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Maybelline, L’Oreal Lipsticks Have the Most Lead in Them

By Admin on February 16, 2012 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Guess what may be lurking in your favorite tube of lipstick? Lead. Apparently, there is lead in lipstick. And the FDA knows about it.

The FDA recently conducted an analysis on about 400 of the nation's most popular lipsticks. Their results showed that many of them contained levels of lead.

And it's not exactly news. The FDA has known about lead in lipstick for years. Lab tests in the 1990s and another report in 2007 showed that some lipstick brands had lead.

"Lipstick, as a product intended for topical use with limited absorption, is ingested only in very small quantities. We do not consider the lead levels we found in the lipstick to be a safety concern," the FDA said.

The highest concentration was found in Maybelline's Pink Petal lipstick and L'Oréal's Colour Riche lipstick.

The FDA does not have a set limit or requirement for lead in cosmetics. There are certain rules with regards to lead in color additives used in makeup. The agency is now considering whether or not to implement new standards. Perhaps this recent move was spurred by the increased negative publicity.

But just because there is no specific lead requirement does not mean it is okay for cosmetic companies to add whatever they want to their products. Cosmetics are still subject to regulation under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. All cosmetic products must be safe, according to WebMD.

Will there be more cosmetic regulation underway? There could be, if the FDA institutes new regulations and limits for lead in lipstick. A detailed list of the agency's analysis can be found on their website.

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