Lead Red - Killer Pout Report From The Lipstick Jungle

When human race decided to embark on the journey of modern lifestyle we knew we will be dealing with a modern set of new risks as we move forward. I guess coz of that we're all pretty much accustomed to the feeling of being surrounded by health risks on daily basis and the lists are growing long and fast everyday. Some risks we ignore and live with and some we take seriously and go on rallies to fight. In the spirit of raising awareness today I'd introduce you to yet another free-to-pass-around poison in our quotidian lives. You decide if its worth living with quietly or should we be rallying-out boycotting-the-hell-out of this poison off-of-our-consumer-shelves.........Girls clutch your beauty bags and purse your red lips ----from the glamorous depths of your vanity pouches I call out --"Your Red Lipstick"!

There you have it!! Lips can kill!  The ur­ban legend can be true literally ….. especially if the kissers are enhanced with lethal red lipstick……containing Lead! The poisonous red earth color pigment which comes in the enticing shades of Rouge Volupte, Fire Splurge, Scarlet, and the Lover Red is capable of more than turning heads and sweeping the opposite sex off of their feet under the spell of your alluring pout……It can also slow poison you to stupor even maybe death!

According to a new FDA report 400 lipsticks (Yes a big whopping number 400 of them!) from leading brands such as YSL, Dior, L'Oreal, Maybelline, NARS, and Cover Girl, and many, many, many others contain Lead; .........a potential poison!

Lead Lipstick Ratings (Lethal Or Nawt):

Here’s a list of my favorite brands of lipsticks with FDA reported Lead levels.

(The higher the number of lead the higher is the danger and chance of side effects.)

• YSL 5
• Christian Dior 4
• Estee Lauder 3
• Lancôme 2
• Clinique 2
• Shiseido 2
• Chanel 2

Holy Heidi Salamane!! YSL is at the top of the list with whopping levels of Lead. Proof is in the pudding the higher the Lead level the more smudge-proof is the lipstick! Ladies adive no. 1: loose the long lasting ones if you know what I mean.

Lead Lipstick Controversies:

The FDA acknowledges the presence of Lead and yet still allows the sale of these products coz it believes that the level of Lead found in these lipsticks poses no safety risks.

But yet another consumer group, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, claiming to fight the just fight warns that …. Any Lead Is Too Much Lead! 

Where does that leave us gals? Every woman for herself I guess! Personally I prefer nude!

Lead Common Sense Argument:

Research has shown that Lead builds up in the body over time and Lead containing lipsticks applied several times a day, every day, can add up to significant exposure levels. You don’t need a degree in math to calculate that regular use = bad.

Markets are still lined with products with low levels of Lead. Regulatory bodies are admitting Lead as a harmful poison but are not prohibiting its distribution to the public. The latest studies are confusing us by showing that there is no safe level of lead exposure. And as no data is available on harmful levels of Lead our red is becoming all gray.

Hmmmn I guess its time for us to take the big girl pill and learn to identify the symptoms of Lead poisoning. The list of side effects might shed some defining light on our Lead poisoning conundrum.

According to the Mayo Clinic initially, lead poisoning can be hard to detect — ahem!— even people who seem healthy can have high blood levels of lead. Signs and symptoms usually don't appear until dangerous amounts have accumulated.

Hammered on Lead: - You'll have Symptoms like

• High blood pressure
• Declines in mental functioning
• Pain, numbness or tingling of the extremities
• Muscular weakness
• Headache
• Abdominal pain
• Memory loss
• Mood disorders
• Reduced sperm count, abnormal sperm
• Miscarriage or premature birth in pregnant women 

Lead Lessons To Be Learned:

Audrey Hepburn in “Breakfast At Tiffany’s” might have looked fantastic in red lips but modern day fashionista’s think hard and think clear…… Red stands for danger for a reason!

Flaunting old Hollywood glam-factor red lips on regular basis can certainly raise your image ratings in certain (iffy) social circles over time reciprocating to the lethal Lead levels in your body ……if that’s what you’re aiming for you’re blame free.

In my prudent books from here on wards I am assigning red lips with only one vibe that reads: mature woman, good with her mouth careless with her life!

When worn by chronic magnets like Camilla Belle, Anne Hathaway, Angelina Jolie and Penelope Cruz my argument–that red lipstick may in fact serve as a wood cutter–comes to a quick close.

Now, the case is in your court gals: judge wisely!

Finally A Fun Exercise

Lead Test Your Precious Lipstick Collection:

1. Put some lipstick on your hand
2. Use a 24-14 K Gold ring to scratch lipstick
3. If the lipstick smudge color changes to black you know your lipstick contains lead

For The Deep Case Divers: Here's some official FDA gathered data.....knock your self out researching!!

Lipstick and Lead: Questions and Answers