Lead in lipstick: What you need to know?
Lipsticks which contain lead may not always cause cancer, but are surely harmful. Constant exposure to lead has detrimental effects on both physical and mental health.Prevalence
About 61% of lipsticks contain lead. In 2007, a study about lead-containing lipsticks led to some astounding results. It was found that the maximum amount of lead is found in Revlon and Loreal lipsticks.
Why is lead used anyway?
Lead isn’t listed as an ingredient in any lipstick which contains it. This is because lead is found naturally. This means that it can easily find its way into ingredients which are used for making lipsticks.
Lead poisoning
When lead containing lipsticks are used regularly, it starts accumulating in the body. This, in turn, can cause lead poisoning. A study found that women apply or re-apply lipsticks anywhere between two to fourteen times in a day. This means that an average woman can ingest 87 mg of lead per day!
More symptoms of lead poisoning are as follows:
- Joint pain
- High blood pressure
- Stomach pain
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty remembering things
- Mood disorders
- Miscarriage
- Premature birth
- Headaches
If a pregnant woman is using lead containing lipstick regularly, then the fetus will be affected by it as well. The baby might develop learning disabilities as a result. Lead poisoning can cause behavioral changes, seizures and even death in children.
Symptoms of lead poisoning in children are as follows:
- Delay in development
- Learning problems
- Fatigue
- Vomiting
- Weight loss
- Seizures
- Loss of appetite
- Pica (eating things like stone, sand etc)
Lipstick brands which don’t contain lead
- Bite Beauty
- Vapour
- Red Apple Lipstick
- Nudus
- Ilia
- RMS Beauty
- Beauty Counter
- Afterglow Cosmetics
- Lavera
- 100% Pure
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