More Than Half of Lipstick Contains Lead, Says Consumer Rights Group; CTFA Responds
Posted: October 12, 2007
According to the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, lipstick manufactured in the United States contains surprisingly high levels of lead. The lead tests were conducted by an independent laboratory over the month of September on red lipsticks bought in Boston, Hartford, Connecticut, San Francisco and Minneapolis. Top findings include:More than half of 33 brand-name lipsticks tested (61%) 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.
One-third of the tested lipsticks exceeded the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s 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.
The good news: 39% of lipsticks tested had no detectable levels of lead, and cost doesn’t seem to be a factor.
Among the top brands testing positive for lead were:
-L’Oreal Colour Riche “True Red” – 0.65 ppm
-L’Oreal Colour Riche “Classic Wine” – 0.58 ppm
-Cover Girl Incredifull Lipcolor “Maximum Red” – 0.56 ppm
-Dior Addict “Positive Red” – 0.21 ppm