2008 Woodie Awards
Love the lipstick — Is that lead you're wearing?
Heavy metal proves non-toxic in cosmetics, despite spam e-mail warnings
Jenny Boyce, Enterprise Reporter
Issue date: 11/27/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 2 next >
If you regularly find spam when checking your e-mail, the odds are good that you have received a version of the Lead Lipstick warning circulating the Web:
"Lipstick Alert!!!!!!!!!!!! The higher the lead content, the greater the chance of causing cancer. Watch out for those lipsticks which are supposed to stay longer. If your lipstick stays longer, it is because of the higher content of lead."
The e-mail also advised women to put lipstick on the back of their hands, then use a gold ring to scratch it. If the lipstick color changes to black, then it contains lead.
Youngstown State University senior Tara Lewis received one of these e-mails. Lewis said the message was sent to her some time ago, and she immediately marked it as spam.
The consumer advocacy group Campaign for Safe Cosmetics published a study of 33 red lipsticks from different brands last month, saying that tests showed one-third of the samples contained lead levels greater than 0.1 parts per million, which is the federal limit for lead allowed in candy.
A spokesperson for the Food and Drug Administration, Stephanie Kwisnek said in a recent interview that the agency had conducted its own analyses based on past reports and found that such concerns about lipstick were unfounded.
L'Oreal challenged the claim, saying its products have been tested by toxicologists and doctors and are in compliance with federal regulations.
Across the campus of YSU, women do not see the issue of lead-based lipstick as one of concern.
"I've heard things about lipstick, saw the reports, but I love wearing lipstick, especially red," said sophomore Allison George. "It looks great on me; I can't help it."
Freshman Anne Mahoney had a more serious outlook to the possible toxic product, but still did not see itas a major concern.
"The findings against what [Safe Cosmetics] are claiming sounds right. I don't ingest my lipstick, so it's different than it would be for say, a baby putting one of those lead-based toys in their mouth and chewing on it, or the eating candy with lead," said Mahoney.
"Lipstick Alert!!!!!!!!!!!! The higher the lead content, the greater the chance of causing cancer. Watch out for those lipsticks which are supposed to stay longer. If your lipstick stays longer, it is because of the higher content of lead."
The e-mail also advised women to put lipstick on the back of their hands, then use a gold ring to scratch it. If the lipstick color changes to black, then it contains lead.
Youngstown State University senior Tara Lewis received one of these e-mails. Lewis said the message was sent to her some time ago, and she immediately marked it as spam.
The consumer advocacy group Campaign for Safe Cosmetics published a study of 33 red lipsticks from different brands last month, saying that tests showed one-third of the samples contained lead levels greater than 0.1 parts per million, which is the federal limit for lead allowed in candy.
A spokesperson for the Food and Drug Administration, Stephanie Kwisnek said in a recent interview that the agency had conducted its own analyses based on past reports and found that such concerns about lipstick were unfounded.
L'Oreal challenged the claim, saying its products have been tested by toxicologists and doctors and are in compliance with federal regulations.
Across the campus of YSU, women do not see the issue of lead-based lipstick as one of concern.
"I've heard things about lipstick, saw the reports, but I love wearing lipstick, especially red," said sophomore Allison George. "It looks great on me; I can't help it."
Freshman Anne Mahoney had a more serious outlook to the possible toxic product, but still did not see itas a major concern.
"The findings against what [Safe Cosmetics] are claiming sounds right. I don't ingest my lipstick, so it's different than it would be for say, a baby putting one of those lead-based toys in their mouth and chewing on it, or the eating candy with lead," said Mahoney.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
leadlipstick.com
posted 11/28/07 @ 6:06 AM EST
On a daily use basis, especially in younger girls, lead in lipsticks could be a real cause for concern
Post a Comment