Is Eye Cosmetic A Source Of Lead Poisoning?

Many people may be unaware of the lead poisoning risk, in adults and children, from an avoidable source: traditional eye cosmetics containing kohl, kajal, al-kahal, surma, tiro, tozali, or kwalli. The following information is intended to answer questions people may ask about these products and their dangers:

Can you get lead poisoning from makeup?

Kohl, Kajal, Al-Kahal, Surma, Tiro, Tozali, or Kwalli – These traditional eyeliners, popular in many parts of the world, are a serious health concern because they commonly contain large amounts of lead, as well as other heavy metals. Products containing kohl and similar ingredients have been linked to lead poisoning, especially among children, and are not allowed to be sold in the U.S.

Does eyeliner contain lead?

Download Article Download Article Since the 1990s, there have been several surges of public concern about lead content in cosmetics, usually prompted by news reports, mass emails, or social media posts. Excessive lead intake is a legitimate health concern, and if the microscopic amounts that might be in your lipstick worry you, you may want to seek out lead-free cosmetics.

1. 1 Know the lead limits for color additives. In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has limited authority to regulate cosmetics, but it can legally regulate color additives in cosmetics (as well as foods and drugs). Color additives require prior approval from the FDA before the products can legally be manufactured or sold in the U.S.
   • Although there are some variations, the typical limit for lead in a color additive is 20 parts per million, which is well within recognized safe parameters under normal use. A listing of FDA-permitted color additives is available at http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/Labeling/IngredientNames/ucm109084.htm,
2. 2 Be wary of traditional eyeliners. Eyeliners known by names including kohl, kajal, and surma have long been popular in many parts of the world, and occasionally appear for sale in the U.S. However, these eyeliners contain high amounts of lead and are not approved for sale or use in the U.S.
   • The danger of these products is real — they have been linked to cases of lead poisoning in children.
   • These eyeliners are on an FDA “import alert,” meaning they can be seized by FDA field personnel to prevent sale or distribution.

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3. 3 Use progressive hair dyes cautiously, and only as intended. Most hair dye products, and especially progressive hair dyes that darken hair color over time, use color additives that are subject to FDA approval. They typically contain lead acetate, and are permitted by the FDA to have much higher concentrations of lead than is typically allowed for color additives.
   • The FDA contends that, when used as intended, the elevated lead content in these products is not a health concern because the product does not enter the body. However, the products must contain this special label on the packaging:
     • “Caution: Contains lead acetate. For external use only. Keep this product out of children’s reach. Do not use on cut or abraded scalp. If skin irritation develops, discontinue use. Do not use to color mustaches, eyelashes, eyebrows, or hair on parts of the body other than the scalp. Do not get in eyes. Follow instructions carefully and wash hands thoroughly after use.”
4. 4 Weigh your options with lipstick. Lipstick is the most common cause for concern about lead in cosmetics, as emails, news stories, and press releases about lead in lipstick seem to make the rounds in waves every several years.
   • The FDA has done substantial testing and is not concerned with the findings. However, it did find lead in virtually every lipstick tested.
   • The other sections of this article contain more information on lead content in lipstick. Practically speaking, however, the darker (especially red) your lipstick is, the more likely it is to have greater amounts of lead in the pigments.

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1. 1 Don’t expect to find lead listed among the ingredients. Your lipstick can contain lead without noting it on the package ingredients because lead is not considered an ingredient. That is, manufacturers don’t purposely add lead as part of the manufacturing process.
   • In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) actually has quite limited authority in regards to identifying and banning substances such as lead from cosmetics. And, in any case, the FDA has studied the matter and determined that the amount of lead in cosmetics is not a health concern.
2. 2 Consult existing lists and databases. When the FDA addressed the topic of lead in cosmetics in 2010, it authorized detailed testing of 400 different products. The bad news, if you are worried about any amount of lead in your cosmetics (even if the FDA isn’t), is that each and every product showed traces of the element.
   • You can also look for lists and searchable databases maintained primarily by organizations that are working to eliminate lead and other potential toxins from consumer products.
   • Remember that cosmetics formulations change regularly and without warning, so the list of eleven (out of 33 products) that passed muster during testing by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics in 2007 is probably no longer accurate. Seek out up-to-date information whenever possible.

