The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it will investigate charges leveled by a consumer group that a number of brands of lipstick contain dangerous levels of lead.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics made the accusation last week, based on independent lab tests it commissioned.
According to the group, 20 of the 33 brand-name lipsticks it analyzed had some levels of lead. Those levels ranged from 0.03 part per million to 0.65 part per million, and some experts say prolonged exposure could lead to significant health risks.
The FDA has reportedly collected its own lipstick samples and will conduct tests for lead. An FDA spokeswoman told Bloomberg News that the agency has not previously found lead present in lipstick.
The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association, the trade group representing cosmetics makers, has taken issue with the consumer groups findings. While not disputing that some lead might be present in lipstick, CTFA president John Bailey argues its not enough to be harmful.
Despite continuous allegations over the years, lead is not intentionally added to cosmetics, Bailey said. Lead is a naturally occurring element that is found everywhere in the environment," Bailey said.
"Consumers are exposed daily to lead when they eat, drink water and breathe the air. The average amount of lead a woman would be exposed to when using cosmetics is 1,000 times less than the amount she would get from eating, breathing, and drinking water that meets Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards, he claimed.
But according to the analysis, one-third of the tested lipsticks exceeded the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations 0.1 ppm limit for lead in candy a standard established to protect children from directly ingesting lead.
Lipstick products, like candy, are directly ingested into the body and remain on the skin for hours at a time. Nevertheless, the FDA has not set a limit for lead in lipstick.
While Bailey sought to discredit the tests, the consumer group went out of its way to note that some of the lipsticks it tested contained no lead.
The good news is that the tests show it is possible to make lipstick without lead, the group said in a statement. Thirty-nine percent of lipsticks tested had no detectable levels of lead, and cost doesnt seem to be a factor. Some less expensive brands such as Revlon ($7.49) had no detectable levels of lead, while the more expensive Dior Addict brand ($24.50) had higher levels than some other brands.
Nevertheless, more than half of 33 brand-name lipsticks tested -- 61 percent -- contained detectable levels of lead, with levels ranging from 0.03 to 0.65 parts per million (ppm). None of these lipsticks listed lead as an ingredient, the group said.
Among the top brands testing positive for lead were:
Health experts say long-term exposure to lead can result in a variety of health issues. From higher blood pressure, to kidney damage, to the loss of mental function.
There is heightened public concern about lead and other toxic substances following the discovery of lead in kids' and pets' toys.
Dangerous to children, pregnant women
Lead is a proven neurotoxin that can cause learning, language and behavioral problems such as lowered IQ, reduced school performance and increased aggression.
Pregnant women and young children are particularly vulnerable to lead exposure. Lead easily crosses the placenta and enters the fetal brain where it can interfere with normal development. Lead has also been linked to infertility and miscarriage.
Lead builds up in the body over time and lead-containing lipstick applied several times a day, every day, can add up to significant exposure levels. The latest studies show there is no safe level of lead exposure, said Mark Mitchell, M.D., MPH, president, Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice.
The cosmetics industry needs to clean up its act and remove lead and other toxic ingredients from their products, said Stacy Malkan, author of the just-released book, Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry.
Repeated, daily exposures to low levels of lead add up and they add up on top of lead from paint and drinking water, which is especially a problem in low income communities. Theres no excuse for lead in lipstick or toys. Companies should act immediately to reformulate lead-containing products, Malkan said.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is calling on the industry to reformulate products to remove lead, to require suppliers to guarantee that raw materials are free of lead and other contaminants, and to join the campaign in demanding that the FDA more strictly regulate personal care products.
