𝑳𝑰𝑷𝑺𝑻𝑰𝑪𝑲 & 𝑳𝑰𝑷𝑮𝑳𝑶𝑺𝑺𝑬𝑺…

Probably the most popular beauty products used by women around the world, but do you know their dirty little secret?

What research has shown is that lipsticks contain a toxic mixture of lead, heavy metals and petroleum-based chemicals, many of which have not been tested for safety.

The scary thing is that what you put on your lips can also enter your mouth. Some of the chemicals in lipstick are easily absorbed through the lips and each time you lick your lips, you ingest a small amount of these noxious chemicals.

Lips are sensitive and can easily absorb products through the thin layer of skin that covers them. Your lips are not protected by hair and sweat glands, which means that they don’t have the same natural defenses that most other parts of your skin has. 

𝑺𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒐𝒙𝒊𝒄 𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆…

1. Lead is known as a neurotoxin that accumulates over time. It is commonly used in lipsticks. Studies show that up to 60% of the lipstick tested contains lead. It isn’t an actual ingredient, but it is a contaminant that makes its way through the materials used to manufacture the products, or through the pigments that are used in them.

Lead is particularly dangerous for pregnant women and young children. This is the cause of neuro-developmental problems in children and has been linked to miscarriages and infertility. Lead is not something you want to consume!

There is no “safe” level of lead exposure.

2. Methylparaben

Methylparaben is added to lipstick as an antifungal and preservative. It’s used in many other cosmetics too. This preservative is restricted in most of Europe because of the possible cancer risk. It has also been said that it can possibly also alter the endocrine system or be toxic in other ways. Methylparaben is often a “hidden” ingredient, which means that it is not shown on the ingredient list, making it almost impossible for you or me to be aware of the presence of this questionable ingredient.

3. Polyparaben

Polyparaben is an added preservative to lipsticks to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria and mould. It keeps the oily part of the lipstick from going rancid. There is evidence that it is an endocrine disruptor and that it is an allergen for some people. 

4. Retinyl Palmitate

Retinyl palmitate is added to lipsticks as an antioxidant and used as a synthetic preservative. It’s a synthetic form of vitamin A, and it has been shown that it may be harmful to pregnant women. There is some evidence that links it to some cancers and reproductive problems. It is easily absorbed by the skin. Once absorbed, it turns first into retinol and then into retinoic acid.

When exposed to ultraviolet light, retinol compounds break down and produce toxic radicals that can damage DNA and cause genetic mutations, which are a precursor to cancer.

5. Dyes

Dyes are used to give lipstick their color, and we know the choices are many and overwhelming. Many lipsticks use synthetic dyes that route from aluminum or petroleum products. These dyes are stored in our bodies in the organs and fatty tissues. Coal tar, one of the petroleum products that’s used, is a known carcinogen. And, many lipsticks dyes have been known to contain heavy metals. Some of them are not approved as food colourants yet may be used in cosmetics.

SO let’s talk cumulative and long-term exposure

For the most part, the cosmetics industry has ignored the findings of toxic metals in lipsticks, arguing that it’s not a source of concern because the dose is so low per application. Essentially the FDA has made the same argument.

But, what both the industry and FDA are ignoring is the issue of cumulative exposure; that is, exposure to a little bit of a toxic chemical over a long term  can add up to harm. A chemical like lead builds up in the body over time so low exposures repeated daily can add up to a significant exposure.

‘𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦, 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺, 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘵𝘰 14 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺. 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘴 87 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵 𝘢 𝘥𝘢𝘺.

𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬; 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵, 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘜.𝘚. 𝘊𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥-𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴.’ – 𝘚𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘊𝘰𝘴𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴.𝘰𝘳𝘨

So before you go and buy your favorite red lipstick or your must-have pink, or any color for that matter, check the ingredients and if they have any questionable ingredients, steer clear of them. And, if they don’t share the ingredients, red flag, skip that lipstick altogether. 

My take on it is find a brand that is transparent, does education and advocacy for better – there aren’t many out there, and I am beyond proud and happy that I get to represent one that has been the motivator, the leader in fighting for #betterbeauty. Want to learn how you can be part of our movement? Message me or send me and email. Your voice matters and so does your health!