   EXPERT TIP Cassandra McClure is a clean beauty advocate, working to increase use of sustainable and healthy cosmetics, based in Palo Alto, California. She has worked in the beauty and cosmetic industries for over 15 years, as a model, makeup artist, and entrepreneur. She has a Masters in High Definition Makeup from the MKC Beauty Academy. Do your research. Makeup artist and clean beauty advocate Cassandra McClure says: “To find safe cosmetics, look for brands that are B-corp certified or verified by the Environmental Working Group, or EWG. That will help you determine if a company is ethical, sustainable, and cares about its clients, customers, and workers.”

3. 3 Contact the manufacturer. Even if your cosmetics manufacturer is not required to list trace amounts of lead in its products, it may have conducted testing (or be aware of testing results) that determined any lead content. They don’t have to disclose this information to you, either, but it can’t hurt to ask.
   • Increasing numbers of cosmetics companies are proud to advertise that their products are “lead-free,” but again there is no clear definition of that term. Does any trace amount of lead count? How much testing must be done? Who did the testing? You can feel more confident about choosing products that are advertised as lead-free, but you can’t be completely certain due to the lack of established, common standards.
4. 4 Test the product yourself. If you really want to be certain whether your favorite lipstick or face cream contains lead, the most accurate results will come from sending the product to a laboratory that can do detailed testing. There are actually laboratories that advertise for this service, so some people must be utilizing it.
   • You can also purchase at-home testing kits from various sources, although the accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
   • There is also a simple at-home method that may or may not be useful (depending upon who you ask). It involves smearing your chosen product onto a clean surface, then thoroughly rubbing a piece of gold, copper, pewter, or silver on it. Supposedly, the presence of lead will cause the product to discolor with darker streaks or smears. Again, the effectiveness of this method has not been confirmed.

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1. 1 Recognize the dangers of lead. Lead is an element that has served useful purposes from plumbing to paint and beyond for centuries, but the dangers of excessive lead levels in the body have become apparent in recent decades. Lead is a neurotoxin that can cause behavioral, developmental, and learning difficulties. It is therefore particularly dangerous for children and their developing brains.
   • See the handout created by an agency of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (available at http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ToxProfiles/tp13-c1-b.pdf ) for detailed information about lead, how it enters the body, how it impacts the body, and how to limit exposure.
2. 2 Don’t overreact to the situation. Yes, 400 out of 400 cosmetics tested by the FDA in 2010 contained lead (and a separate major study also got a 100% result). And yes, lead is a toxic substance. That said, among the most likely sources for dangerous levels of lead exposure, your cosmetics are pretty low on the list.
   • You are more likely to be exposed to higher levels of lead by way of water carried through old pipes, houses built before 1978 with flaking paint, and airborne dust near industrial sites, to name some examples.
   • Often with good intentions, some individuals and groups have resorted to scare tactics in order to advocate for the removal of all traces of lead from cosmetics. You may have gotten emails before that say cosmetics companies intentionally use lead because it lowers their costs, and that lead causes cancer.
   • In reality, most lead in cosmetics occurs as a natural contaminant, and the possible links between lead exposure and certain cancers are still unclear.
3. 3 Look at both sides of the debate. On one hand, then, you have organizations like the FDA that state that the small amounts of lead found in cosmetics are of no real health concern. On the other hand, you have advocacy groups and some researchers who focus on the fact that lead is a toxic substance, and say that it should be avoided in any amount whenever possible.
   • Advocates against lead in cosmetics believe that the FDA does not adequately factor in the cumulative impact of reapplying a product like lipstick several times per day, every day. This cumulative buildup, they contend, can push lead intake above the daily “safe” threshold, especially for children.
   • There is, unfortunately, no clear consensus about the impact of lead in cosmetics.
4. 4 Take practical steps to reduce lead exposure from cosmetics. The amount of lead in your lipstick is probably not an issue that should cause you sleepless nights. That said, if you can find cosmetics products that work for you and don’t contain lead, then perhaps it is your best option to choose them. Consider also:
   • Limiting the use of cosmetics by children, especially when it comes to reapplying lipstick or other lip products.
   • Reapplying lipstick or lip products yourself only as necessary, and ideally not more than a handful of times per day.
   • Choosing lighter shades of lipstick and makeup, which tend to have less lead in them.
   • Seeking out lead-free products and/or testing your cosmetics for lead, as discussed elsewhere in this article.

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How does lead poisoning affect the eyes?

