Nothing beats red lipstick when you want to look your glamorous best. But check your brand for the presence of lead. According to new product tests commissioned by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a US-based non-profit coalition, some leading brands of red lipsticks contained high levels of lead. Though the US’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is yet to come out with its verdict, doctors in India say it doesn’t harm you to be careful.

“Almost 20 of 33 branded lipsticks tested contained detectable levels of lead, with levels ranging from 0.03 to 0.65 parts per million (ppm). None of these lipsticks listed lead as an ingredient,” says the report. Eleven of the tested lipsticks exceeded the FDA’s 0.1 ppm limit. Lead is usually found in small amounts as an ingredient in the pigment that provides the colour in some lipstick brands. “These pigments add to the richness and depth of the colour,” the report says, which is why, deep-red lipsticks contain greater amounts of the pigments. Brands such as Revlon ($7.49) had no detectable levels of lead, while the more expensive Dior Addict brand ($24.50) had higher levels than some other brands, said the report.

Lead exposure causes weakness in fingers, wrists, or ankles, and small increases in blood pressure, particularly in middle-aged and older people. In extreme cases, it can affect the nervous system. The more common ailments, said Dr Sanjiv Kandhari, consultant dermatologist with Batra Hospital, Delhi, are “contact dermatitis and leucoderma, in case of repetitive inflammation”. “Lead builds up in the body over time and lead-containing lipstick applied several times a day, every day, can add up to significant exposure levels. The two major components of lipsticks, which may contain lead, are the base wax and the dye,” he adds.

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