Recently, however, research performed by scientists working for Berkeley's School of Public Health at the University of California discovered that today's lip glosses and lipsticks may contain potentially harmful levels of chromium, lead, aluminum, cadmium as well as several other metals toxic to the human body.
“Women who wear lipsticks daily, retouch it more than 10 times a day, should be very careful. Some amount of those harmful metals does get absorbed over a period of time and leads to lead accumulation in the system. Even small amounts going in for a long period of time can be a cause for concern.”
Lipsticks contain harmful heavy metals like cadmium, magnesium and chromium. All these metals can cause dangerous diseases and organ damage. Extremely high amounts of cadmium can increase the risk of renal failure. Frequent application of lipstick can cause severe stomach tumours.
When you eat and drink with lipstick on, these enter the body and can make you sick. Lipsticks also have high amount of lead and cadmium. Using the expired lipsticks can lead to lead poisoning and cause renal failure, anemia, brain damage and brain neuropathy.
Affected Nervous System
A common component of most of the lipsticks is lead. It is also known to cause hormonal imbalance and brain damage. The neurotoxin present in them causes degeneration of the neurvous system.
But if you have a history of eczema, sensitivity, dark lips and you are a daily user of lipstick then it could be a problem. These pigments can cause or aggravate lip eczema or even perioral dermatitis causing lip darkening or pigmentation around mouth,” says Dr. Gurveen Waraich.
A 2015 article that examined the health effects of heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and chromium in lipsticks revealed that there were no significant non-carcinogenic health risks through lipstick consumption for the prolonged exposure of 35 years. So an occasional kiss shouldn't be a cause for worry for men.
When to toss
Lipstick doesn't hold much bacteria, so it can last between 12 – 18 months. Although lipstick and gloss are packed with preservatives such as parabens, essential oils and vitamins to ward off germs, these naturally start to break down after a year.
Five lipsticks made by L'Oreal and Maybelline, owned by L'Oreal USA, ranked among the top 10 most contaminated of the cosmetics, according to testing by the Food and Drug Administration.
1. Enn's Closet Typhoon Enn Matte, Rs 925. You will never have to worry about dry lips as these lipsticks are super hydrating thanks to a blend of shea butter, and jojoba, argan, and castor oils that will condition your lips. This pinky-nude lipstick offers a semi-matte finish which is perfect for work.
A study by the Berkeley School of Public Health at the University of California revealed that most lip glosses and lipsticks available today contain harmful levels of chromium, lead, aluminium, cadmium and several other toxic materials.
And Lakme D414 (red) and Ivovi 10 (brown) brand of lipsticks have lead content of 23 parts per million (ppm) and 25ppm respectively, which is higher than the permissible limit, according to the latest issue of Insight, the consumer magazine by Consumer Education and Research Society (CERS), Ahmedabad.
Goleria says that it's important to note that lead per se is not used in lipstick, it's just a trace byproduct of the pigments used to color lipsticks.
Lip gloss and lipsticks should be replaced every six months, says Linkner, especially if you're prone to perleche—cracking, crusting, or irritation in the corners of the mouth caused by bacteria or fungus. “The lip makeup can harbor those microorganisms and reinfect the skin if you're not careful,” she cautions.
Even when you're using lip color products that aim to minimize skin damage, it's still a good idea to coat your lips with a primer to stop them from getting dried out before you put on lipstick. Use a cotton swab or lip brush to prime lips with coconut oil or almond oil.
Lipsticks may contain some chemicals that you may be allergic to. These chemicals may be responsible for causing hyperpigmentation on your lips.
So, the tests revealed that Maybelline and L'Oreal lipstick lead levels were 7.19 parts per million (ppm) and 7.0 ppm, respectively.
Our findings: 61 percent of lipsticks contained lead, with levels ranging up to 0.65 parts per million. Lead-contaminated brands included L'Oreal, Cover Girl and even a $24 tube of Dior Addict.
"The FDA's independent study ... confirms that lipsticks pose no safety concerns for the millions of women who use them daily," said a statement from L'Oreal. "The lead levels detected by the FDA in the study are also within the limits recommended by global public health authorities for cosmetics, including lipstick."
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