DISCUSSION – Sources of lead include old paint, old plumbing, glass-making, dust exposure, battery burning, and soldering. However, our patient was not exposed to any of these sources or risks. He was a chronic oral opium user, and recently, the opium used by him contained lead as a chemical impurity.

Lead is occasionally added to opium products to increase its weight for higher profits. Lead poisoning can cause systemic hypertension, which can cause hypertensive optic neuropathy. However, the patient had no history of systemic hypertension. According to the patient’s medical records at the time of presentation, his blood pressure was 115/80 mm Hg with no evidence of accelerated or malignant hypertension.

Moreover, cotton-wool spots, hard exudates, Elschnig spots, and Siegrist streaks, which are indicative of hypertensive chorioretinopathy were absent, Toxic optic neuropathies typically present with a gradually progressive, bilaterally symmetric, painless vision loss affecting the central vision.

• Poisoning with heavy metals, such as lead, can cause toxic optic neuropathy.
• Lead exposure has a toxic effect on the macular, choroidal, and RNFLs, which causes visual deficits.
• Our patient had a progressive, painless bilateral visual acuity decrement, color vision impairment, and visual field defects.

Bilateral optic disc neuropathy with lead intoxication has previously been reported. Baghdassarian reported a 49-year-old male paint-shop worker who had bilateral optic neuropathy and showed laboratory evidence of lead poisoning. Therefore, our patient with bilateral hemorrhagic optic disc edema, as indicated on funduscopy and imaging, is a rare case.

• Heavy metals, including lead, can accumulate in human pigmented ocular tissues, particularly in RPE and the choroid, resulting in decreased sensitivity and amplitude of the a- and b-waves of the dark-adapted ERG.
• Lead exposure causes retinal degeneration with selective loss of rods and bipolar cells.

This is due to apoptosis of the photoreceptor cells. Lead can also cause disorders in calcium metabolism of the photoreceptors. Rod degeneration in patients with lead retinal toxicity can present with peripheral retinal pigmentary alterations. Our patient refused to undergo ERG for further investigations.

1. However, funduscopy did not reveal any retinal peripheral abnormalities.
2. Although neuroimaging shows normal results in toxic optic neuropathy, it is almost always indicated to rule out space-occupying lesions.
3. The most appropriate imaging modality is MRI of the optic nerves and chiasm with and without gadolinium enhancement.

Brain MRI of this patient was unremarkable, with no enhancement of the optic nerves, which did not favor the diagnosis of optic neuritis. The treatment of optic neuropathy due to lead poisoning includes removing the sources of lead exposure and chelation with EDTA and succimer.

Chelating agents for lead poisoning can reduce the serum lead level and improve the clinical and paraclinical features of toxic optic neuropathy due to systemic lead poisoning. For example, Baghdassarian reported a patient with bilateral optic neuropathy because of systemic lead poisoning in whom the visual acuity significantly improved and visual field scotoma decreased after treatment with the lead-chelator D-penicillamine and subsequent serum lead level reduction.

Our patient had been treated with EDTA, and subsequently with succimer. After the treatment, the serum lead level decreased from 164 to 36 µg/dL. The neurological symptoms disappeared, and visual acuity in both eyes improved subjectively. A limitation of this study is that we did not measure the macular ganglion cell layer thickness with OCT; it could help with the evaluation of cell loss in cases of optic disc edema.

Papilledema is defined as optic disc edema due to increased ICP and should be differentiated from papillitis. The lumbar puncture in this patient showed that ICP was within normal limits, which ruled out papilledema. Therefore, we considered bilateral hemorrhagic optic disc swelling due to lead toxicity.

Neurological symptoms of lead toxicity, normal ICP (which ruled out idiopathic intracranial hypertension), visual acuity impairment, positive response to chelation therapy, and other clinical and paraclinical evaluations confirmed that the underlying cause was lead toxicity.

Does kohl cause lead poisoning?

Sources of lead poisoning include lead-based paint, lead-contaminated dust from paint or soil, imported or hand-made pottery with leaded glaze, some imported candies or foods, especially from Mexico, containing chili or tamarind, and imported cosmetics such as kajal/surma/kohl. Lead poisoning is treatable.

Can you get lead poisoning from lipstick?

How FDA Determined That Up to 10 ppm Lead in These Products Would Not Pose a Health Risk – Exposure to lead from lipstick is mainly by swallowing, such as after a consumer licks her lips, so we used the same approach for cosmetic lip products that we use to estimate exposure to lead from food.

