Report Warns of Lead Found in Many Red Lipsticks

Oct 13, 03:02 AM

Current Headlines: By Karen Shideler, The Wichita Eagle, Kan.

Oct. 13--Bottom line: Go ahead and wear your lipstick.

But if you're pregnant or have young children, be cautious.

A new report from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics warns that many of the red lipsticks it tested had detectable levels of lead; the advocacy group said 11 of the 33 had levels higher than what is allowed in candy. The report said three L'Oreal lipsticks, two from Cover Girl and one from Dior had the highest levels.

"Yes, we should be concerned" about the report, said Michelle Miller, director of the Kansas Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Prevention Program for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

"Should we be frantic? Not necessarily," she said Friday. "I would say those levels would probably not cause a problem for a healthy person."

But keep lipstick out of the reach of children, who might be tempted to eat it. It also could be a problem for women with pica, or a craving for nonfood items during pregnancy, she said.

The report notes that lead can cross the placenta.

A spokeswoman for the Food and Drug Administration said this is not the first lead-in-lipstick report the agency has heard.

"These concerns have not generally been supported by FDA's own analysis of products on the market," she said.

However, the FDA will look at the report and decide whether action is called for, she said.

Snopes.com, an urban legends Web site, says lipstick-in-lead reports have been circulating at least since 2003.

"Although some of the colorants the FDA grants approval to do contain lead, it is present in such minuscule amounts that it has no adverse effects on consumers," it says.

L'Oreal, Proctor and Gamble, which makes Cover Girl, and LVMH, which makes Dior products, all told ABC News that they stand behind the safety of their products. The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association, a cosmetic trade group, issued a similar statement.

Lead is a naturally occurring element that can affect brain development, especially in children up to age 6. High lead levels in the blood can affect organs. Lead's effects are cumulative.

Lead in paint has been the cause of a number of toy recalls in recent weeks. Lead in pottery and crystal has prompted warnings in previous years and the reformulations of paint and gasoline. In paint and glaze, lead makes color more vibrant.

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics didn't say why it tested only red lipsticks, but it said 61 percent had detectable levels of lead, ranging from 0.03 parts per million to 0.65 parts per million. The FDA has a lead limit of 0.1 parts per million in candy but doesn't have a limit for lipstick, the group says.

The campaign calls for the cosmetic industry "to clean up its act and remove lead and other toxic ingredients from their products."

Miller, from the state health department, said people should be aware that lots of products contain lead. Lead from deteriorating paint in older housing continues to be the biggest source of lead exposure.

Someone concerned about lead levels should ask their doctor about being tested, she said.

Reach Karen Shideler at 316-268-6674 or kshideler@wichitaeagle.com [mailto:kshideler@wichitaeagle.com].

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