrans* Houtt.), *Karpoora* (*Cinnamomum camphora* Nees and Eberm.), *Lavanga* (*Syzygium aromaticum* Merrill and Perry.) and *Ela* (*Ellettaria cardamomum* Maton)” Cure for lice and nits “On tying the head with a piece of cloth dipped in the juice of *Phanivalli* (Piper betel Linn.) or ‘*Paan*” leaves, to which has been added *Paratda* (Mercury), lice and nits would be finished off. General hair remedy and cure for the prematurely graying “Juice of *Bhringaraja* or *Maka* (*Eclipta alba* Hassk.), together with Lohakitta (Iron-rust: Non-botanical. Iron oxide, normally Red oxide.), *Phalatrikam* or *Triphala* = Collection of three fruits, *viz*. *Harada* [Hirda, English name: *Chebulic myrobalan*] (*Terminalia chebula* retz.), *Beheda* [Behada, English name: *Belleric myrobalan*] (*Terminalia bellerica* retz.) and *Avala* [Amla, English name: *Emblic myrobalan*] (*Phyllanthus emblica* Gaertn.), cooked in oil when applied (to the scalp), would cure dandruff, itching, alopecia and would also darken the hair, which have become grey prematurely. Deodorant powder “The powder from the barks of *Sahakara* [*Aam, Amba*, English name: Mango] (*Mangifera indica* Linn.) tree and *Dadima* [*Dadim, Dalimba*; English name: Pomegranate] (*Punica granatum* Linn.) tree, mixed with *Shankha* (Fragrant Shell) powder and applied to the relevant part of the body, removes bad odour. The powder made of *Chincha* (*Tamarindus indica* Linn.) and *Karanja* (*Pongamia glabra* Vent.) seeds, if applied also removes bad odour. Rao SA. In: *Sri Sarabhendra Vaidya Ratnavali.* Krishnaswami Mahadick., editor. Saraswati Mahal Library: Tanjore; 1952. p. 277. 351,354,359,381. [Google Scholar <https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=Sri+Sarabhendra+Vaidya+Ratnavali&author=SA+Rao&publication_year=1952&;> ] III Now amazon makes a lot of money on ayurvedic lipsticks in India and abroad. K Rajaram IRS 14 3 24 ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: 'venkat giri' via iyer123 <[email protected]> Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2024 at 12:07 Subject: [iyer123] LEAD IN LIPSTICK To: Iyer <[email protected]>, Kerala Iyer < [email protected]> *Respected Sir/s,* * S**everal major brands of lipstick contain dangerous levels of cancer-causing LEAD(Pb) which can be detected with a gold ring.* *This is how to test Lipstick for "Lead", lead is a chemical which causes cancer. Recently a brand called, "RED EART" decreased their prices from Rs 580/- to Rs 80/-. It contains lead. * *Brands which contain Lead * *1. Christian Dior 4 * *2. LANCOME 2 * *3. CLINIQUE 2 * *4. Y.S.L 5 * *5. ESTEE LAUDER 3 * *6. SHISEIDO 2 * *7. RED EARTH (Lip Gloss) 2 * *8. CHANEL (Lip Conditioner) 2 * *9. Market America-Motives lipstick 0 * *The higher the amount of lead ; greater chance of causing Cancer. After doing this test, it was found Y.S.L. lipstick to contain the most lead. It is not easy to "REMOVE" because of the lead. Watch out for those lipsticks which are suppose to stay longer * *Here is the test one can do : * *1. Put some lipstick on hand, * *2. Use a 24k-14k Gold ring to scratch on the lipstick. * *3. If the lipstick color changes to black then know the lipstick contains lead.* *According to research, a woman applying lipstick two to 14 times a day can introduce 87 milligrams of lead into her body. Even if cosmetic brands argue that there's little traces of lead in lipsticks, one should still be careful about what product one is buying.* Most beauty products that one available in the market are made with chemicals. In a study by the FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION ; lipsticks tested had lead in them, way more than the permissible limit. The Consumer Education and Research Society (CERN) in Ahmedabad also found lead in lipsticks and lip glosses it tested. One thinks that more expensive makeup would be safer, right? That hasn’t been the case and lead can be found in both affordable lipsticks and premium brands—the content is higher in darker shades. And, there’s no other way to tell if there’s any toxic component in a lipstick other than testing it in a lab. What’s worse is that one may not even realise what toxic chemicals lurking in lipstick or foundation because they aren’t always listed. One can’t check the label to know if your pout-perfect brand has lead in it, or not. Consequently, two of the recommendations that CERN made were to prohibit colours that have lead in them and make the permissible limit of lead in cosmetics to be 0ppm (from 20ppm). This would also be in the benefit of the consumer to know what they’re taking home when they buy a cosmetic product. Sadly, it’s not just lipsticks and lip glosses, but many hair dyes, foundations, and mascaras that have traces of harmful toxins in them! Of course, there are lead-free lipsticks available in the market and conscious beauty lovers are making the shift to Ayurvedic products like the range that JUST HERBS offers. *LEAD IN LIPSTICK HAS MAJOR SIDE EFFECTS* Not even a small amount of lead is harmless to the body, according to expertts. The metal is present in the environment and we also breathe it in through air and get exposed to it by food we eat. It is so readily available in the environment—as pollution, in soil, and even in paint—that it can lead to lead poisoning after a period of months or decades of exposure. Lead is especially bad for children because it interferes with their normal development; so that’s another reason why mothers keep their children away from makeup. The metal is also linked to infertility in both men and women, and can cause hormonal changes and heart problems. Pregnant women are also warned about this because lead can impair cognitive and neurological development of the foetus. LEAD FREE LIPSTICKS EXIST !!! The revelation that there’s lead in lipsticks, even high-end brands, has caused people to be more conscious about the products they use. There are lead-free lipsticks available in the market, made with natural products that don’t harm . Just Herbs has a collection of 16 shades of AYURVEDIC LIPSTICKS(from peachy pink to caramel) that uses ghee, sesame oil, brahmi, manjistha, bala and other herbs. These lipsticks are free of petrochemicals, film-formers, parabens, and silicones, so they’re safe to use. Plus, they don’t dry the lips, but give them nourishment along with the glam factor! So yes, lipstick brands without lead are a better option, even if one are using a base and aren’t reapplying lipstick 10 times a day. Definitely avoid brands that promise long lasting, darker shades—the darker, the worse in lead content. Regards V.Sridharan TRICHY -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "iyer123" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/1985448918.2475432.1710349604076%40mail.yahoo.com <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/1985448918.2475432.1710349604076%40mail.yahoo.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> . -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZoqkU%2BCWv-9B-YmrZ8mnhndEKU%2BE19MQ_DnLpCoRJwf9LA%40mail.gmail.com.