We determined that exposure to 10 ppm lead from incidental ingestion of cosmetic lip products is very small and cannot be measured in routine blood testing. Exposure to lead from other cosmetics is by absorption through the skin, but the amount absorbed is very small. This means that exposure to lead from a product such as eye shadow or body lotion is even lower than exposure to lead from a lipstick or other lip cosmetic, and also cannot be measured in routine blood testing.

Based on these factors, we concluded that up to 10 ppm lead in cosmetic lip products and externally applied cosmetics would not pose a health risk.

Are eyeliners safe in the eyes?

Can Wearing Eyeliner Damage Your Eyes? – Eyeliner does not damage your eyes, but applying it too close to the eye could lead to harm. Particles of eyeliner could get into the eyes and also cause problems if you have sensitive or dry eyes. It is even more affecting for those who wear contact lenses, especially when eyeliner is put on the inner lid margin.

How safe is eyeliner?

Is permanent eyeliner safe? – According to Dr. Glen K. Goodman, a board-certified ophthalmologist at Refocus Eye Health, permanent eyeliner is generally considered a safe procedure if performed by an experienced practitioner, in a medical-grade clean environment, employing completely sterile techniques.

However, as the procedure is invasive, Dr. Goodman adds that there are no guarantees against complications — so make sure you do your research and find a reputable establishment. “The most serious risk is an infection,” says Dr. Goodman. “Pathogens can be placed inadvertently into the eyelid, and from there they can infect the surrounding soft tissues.” Other risks include allergic reactions, migration of the applied pigments, excessive or irregular scarring, and keloid formation.

Dr. Vergara advises that patients with autoimmune disorders like lupus and pregnant woman should avoid having permanent eyeliner treatment, to prevent complications.

Is it OK if eyeliner gets in your eye?

T ake these steps if makeup gets in your eyes –

Rinse eyes thoroughly with clean tap water or eye-wash solution until you flush out all mascara, eyeliner or makeup flakes. (If you wear contact lenses, remove them before flushing out your eyes).Apply moisturizing eye drops to the affected eye after rinsing out makeup.If you wear contacts, carefully clean the lens using your cleaning solution.Don’t re-insert your contacts as long as your eye is still irritated.

What are 3 symptoms of lead toxicity?

Lead exposure can cause high blood pressure and brain, kidney and reproductive health issues in adults. Symptoms of lead poisoning include headaches, stomach cramps, constipation, muscle/joint pain, trouble sleeping, fatigue, irritability, and loss of sex drive.

Most adults with lead poisoning don’t look or feel sick. The most commonly identified source of lead poisoning in non-pregnant adults is occupational exposure to lead in the construction industry. Workers in other industries, as well as hobbyists, may be at risk if they work with metal, paint, pigments, or glazes that contain lead.

Hobbies with lead poisoning risks include jewelry making, working with stained glass, antique restoration, and furniture refinishing. Adults can also be exposed to lead through the use of lead-contaminated products, such as certain imported health remedies, spices, foods, pottery and cosmetics.

Lead Exposure Self-Assessment Guide for Adults (PDF) Other languages: Español Information on Adult Lead Poisoning for Health Care Providers (PDF)

If you have questions about your exposure to lead, or to find out where to get a blood lead test, call 311 and ask for the Healthy Homes Program.

How worried should I be about lead poisoning?

What is lead poisoning? – Lead poisoning happens when your child is affected by high levels of lead exposure. Lead poisoning is usually caused by eating or drinking (ingesting) lead, but touching or breathing in the toxic metal can also cause it. Lead poisoning is when any detectable amount of lead is found in your child’s blood.

How permanent is lead poisoning?

Health effects in children – Lead exposure can have serious consequences for the health of children. At high levels of exposure lead attacks the brain and central nervous system, causing coma, convulsions and even death. Children who survive severe lead poisoning may be left with intellectual disability and behavioural disorders.

At lower levels of exposure that cause no obvious symptoms, lead is now known to produce a spectrum of injury across multiple body systems. In particular, lead can affect children’s brain development, resulting in reduced intelligence quotient (IQ), behavioural changes such as reduced attention span and increased antisocial behaviour, and reduced educational attainment.

