lead in lipstick

This question has come up because an email circulates from time to time saying that lipsticks contain lead and therefore cause cancer. This isn't true. The email appears to be one of the many hoax emails claiming that a variety of everyday products can cause cancer. We've had deodorant, shampoo, washing up liquid and now lipstick. None of these claims are true and just spread alarm unnecessarily.

This particular email says that a number of well known brands of lipstick contain lead. It claims that the longer your lipstick stays on, the more lead it contains. The email goes on to tell you how to test if the lipsticks you wear contain lead. It suggests that you put some lipstick on your hand scrape a gold ring across it and if the lipstick stripe turns black then it has lead in it. None of this is true.
I have recently read that many lipsticks contain lead and this can cause cancer - is this true?

This question has come up because an email circulates from time to time saying that lipsticks contain lead and therefore cause cancer. This isn't true. The email appears to be one of the many hoax emails claiming that a variety of everyday products can cause cancer. We've had deodorant, shampoo, washing up liquid and now lipstick. None of these claims are true and just spread alarm unnecessarily.

This particular email says that a number of well known brands of lipstick contain lead. It claims that the longer your lipstick stays on, the more lead it contains. The email goes on to tell you how to test if the lipsticks you wear contain lead. It suggests that you put some lipstick on your hand scrape a gold ring across it and if the lipstick stripe turns black then it has lead in it. None of this is true.

Will scratching lipstick with a gold ring show you how much lead is in it? Basically no! No such test could give you this information. This seems to be based on some ancient alchemy myth but has become rather garbled.

The UK has strict laws about the production of cosmetic products. Manufacturers cannot sell a new product to the public before it has been safety tested. An organisation called The Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) provides information about regulation of cosmetics in the UK. The CTPA abides by regulations set out by the European Community. These list substances that are banned from cosmetics. Lead is banned from all cosmetics, apart from hair dyes. You are most likely to be exposed to lead if you work in the paint industry or make lead batteries. The Health and Safety Executive monitor workplace health in the UK. They say that lead cannot be absorbed through the skin. If you do have too much lead in your body, the likely results are headaches, sickness, tiredness and irritability. Long term lead exposure may cause problems with kidneys and nerves, not cancer.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the lead content in food and cosmetics. They say that if there is any lead in lipstick, it is likely to be such a small amount that it will not be harmful. Another American organisation called the National Lead Information Centre provides information about lead hazards. We have searched their website and have not been able to find any references to lipstick posing a threat.

Several websites investigate chain emails. Although we cannot vouch for the content of these, the information we've looked at seems reasonable. They are a good place to start when investigating the claims made in chain emails. They are