What The Heck Is In Avon Lead-Free Lipstick?

We've all heard that lead in lipstick poses a danger to the wearer...
But there are more dangers than lead lurking in your lipstick.

About 400 lipsticks recently tested by the FDA contain traces of lead.
In 2007, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics tested on 33 red lipsticks and found that one-third exceeded the FDA's limit for lead.

In a recent article by The Daily Green entitled
"11 Lead-Free Lipsticks for Safer Kisses",
several brands are being touted as "Safer" because they are lead-free,
but do these lipsticks really make for "safer kisses"?

RAW Natural Beauty recently produced a provocative video to inform beauty mavens that the average woman may likely ingest up to seven pounds of lipstick in a lifetime.

We need to remember that everything we put on our skin is absorbed into our bodies, and lip products because they are on the mouth and are often re-applied several times daily offer great exposures through toxic ingestion along with absorbtion.
So is lead our only worry with lipstick? - Heck no!

There are many toxic ingredients in lipstick and while lead may be one of them, many others are just as toxic, if not more toxic than lead.

So let's take a look at the #1 lipstick listed in the 11 "safer kisses" lipsticks by The Daily Green:

Brand: Avon

Name/Shade: Ultra Color Rich Cherry Jubilee

Ingredients:

RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL 

POLYGLYCERYL-2 DIISOSTEARATE 

SQUALANE 

GLYCERYL TRIACETYL HYDROXYSTEARATE 

MYRISTYL LACTATE 

OZOKERITE 

MICROCRYSTALLINE WAX/CIRE MICROCRISTALLINE 

C10-30 CHOLESTEROL/LANOSTEROL ESTERS 

POLYBUTENE 

POLYETHYLENE 

POLYGLYCERYL-3 DIISOSTEARATE 

PPG-51/SMDI COPOLYMER 

STEARYL DIMETHICONE 

BARIUM SULFATE 

NYLON-12 

ETHYLHEXYL METHOXYCINNAMATE 

SILICA 

CAPRYLYL GLYCOL 

C12-15 ALKYL BENZOATE 

ACRYLATES COPOLYMER 

PARFUM/FRAGRANCE 

SIMMONDSIA CHINENSIS (JOJOBA) SEED OIL 

LITHIUM MAGNESIUM SILICATE 

BHT 

TOCOPHERYL ACETATE 

QUATERNIUM-18 

TOCOPHEROL 

MAY CONTAIN:

IRON OXIDES

MICA/CI 77019

TITANIUM DIOXIDE/CI 77891

RED 7/CI 15850

RED 7 LAKE

YELLOW 6 LAKE/CI 15985

RED 6/CI 15850

RED 33 LAKE/CI 17200

BLUE 1 LAKE/CI 42090

CARMINE/CI 75470

RED 21/CI 45380 

While this Avon lipstick may have been found to be lead-free back in 2007, it is rated as an 8 on EWG's safety list with ingredients with

HIGH concerns for: 

Cancer, Neurotoxicity, Endocrine disruption, Persistence and bioaccumulation, Miscellaneous, Biochemical or cellular level changes, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Allergies/immunotoxicity, Contamination concerns, Ecotoxicology, Data gaps, Enhanced skin absorption, Occupational hazards.

So, while this lipstick may have tested to be without lead in the past, it contains a huge amount of nasty ingredients. Why the heck any "Green" website would list it as a product for "safer kisses" is beyond me.

Always read all of the ingredients for each and every product you purchase.  Look for cosmetics with the highest amount of organic ingredients possible and ones that have nothing toxic.  If you're not sure of an ingredient then simply don't buy it, is your lipstick worth the risks?

My Suggestions for truly safer kisses:

Use a slice of fresh organic beet as a completely natural lip stain

that lasts for hours and won't kiss-off.

Go bare with color and just use a great balm or gloss for soft lips.

Dr. Bronner's Balm, HURRAW! and  Bubble & Bee are my choices.

For a naturally tinted lip balm for moisturized soft lips with a little fresh tint.

My favorites are HURRAW! And Brigit True Organics. 

If a little glimmer is your style, 

Keeki lip shimmers will do the trick.

Looking for more gloss or color try brands such as:

Lauren Brook

And please...ALWAYS read ALL of the ingredients and check them yourself for safety, before purchasing any product. :)