Lead exposure also causes anaemia, hypertension, renal impairment, immunotoxicity and toxicity to the reproductive organs. The neurological and behavioural effects of lead are believed to be irreversible. There is no known safe blood lead concentration; even blood lead concentrations as low as 3.5 µg/dL may be associated with decreased intelligence in children, behavioural difficulties and learning problems (1),

1. As lead exposure increases, the range and severity of symptoms and effects also increase.
2. Encouragingly, the successful phasing out of leaded gasoline in most countries, together with other lead control measures, has resulted in a significant decline in population-level blood lead concentrations.
3. As of July 2021, leaded fuel for cars and lorries is no longer sold anywhere in the world (2),

However, more needs to be done to phase out lead paint; so far, only 45% of countries have introduced legally binding controls on lead paint,

Why is kohl banned in the US?

Legal status – In the United States, kohl is not on the list of color additives approved by the Food and Drug Administration, which considers kohl unsafe for use due to its potential lead content. It is illegal to import into, or sell in, the United States.

How do you know if eyeliner is toxic?

Look Out for Bad Ingredients – You should stay away from parabens, formaldehyde, BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), talc, and black carbon. These substances act as colorants and preservatives but could lead to irritation and cancer with continuous exposure.

Does mascara have lead?

When the ancient Egyptians first began using mascara thousands of years ago, the mixture they used was made of lead ore, charcoal, crocodile dung, and honey. Today, mascara is made from much cleaner ingredients and is less likely to give you lead poisoning.

• And yet, some modern mainstream mascaras aren’t all that safe either.
• First, let me just say: I love mascara.
• It’s one of my “can’t live without it” makeup items.
• It helps me look more awake and like I’ve made an effort.
• Mascara has the uncanny ability of taking any woman’s look from drab to fab (or at least less zombie-like!) within seconds.

It’s fantastic. But before you swipe on another coat of mascara, you might want to look into which nasties could be hiding in your favourite tube.

Is face makeup toxic?

Spot bad cosmetic ingredients – Cosmetic products and ingredients do not have to be tested by the FDA before they are sold. The FDA simply requires them to be safe when used according to their directions, However, the FDA requires the approval of ingredients used as ” color additives ” in cosmetics. Here’s what to watch for to keep your chi ld’s look safe and fun.

Dressing up as a rock star for Halloween? Beware of cosmetics with heavy metals. Many cosmetics contain heavy metals. These can include arsenic, cadmium, mercury and lead, all of which can be toxic in large amounts—especially to children. Other natural ingredients sometimes in cosmetics like rubber (latex) in face and body paints, cobalt and nickel, have caused people to develop sensitivities, Are toxic ingredients listed under a different name? For example, lead might be listed as “kohl,” “kajal” or “surma,” and mercury might be called “mercurous chloride,” “calomel,” “mercuric” or “mercurio.” Bright colors can make you glow, but keep them away from your eyes. Many neon color ingredients used in cosmetic are considered safe by the FDA, and one is even approved for a glow-in-the-dark look. Find highlights on these FDA-approved ingredients. Is talc an ingredient? Talc is a powdery mineral that forms in the ground near the mineral asbestos. If the talc mixes with asbestos when taken from the ground, the contaminated talc could end up in the cosmetic, Asbestos can cause cancer and mesothelioma after many years of exposure.

What makeup has forever chemicals?

BBC News reports that the likes of Urban Decay and Revolution are selling makeup in the UK which has been alleged to contain these so-called forever chemicals. The BBC claims that products containing PFAS include Urban Decay Naked Palette 2 and Naked Palette 3, and Revolution Relove High Key Shadow Palette.

Is there lead in Dior lipstick?

Good Morning America October 12, 2007 You might want to think twice before touching up your lipstick. According to a new report, some lipsticks are contaminated with lead, from drugstore brands to designer labels. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics randomly purchased more than 30 lipsticks in four cities and sent them to a lab for lead testing.

1. More than half came back with levels of lead.
2. It’s unconscionable that women should have to worry about lead in lipstick,” said Stacy Malkan of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.
3. The coalition’s report found that 20 of the 33 lipsticks it sent to be tested contained lead.
4. Higher levels were found in products made by L’Oreal, Cover Girl and Christian Dior.

Because there is no federal standard for lead in cosmetics, the advocacy group used the Food and Drug Administration’s limits for lead in candy as a yardstick. “We want the companies to immediately reformulate their products to get the lead out and ultimately, really we need to change the laws and force these companies to be accountable to women’s health,” Malkan said.

