The FDA Is Suggesting That Makeup Companies Use Less Lead In Their Products

Lead is found, in essence, organically. It appears naturally throughout our earth, and doesn’t have to be created by some complex process or arcane method. Despite its pure nature, it has many adverse effects on the human body. Lead is, in fact, considered to be toxic and has caused significant public health problems in certain parts of the world.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recently released a statement voicing their concerns regarding lead contained in makeup. Cosmetics and their ingredients—with the exception of color additives—do not have to be approved by the FDA in order to be marketed and sold.

Yet, though the FDA cannot enforce an exact limit on the amount of lead used in cosmetics, their suggestion is being taken into consideration by many producers. It is recommended that makeup contains no more than 10 parts per million of lead in order to prevent harmful health effects.

Exposure to lead damages every organ system—presenting significant harm to the nervous in particular. Lead disrupts neurological development, and thus exposure is especially harmful to children with growing brains and to pregnant women who are carrying unborn fetuses.

In developing their statement regarding lead in cosmetics, the FDA tested hundreds of products for traces of the element. They confirmed that, “although most cosmetics on the market in the United States generally already contain less than 10 ppm of lead, a small number contained higher amounts.”