I have a healthy body, free of the chemicals that once controlled it,’’ said Lorna Luft, daughter of the well-known singer and actress, Judy Garland. And while she was talking about a totally different chemical experience, the fact remains that chemicals of any kind have a destructive power if used over prolonged periods. Industrial chemicals like phthalates are used as solvents in many cosmetics. Most hair sprays, deodorants, nail polishes and perfumes that you and I use everyday contain these harmful substances which have been shown to damage the liver, kidneys and reproductive systems in animal studies.
But while we are still searching for safe, nontoxic versions of cosmetics that won’t expose us to health risks, how many of us have thought about looking for ‘safe’ lipsticks? Says Stacy Malkan, Co-founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, “The skin is highly absorptive, and we can ingest any chemicals that we put on our lips.”
However, it can be a daunting task to find a lipstick that contains nontoxic ingredients. Lead, for instance occurs naturally in some lipstick ingredients. And exposure to lead can cause brain damage. Studies undertaken by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the Food and Drug Administration, USA, found high percentages of lead in some popular lipstick brands. A publication of Insight, the magazine by the Consumer Education and Research Society (CERS), Ahmedabad also talks about the probability of the presence of toxic chemicals in lipsticks. “There is hardly any doubt that copious numbers of lipstick brands are flooding the Indian market and this is making the chances (of lipsticks containing toxic chemicals) higher.’’
A CERS press statement says that the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has already set the lead limit to a maximum of 20 ppm (parts per million). A study conducted by the CERS found that labelling norms were also flouted and many lipstick brands did not have the date of manufacture or expiry on them.
Says Manisha Amol, VP-Marketing, Modicare Ltd, “As per the new rule we mention all the ingredients in the lipsticks on the monocarton — depending on their percentage content — in descending order.” According to Amol, companies have already started pigment sourcing from botanicals/ plants and are working on including these natural pigments in lip make up products to reduce the use of synthetic colour pigments.
A spokesperson for L’Oreal states that, “The average amount of technically unavoidable traces of lead a woman would be exposed to when using cosmetics is 1,000 times less than the amount she would get from eating, breathing and drinking water. This element can be present in cosmetic formulations in infinitesimally small quantities, at ppm levels as an unavoidable impurity… All the brands of the L’Oréal Group are in full compliance with international regulatory safety standards... and the requirements for safety in India...’’
But, why is lead considered so dangerous? Research tells us that lead is a proven neurotoxin that can cause learning, language and behavioural problems. Lead has also been linked to miscarriage, reduced fertility, hormonal changes and much more. Lead builds up in the body over time so if you use a lipstick containing high levels of lead it could add up to significant exposure levels.
You can tell whether a lipstick has a high quantity of lead by putting some of it on your hand and scratching it with a 24k -14k gold ring. If the lipstick changes colour to black then you know it contains lead. The last word in this battle for safe lipsticks, however, must go to Shahnaz Husain, the pioneer of the herbal care industry in India, who says that keeping the safety factor in view, “our lipsticks and lip glosses contain ingredients like sandalwood, liquorice, al-mond oil etc., which not only lend glamour, but also keep the lips soft and smooth.’’
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