1. But the trade group representing the cosmetics industry said the report is nothing new and, not surprisingly, the findings are not cause for worry.
2. I think the levels are actually quite low — trace levels — really not something that would present a cause for concern,” said John Bailey of the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association.

Experts say pregnant women should be extra aware when it comes to lead-tainted products. “Lead is a proven neurotoxin. It can cause learning disabilities. It’s also linked to miscarriage and infertility,” Malkan said. Bailey advises that all pregnant women consult their physician before choosing their cosmetics.

L’Oreal told ABC News that all its products are in compliance with FDA regulations and that it upholds the highest standards of safety for its customers. Proctor and Gamble, maker of Cover Girl, said that it stands behind the safety of its products and that all its products go through rigorous testing procedures.

LVMH, the company that makes Dior products, said it does not use lead products in its cosmetics. Trace amounts of lead exist in natural pigments, but the company considers those levels harmless.

What lipstick has the most lead in it?

This was published 11 years ago February 15, 2012 — 8.45am Four hundred of the most popular lipsticks in the US contained trace levels of lead when tested recently, confirming similar results of earlier analyses but on a much wider scale and at higher levels than previously detected. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics consumer group is pushing for limits on lead levels in lipsticks. The findings exacerbate an ongoing disagreement between the FDA and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a consumer group that’s been pushing the government for years to set limits for lead levels in lipsticks.

The FDA has resisted, insisting that the lead levels detected in two rounds of its own testing, including the most recent one, do not pose safety risks. But the consumer group says the FDA has no scientific basis for its conclusion. Reports of lead in lipstick date to the 1990s, when test results from a commercial laboratory raised concerns.

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics tested 33 red lipsticks in 2007 and found that two-thirds of them contained lead — and that one-third of those exceeded the FDA’s limit for lead in candy. The FDA followed up with its own tests on 20 lipsticks in 2008 and then on 400 lipsticks in the most recent analysis, and found detectable levels in all the products it tested.

• But the FDA, which posted its latest findings online in December, said comparing lipstick to candy is unfair.
• It is not scientifically valid to equate the risk to consumers presented by lead levels in candy, a product intended for ingestion, with that associated with lead levels in lipstick, a product intended for topical use and ingested in much smaller quantities than candy,” the FDA said in comments posted on its website.

The Personal Care Products Council, the trade group representing the cosmetics industry, agreed with the FDA’s assessment. Halyna Breslawec, the council’s chief scientist, said her group has petitioned the agency to set a limit on the amount of lead allowed in cosmetics.

• The consensus on what that limit should be — 10 parts per million, Breslawec said — is higher than the levels detected by the two rounds of FDA testing and in line with proposals in Canada and Germany.
• Breslawec said that lead is not intentionally added to lipstick or any other cosmetic but that many color additives approved by the FDA are mineral-based, and therefore contain trace levels of lead that is naturally found the soil, water and air.

Determining the true safety level for lead in cosmetics remains the stumbling block. The FDA’s most recent analysis found the highest level of lead, 7.19 parts per million, in Maybelline’s Color Sensational “Pink Petal” lipstick. But the average lead concentration in the 400 lipsticks tested was 1.11 parts per million, very close to the average from its initial survey of about two dozen lipsticks in 2008.

• The FDA hired a private laboratory to do the testing.
• The agency selected the lipsticks based on the parent company’s market share, though it also included a few brands from niche markets.
• We do not consider the lead levels we found in the lipsticks to be a safety concern,” the FDA said on its website.

“The lead levels we found are within the limits recommended by other public health authorities for lead in cosmetics.” The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has a different take on the results. The lead content in Maybelline’s “Pink Petal” is more than twice as high as levels found in the previous FDA report and more than 275 times the level found in the least-contaminated brand in the recent report, the group said in a letter to the agency this month.

1. The least-contaminated brand, Wet & Wild Mega Mixers Lip Balm, was also the least expensive, “demonstrating that price is not an indicator of good manufacturing practices,” the group said.
2. The group cited federal research that has concluded that there’s no safe level of lead exposure for children and has stressed the need to shield children and pregnant women from exposure.

“Lead builds in the body over time, and lead-containing lipstick applied several times a day, every day, can add up to significant level exposure,” Mark Mitchell, co-chairman of the Environmental Health Task Force for the National Medical Association, said in the group’s statement.

