THERE'S LEAD IN MY LIPSTICK (and yours too)!!!

I found this out not long ago but I wanted to get the word out as soon as possible.  33 popular lipstick brands were tested in 2009 by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the results have finally been published.  It is absolutely ASTOUNDING because so many of the popular lipsticks we rant and rave about are on this list.

L'oreal is the producer of the top 10 most lead-contaminated brands of lipsticks.  Brands that are contaminated include:

1. Estee Lauder
2. MAC
3. Clinique
4. Wet n Wild
5. Dior
6. Benefit
7. Maybelline
8. Cover Girl
9. Revlon
10. Mary Kay
11. Bobbi Brown
12. NARS
13. Avon
14. Shiseido
15. Clarins
16. Chanel
17. Rimmel
18. Burt's Bees
19. Elizabeth Arden
20. Almay
 ...and many many more

With that said, I don't think ALL lipsticks from each of these brands are contaminated with lead.  In this list, you can check for the specific shade(s) that are contaminated.

Just to throw a few out there, some of the lipsticks on the very very extensive list include MAC Angel, Clinique Black Honey, MAC Lady Danger, MAC Red, MAC Viva Glam I, MAC Show Orchid, Maybelline Nearly There.  I'm listing a lot of MAC lippies not because I'm picking on them, but because MAC is probably the most talked about brand in the blogging world.

So what does this all mean?  Research shows that there is no safe level of lead, and yet the FDA claims that there is no concern for the level of lead in lipsticks.  In fact, the FDA does not have a limit on lead in cosmetics and have never been very restrictive on beauty products in general.  At the very least, however, cosmetic companies should be REQUIRED to list ALL their ingredients on he label, which they currently are not.

Here are the lead-contaminated lippies (that I know of) that I dug out of my own personal collection:

Wet n Wild Red Velvet, L'oreal Undeniably Mauve, Maybelline Madison Mauve, and Maybelline Mauve Me.

I haven't decided what to do with these lipsticks yet.  I originally wanted to throw them out immediately, but I wonder what good it would actually do me.  All cosmetics that are not organic and natural are probably bad for us in one way or another, and all the food we eat is also processed and contaminated to some point as well.  With that said, I don't think that this makes it okay for there to be lead in our lipsticks in the first place.  You see how I'm bouncing back and forth here?

In any case, I wanted to put the facts out there and let you all decide for yourself what to do about the lipsticks.  I think one thing we can all agree on is that there should not be lead in our lipsticks to begin with, so we can email or facebook message many of the companies listed about lowering or eliminated the lead in lipsticks.

If you would like to read more about lead in lipsticks and see the extended list of lipsticks tested, please check out these very helpful and informational sites:

http://safecosmetics.org/article.php?id=223

http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductandIngredientSafety/ProductInformation/ucm137224.htm#expanalyses 

Trading in the old for the new--A Sephora haul

When I was first organizing my blog sale, I discovered many items that I could have traded in at Sephora for new goodies, but decided it was better if I sold them and put the money towards my financial needs.  Well, for some reason everyone that bought products from the sale scrambled for the drugstore items leaving me appalled because the high end products were significantly discounted.  I haven't been buying any makeup lately because I seriously can't afford it, so I took the opportunity to round up the products and trade them in for new goodies.

Here are the old things...

And the new!

I had a massive list of things I wanted, but I tried to narrow it down to things I needed.  I sort of did that lol.  The NARS duo in Dogon was something I've been hearing a lot of raving about over the beauty community, and I must say it looked better in pictures than it does in person.  I'll have swatches of it and all the other NARS duos I have in my collection coming up soon (hopefully!).  I'm not sure whether or not I'll keep it.

The Laguna bronzer and Sephora blush brush were definitely NOT on my list.  I didn't get the hype about the Laguna bronzer even after swatching it several times in previous Sephora visits.  This time, I decided I may as well try it on.  I asked one of the sales girls that roam around the store for a brush so that I could try it on, and I just fell in love.  If I weren't dirt poor, this would probably be my go-to bronzer for the rest of my life.  I'm still going to finish my NYC matte bronzer which is maybe a little less than half gone, but I think for special occasions I'm going to be all over Laguna.  I also fell in love with the brush I borrowed to apply the bronzer.  It is called a blush brush but is AMAZING for contouring!  The quality is absolutely amazing, so soft yet so dense.  Definitely better than any other brushes I've used including Sigma.  It was quite a splurge, but I think for sure I'm going to be investing in more Sephora brushes when I do more professional work.

The Dior bronzer in Aurora was most definitely a splurge.  This is my first Dior item, and I definitely would not have spent so much on makeup if it weren't an exchange.  Again, I found out about this product through the numerous blogs that I've read.  I swatched it on the back of my hand and it looked really orange.  I threw it into my bag anyways because I figured if I didn't like it, I could return it.  I would have tried it on but I already put some Laguna on my cheeks.

The Laura Mercier translucent powder was recommended to me by one of the makeup specialists there, and I was leaning towards it from what I have seen from reviews.  I wanted a setting powder that I could use year round, on other people, and that would work for flash photography.

The Bare Minerals Well Rested Undereye brightener is something I've heard about from Emily Noel and Michelle.  I don't have anything like this, so I thought I'd give it a go.

I exchanged some things from The Body Shop too, but didn't take pictures.  I was too excited to get these pictures and this blog up!  The items are featured in the video, though.

I hope you guys enjoyed this haul.  I'm kind of so-so on doing these types of posts/videos but if you guys like them I'll keep doing them.  Hopefully if I get the position in Korea, I'll do more haul posts just so you guys can see different sorts of makeup!  Ah yes, Korea...that will be for another time.

Have a great day everyone!

Lotsa love,
Janny

[I have nothing to disclose.]