By Dr. Teri Dourmashkin
When you think about it, we ladies are constantly reapplying our lipsticks throughout the day and licking our lips. Over the course of a lifetime, the average woman uses about 4 pounds of lipstick. Most of us might be surprised to learn that many of the leading brands of lipstick, particularly shades of red (this can also include the “berry” shades) contain lead. Some argue that because lead is found in nature, that it is perfectly safe, particularly in small amounts. But, when you think of the cumulative effect, it makes sense that we should be cautious.
Last year I had a heavy metal test done and was surprised to learn that I tested relatively high for lead. I did not immediately think of red lipstick as the culprit since I don’t wear red that often these days, but I did wear it frequently for many years. I got rid of all of my ceramic mugs since they can contain lead depending upon where they are manufactured (e.g. outside of the U.S. such as China and Mexico), but other than that was scratching my head.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics has recently brought the issue of lipsticks and lead into the public arena. In 2009, the FDA tested 22 brands of varying shades of lipstick and ALL of them contained lead. The biggest offenders were L’Oreal, Revlon and Cover Girl. The particular shade with the highest level of lead was “Maximum Red,” by Cover Girl.
My recommendation would be to find all natural brands to replace the red shades you may be currently using. Some companies to watch for are “Gabriel,” which has a gorgeous hot shade of red called “Pomegranate.” This shade is more of a blue based red, very reminiscent of the 1940’s. Another beautiful shade which I would describe as a very soft red (totally appropriate for day and night) is by “Primitive,” and is called “Belize.” Both are available at Whole Foods.
If you have not yet explored the world of more naturally based cosmetics, I think you will find there is plenty to choose from. Definitely not as big of a selection compared to your local department store, but if you are committed to finding safer and non-toxic choices, then I don’t think you will be disappointed.