Is Your Lipstick Safe?

| Sunday February 14, 2010

Today's cosmetics must pass health authority muster, such as Health Canada and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). And while any lip product currently on the market has been deemed 'safe' by these agencies, they may contain certain controversial ingredients that natural and organic cosmetics experts would rather avoid, including formaldehyde, petrolatum, lead, and other possible carcinogens (cancer-causing compounds).

“Lead content can be quite high in lipsticks,” says Kiss My Face co-founder Steve Byckiewicz. “The more lipstick you ingest, the more lead you are going to accumulate. It does a lot of damage to your body over time.”

Fact is, women do swallow some of their lipstick, balms, and glosses during normal wear, reminds Alain Ménard, co-founder of Canadian organic cosmetics company Green Beaver. The solution? “You need to look at the ingredients and ask yourself ‘Do I want to be eating that?’” he says.

Keep your eye out for plant-based materials, minerals, clays, shea butter and beeswax. You may notice that lip products with these natural ingredients also last longer.

Share the love, not the lead, when you plant a smooch on your sweetie! We have a few suggestions:

(1) Cargo PlantLove 100% Natural Lipstick in Eve Pinky by Whitney Port, $20 CAD / $20 USD. $2 from each of these celeb-designed lipsticks will be donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

(2) Burt's Bees Super Shiny Lip Gloss in Juicy Peach, $10 CAD / $7 USD. Filled with citrus essential oils for fresh-squeezed flavour.

(3) Green Beaver Après-Ski Winter Lip Balm, $5 CAD. Made especially for the harsh North American winter winds.

(4) Rocky Mountain Soap Company Summer Lemonade Lip Butter, $4 CAD. Summer's signature taste, now!

(5) Ava Anderson Non-Toxic Sugar Lip Scrub, $12.95 USD. A rub-and-rinse scrub from the 15 year-old entrepreneur’s newly launched organic skincare line.

(6) Kiss My Face Dazzling Duo Pack, $12 CAD / $10.99 USD. Buy the Valentine edition online until February 21, and 100% of the profits will be donated to Partners in Health in support of Haitian relief.

(7) BareEscentuals 100% Natural Lip Trios, $30 USD. This gloss, liner and colour 3-in-1 contain natural oils and antioxidants to keep your lips hydrated.

by Julie-Anne Cleyn