Is There an Unsafe Amount of Lead in Lipsticks?

You don't have to worry about lead poisoning from lipstick, the FDA says.

There has been concern about lead in lipstick, as some brands do contain small amounts of the neurotoxin. However, those levels are closely regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, which does not consider them high enough to harm humans.

Lead Levels

FDA scientists analyzed lead levels in lipsticks and found the amount of lead ranged between .09 and 3.06 parts per million, with an average of 1.07 parts per million. These levels, the FDA concluded, were safe and not the result of poor manufacturing practices.

Regulations

The FDA is the regulatory authority for lipstick, under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, which required that cosmetics in interstate commerce must be safe when used as instructed. The cosmetics themselves aren't regulated before being put on the market, but color additives--which are often the source of a product's lead--must be approved before hitting the market.

Candy Lead Levels

In 2007, Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, an advocacy group, tested 34 types of lipsticks for lead levels and found that, of those that contained lead, most had levels higher than those allowed in candy--0.1 parts per million. The FDA has stated that because a person only ingests lipstick incidentally, candy levels cannot be used to compare cosmetic levels.

References

• FDA: Product Information: Lipstick and Lead: Questions and Answers
• Mayo Clinic: Lead in Lipstick: A Health Concern?
• ABC News: Don't Pucker Up: Lead in Lipstick