Is it Safe to Have Lead in Your Lipsticks?

Salam and Hey guys! 

Firstly, Happy Ramadhan to all the Muslims out there :*

I am so sorry for not being able to update my blog as frequent as possible. I have my final exam last week and now I am enjoying my holidays!

So lately I have came across some of you girls who are very concern about the 

LEAD CONTENT IN LIPSTICKS

Well, I had heard about this a few times but the idea never came across in my mind to find out more about it. So, here i am trying to do some research about it. All the info that I obtain are from FDA website or also known as Food and Drug Administration. Most of the pharmaceutical and cosmetic product are set by them.

So, 

WHAT IS THE REAL USE OF LEAD IN OUR LIPSTICK? IS IT THAT IMPORTANT THAT OUR LIPSTICKS MUST CONTAIN LEAD?

Yes, the picture itself is self explanatory. Lead helps to give that reddish look on your lips.

So here comes the real deal. Is it safe to wear any lead containing lipsticks? 

The answer is

Up to the individual

As a pharmacy student, we uphold into this one principle by this Toxicology Scientist named Paracelsus.

Everything in this world is poison. 

For example,

 Too much or too little oxygen are no good for us. 

Too much or too little sugar are no good for us. 

Everything in life needs Ying and Yang. 

BALANCE is the key.

Lead is something that is organic. In soil, there are lead. Lead is a natural element used in our cosmetic. That's why lead can be the cheapest and the best compound as our dyes.

The center is the FDA report confirming they found LOW levels of lead ranging from 7.19 ppm to less than 0.026ppm in 400 National brand lipsticks. PPM means part per million. It is like one in a million. The highest lead containing lipstick is about 7.19ppm which mean 7.19/1000,000. So can you see girls, actually the amount of lead is so little on one lipstick. Everytime that you are wearing your lipstick, how much do you think that the amount of lead on your lips? I mean it took me like 5 month to finish a lipstick if I were ever to wear  it everyday.

Yes, FDA haven't set the limit amount of lead in lipstick yet. That is why I am telling you girls that it is your choice to choose to wear lipstick with lead or not. And if you think about it, of course all the manufacturers will look at the income of their lipsticks. Would they want to produce a lipstick that will endangered the life of their customers? That mistake could cause their license to be terminated.

So in my opinion as a consumer, it is safe to wear a lead containing lipsticks. But, be sure to give your lips a day of 'free from lipstick day.' 

In case some of you who are still concern about this, I will put up this table from FDA to show you the amount of lead now present in some of the lipsticks.

ample #	Brand	Parent company	Lipstick line Shade # Shadea	Lot #b	Lead (Pb)c (ppm)d
1a	Cover Girl	Procter & Gamble	Incredifull Lipcolor 964 Maximum Red	7241S1	3.06
1b				5188S1	3.05
	Revlon	Revlon	ColorStay Lipcolor 345 Red Velvet	Compositee	2.91f
2				07298	2.38
3	Cover Girl	Procter & Gamble	Queen Collection Q580 Ruby Remix	7136	2.24
4	Body Shop	L'Oréal	Lip Colour 22 Garnet	C274EA	1.79
5	Cover Girl	Procter & Gamble	Continuous Color 435 Cherry Brandy	7228	1.76
6	L'Oréal	L'Oréal	Colour Riche 315 True Red	FD261	1.47
7	Revlon	Revlon	Super Lustrous 660 Bed of Roses	07208 1508 53	1.37
8	Maybelline	L'Oréal	Moisture Extreme F315 Cocoa Plum	WD2891	1.21
9	Revlon	Revlon	Super Lustrous 725 Love That Red	07284 1508 59	1.04
10a	L'Oréal	L'Oréal	Colour Riche 752 Classic Wine	FD064	0.79
10b				FD234	0.67
11	Clinique	Estée Lauder	Long Last FJ Merlot	AA7	0.55
12	Clinique	Estée Lauder	Long Last F9 Paprika	A87	0.48
13	Estée Lauder	Estée Lauder	Pure Color 1A3 Maraschino	B55	0.43
14	Burt's Bees	Clorox Company	Lip Shimmer g Merlot	1840701	0.33
15	Maybelline	L'Oréal	Moisture Extreme E215 Midnight Red	WD3041	0.23
16	PeaceKeeper	PeaceKeeper	Lipstick g Paint Me Compassionate	h	0.17
17	Dior	LVMH	Replenishing Lipcolor 752 Red Premiere	7A01	0.15
18	Dior	LVMH	Addict Ultra-Shine 750 Shiniest Sexiness	7D01	0.12
19	M.A.C	Estée Lauder	Matte g Viva Glam I	A67	0.10
20	Avon	Avon	Ultra Color Rich U250 Cherry Jubilee	h	0.09
				Average	1.07

I am not being a bias or anything but I'm putting this table for your knowledge about the product that you are wearing :)

So, I hope this will help you girls as much as it has helped me by doing a research about it.

Stay golden.
With love;

ZERA xx

References:

http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductsIngredients/Products/ucm137224.htm

http://lippygirlmakeup.blogspot.ca/2013/03/lead-is-poison-lipstick-is-not.html

Here are some refences  in case you guys wanted to do more research about it. FEEL FREE! :)