Woman applying makeup

How Safe Is Your Favorite Lipstick?

If you think your favorite lipstick, gloss or eye shadow is "safe" because it doesn't list lead or arsenic on the ingredients label, think again. Virtually every cosmetic product tested in one study contained a potentially dangerous or proven toxic heavy metal.

Personal care products are a $50 billion industry in the United States, yet the U.S. government doesn't require any mandatory testing for these products before they hit store shelves.

August 31, 2016 | Source: Mercola | by Dr. Joseph Mercola

If you think your favorite lipstick, gloss or eye shadow is "safe" because it doesn't list lead or arsenic on the ingredients label, think again. Virtually every cosmetic product tested in one study contained a potentially dangerous or proven toxic heavy metal.1

Personal care products are a $50 billion industry in the United States, yet the U.S. government doesn't require any mandatory testing for these products before they hit store shelves.

Lipstick, deodorants, shampoos and other personal care products do not usually undergo testing and many times don't contain a complete list of ingredients.

What this means is that women who apply lipstick several times a day could easily be ingesting high amounts of lead2,3 over the course of their lifetime, along with any number of other unknown chemical additives.

Chemicals are not only ingested but also absorbed through your skin, and are not limited to cosmetics.

Latest Senate Bill May Not Be Enough

As an example of just one personal care product problem, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received 127 complaints of adverse events along with more than 21,000 grievances sent directly to the manufacturers of WEN hair care for itching, skin irritation and hair loss.4

In April, 2015, a bipartisan bill sponsored by senators from Maine and California was introduced to require FDA participation in cosmetic regulation.5 Senate bill 1014 Personal Care Products Safety Act was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions after an initial reading.6 This bill essentially states:7

"The FDA must review the safety of at least five cosmetic ingredients each year, and it may establish conditions for safe use of an ingredient, including a limit on the amount of the ingredient or a requirement for a warning label.

A cosmetic cannot be sold if it contains an ingredient that is not safe, not safe under the recommended conditions of use or not safe in the amount present in the cosmetic.

If the FDA determines that a cosmetic has a reasonable probability of causing serious adverse health consequences, it may prohibit the cosmetic's distribution by suspending the cosmetic ingredient statement."

However, a single tube of lipstick from one company will typically contain a dozen ingredients.8 While the intention is good, testing just five ingredients a year over all cosmetic products on the market will take many decades.

Companies producing personal care products are able to change their ingredients and names far quicker than the ingredients can be tested. Therefore, it is important that you know your risks when you use your favorite personal care products.