Is Your Lipstick Dangerous? Carcinogens Found in Cosmetics

Adding a bit of color to your lips can give the perfect accent to any outfit, and vibrant pinks, corals and reds, to boot, can make your look especially fun. However, a new study suggests that wearing some lipsticks may come at a dangerous price.

According to researchers at the University of California-Berkeley's School of Public Health, after testing 32 commonly sold lipsticks and lip glosses, many were found to contain lead, cadmium, chromium, aluminum and five other toxic materials. 

Prior research has also found lead in lipstick, including a December 2011 survey of 400 varieties by the Food and Drug Administration that found low levels the agency said pose no safety concerns. This UC study looked at more metals and estimated health risks based on their concentrations and typical lipstick use.

"Just finding these metals isn't the issue.It's the levels that matter," said co-author S. Katharine Hammond, professor of environmental health, according to USA Today."This study is saying, 'FDA, wake up and pay attention.' "

Though we never typically think about consuming our lipsticks, the study shows that lipsticks and lip glosses are ingested and absorbed by the user. How this will affect your health depends on how often lipstick is applied, according to the study. The average user applies lipstick 2.3 times daily and ingests 24 milligrams each day, while a heavy user applies it as many as 14 times and ingests an average of 83 milligrams.

For even the average user, the study found that some of the lipsticks could result in excessive exposure to chromium, a carcinogen linked to stomach tumors. High use could potentially cause overexposure to aluminum, cadmium and manganese.

However, many researchers say that most lipsticks don't need to be thrown in the trash.

In a statement from the Personal Care Products Council, chief toxicologist Linda Loretz cautions that the finding of trace amounts of metals needs to be put in context, given their natural presence in air, soil and water. "Food is a primary source for many of these naturally present metals, and exposure from lip products is minimal in comparison," Loretz said.

The study was partly funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Education Research Center. Its findings appear in the the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives.