Report On Lead Contaminated Lipstick Prompts FDA Investigation

Washington D.C. (AHN) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Friday it would investigate reports by an advocacy group that certain popular, U.S.-made red lipsticks contain "surprisingly high levels of lead." The FDA said previous claims "have not generally been supported" by analysis, but will nonetheless look into the matter.

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics randomly bought 33 lipsticks in four U.S. cities and found that 61 percent of the 33 brand names tested contained detectable levels of lead even though none of the companies listed lead as an ingredient. The level of lead exceeded 0.1 parts per million, which is the FDA's limit for lead in candy. However, the FDA currently does not set a limit for lead in lipstick.

"These concerns have not generally been supported by FDA's own analysis of products on the market. In the present case, we are looking into the specific details of the issues raised," FDA spokeswoman Stephanie Kwisnek said. "We will need to confirm the factual basis of these reports independently in order to determine what action, if any, may be needed to protect public health."

The testing, conducted by Bodycote Testing Group laboratory, found that the highest levels were detected in products from L'Oreal, Cover Girl, and Christian Dior. The lipsticks were bought in Boston, San Francisco, Minneapolis and Hartford.

The organization says its goal is to put pressure on various cosmetic companies to eliminate such toxic chemicals from their products and replace them with safer alternatives. The organization wants the FDA to regulate lead in lipstick and is also calling on cosmetic manufacturers to reformulate their products.

John Bailey, an executive vice president at the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Fragrance Association, which represents the cosmetic industry, acknowledged "negligible" levels of lead in some lipsticks.

"The average amount 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 that meets Environmental Protection Agency drinking water standards," Bailey said.