• California, a trailblazer when it comes to lead regulation, has grappled with this issue.
• In 2008, after the first reports of lead in lipsticks, the state attorney general’s office examined whether cosmetics firms had run afoul of a California law that requires businesses to provide a reasonable warning if they knowingly expose consumers to chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive harm.

The state concluded, based on public data, that the concentration of lead in lipsticks was too low to trigger the law. Indeed, the duty to warn consumers would not arise until the lead concentration reached five parts per million, the state said. In the FDA’s study, the overwhelming majority of the lipsticks fell below that threshold.

1. But two exceeded it, Maybelline’s “Pink Petal” and L’Oreal’s Colour Riche “Volcanic” lipstick.
2. The California attorney general’s office has taken no further action so far.
3. The 10 lipstick brands and shades that contain the most lead, according the FDA study.1.
4. Maybelline’s Color Sensation in Pink Petal.

(Lead content: 7.19 ppm) 2. L’Oreal Colour Riche in Volcanic. (Lead content: 7.00 ppm) 3. NARS Semi-Matte in Red Lizard. (Lead content: 4.93 ppm) 4. Cover Girl Queen Collection Vibrant Hues Color in Ruby Remix (Lead content: 4.92 ppm) 5. NARS Semi-Matte in Funny Face.

What happens if you use makeup with lead?

2. What are the harmful effects of lead in cosmetics? – In fact, now most of the lead in cosmetics is over the permissible limit many times such as makeup powder, primer, foundation, lipstick. Harmful effects of lead on cosmetics will not be visible.

Right away. After a process of accumulation in the body, this substance causes many diseases. Initially, the lead in cosmetics will help consumers get a bright white face and clear tone. But stop using for a while, the skin will become dark, freckles, enlarged pores, melasma, premature aging,. In many cases, the patient will appear symptoms such as: : headache, weight loss, insomnia, body weakness,

In addition, lead in cosmetics also causes a number of health risks such as: Poisoning the nervous system causing learning impairment, language, behaviour,. Reduced fertility in both men and women Hormonal changes and menstrual irregularities Delayed onset of puberty in girls and development of testes in boys. Chì trong mỹ phẩm có thể gây ảnh hưởng đến nội tiết tố của người dùng

What makeup products have lead in them?

FDA’s Reaction – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration promised it would investigate, but it took nearly two years, pressure from consumers and a letter from three U.S. Senators until the FDA finally responded to the Campaign’s concerns. In 2009, the FDA released a follow-up study that found lead in all samples of lipsticks it tested, at levels ranging from 0.09 to 3.06 ppm – levels four times higher than those found in the Campaign study. The FDA found the highest lead levels in lipsticks made by three manufacturers: Procter & Gamble (Cover Girl brand), L’Oreal (L’Oreal, Body Shop and Maybelline brands) and Revlon. Despite these alarming results, the U.S. FDA has failed to take action to protect consumers from lead in lipstick. Even though, an expanded FDA study in 2010 found lead in 400 lipsticks at levels up to 7.19 ppm. Five of the 10 most lead-contaminated brands in the FDA study are made by L’Oreal USA. Download Full Report >

What does lead do in makeup?

Colour changes – We tested different historical makeup recipes to see how the colour would be affected. One recipe made no measurable change to the colour, while another changed yellow tones slightly. Adding a yellow tone to pale skin is perceived as more attractive, due to its connection to fruit and vegetable consumption.

A third makeup mixture reduced redness in the skin, something that today’s colour-correcting foundation makeup attempts to correct. All the white lead makeups we tested increased the amount of light the skin reflected — referred to as its reflectance. Skin becomes less reflective as women age, and more reflective skin is associated with a youthful complexion.

Specifically, the makeups increased the diffuse reflectance of the skin. Light reflection occurs in two ways. First, light can reflect, as from a mirror. It comes in at an angle and is reflected at that same angle. We call this specular reflection. Objects with a high specular reflection look glossy or shiny.

Second, light can reflect or scatter off rough surfaces in several directions. This is diffuse reflection. Objects with high diffuse reflection look blurred or slightly out-of-focus. The increased diffuse reflectance from the white lead makeup gives the skin a “softer” appearance, blurring blemishes — another effect produced by modern cosmetics.

The recipes we re-create in our lab create a soft-focus look that blurs wrinkles and blemishes, or the look of a youthful, dewy complexion. Modern makeup promotes even skin tone and a glow, achieved by altering the skin’s reflectance. (Shutterstock)