Natural Lipsticks

Did you know that in her lifetime, an average woman eats about 4 pounds of lipstick! Well, some of that we share with those we kiss, but mostly we just eat it. So, no wonder it is very important to us that our lipsticks are made of high quality ingredients, that are, in fact, edible.

It is not easy to find out what are our lipsticks made of. It is one of those secrets, like the ingredients of Coca Cola. It is very possible that the manufacturers of lipsticks do not want us to know that lipsticks are actually very simple and that there is very little difference between them. But there is a difference between natural lipsticks and others. Can’t call them ‘unnatural’ it sounds like they should be from outer space. The natural lipsticks contain ingredients like beeswax, or plant-based wax like carnauba, for the body, natural oils like chamomile, jojoba or sunflower, for smoothness, and, of course, colors, which are the whole point of lipsticks. Colors or pigments come from vegetables like beets, herbs like turmeric, and insects like cochineal. Mineral pigments are also used, based on titanium or iron oxide.

Why should we really care if our lipstick is natural or not? If you had enough of this Chemistry 101, have a little more patience, your health might depend on it. There was a study in 2007 conducted by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC), which found that more than half of 33 tested brands of red lipstick contained lead. Now, what is wrong with lead, you will ask. After all, there is lead all around us, it is a natural element after all. Well, listen to this…

Lead has been found to cause a number of health problems, such as learning to behavioral issues, and even possible miscarriages and hormonal changes. We do not ‘eat’ enough lipsticks to be seriously worried, but lead is one of those elements which accumulate in our tissues and organs, and there is a possibility that the consequences of regular using of your favorite ‘Fire Red’ lipsticks might come back to haunt you in your old age.

Cosmetics are such important part of lives of so many women, it is necessary that they start taking its quality as seriously as the quality of food they consume. In the case of lipstick, it is not even that difficult.

Natural lipsticks not only provide color, but moisture and food for our sensitive lips skin. And don’t forget that we share it with those we love, and kiss. So, give them a gift of natural lipstick as well.