/oss/taxonomy/term/771/all en /oss/article/you-asked/there-lead-my-lipstick <p style="text-align:justify"><a href="http://blogs.mcgill.ca/oss/?p=4872"><img alt="Red lipstick" height="150" src="http://blogs.mcgill.ca/oss/files/2013/04/Lipstick-150x150.jpg" width="150" /></a>Had a question about lead in lipstick. You won't see lead listed on the label but doesn’t mean that there is no lead in the product. Certainly there is no lead added on purpose, but the presence of trace amounts is very difficult to avoid. That’s because lead compounds are widely present in minerals and ores from which a number of chemicals used as ingredients in cosmetics are produced. Certain colorants used in lipstick do contain tiny amounts of lead because it is virtually impossible to eliminate all contaminants. Amounts, however, are carefully regulated. In the U.S., all colorants used in cosmetics, unlike other ingredients, require FDA approval and cannot contain lead over a certain amount. For example, in the case of FD&C Red #6, commonly used in cosmetics, lead content cannot exceed 20 parts per million. The final cosmetic product of course will have a much lower level. In Canada, we follow the FDA’s lead.</p> <p><a href="http://blogs.mcgill.ca/oss/2013/04/15/is-there-lead-in-my-lipstick/">Read more</a></p> Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:59:54 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1911 at /oss /oss/article/quirky-science-you-asked/why-does-lipstick-cause-beer-lose-its-foam <p>It just wouldn’t be the same without the foam, would it? Beer I’m talking about. You don’t want the glass to be full of it, but you certainly want enough to tickle your lips when you go bottoms up. But if you happen to be wearing lipstick, you may have a problem. The foam may just collapse around your mouth! So what’s going on?</p> Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:57:49 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1815 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know-technology/lipstick-behind-scenes-look <p>Lipsticks, (the waxy kind that come in the traditional tube), contain a variety of natural waxes, such as beeswax, carnauba wax, ozokerite, ceresin, or microcrystalline wax, which is derived from petroleum. These waxes are softened with mineral or vegetable oils, or with petroleum jelly. And in order to get the colour spread evenly over the lips and remain there for more than 30 minutes, film formers are added. Colourants and preservatives too. And because there is such a high concentration of waxes and oils, antioxidants are frequently added as well.</p> Tue, 21 Feb 2017 04:42:16 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1504 at /oss