Kiss Toxins Goodbye

"...if you wear lipstick every day, over your lifetime, you'll actually eat over five pounds of lipstick off your mouth."

Most lipstick contains a remarkable number of ingredients, including chemicals that can be harmful to our health.
Possible - not to mention unpronounceable! - human carcinogens: butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), polyethylene glycol (PEG), dimethicone, petroleum waxes and a slew of artificial colours and fragrances may be found in lipsticks.
Although lead is banned in Canadian cosmetics, they may unintentionally contain trace levels of lead (there are no set maximums for the amount of "trace lead"). E-mails on "lead in lipsticks" have circulated - check out these two links and you decide - Ask EWG: Lead in Lipsticks and Canadian Cancer Society – Lead in Lipsticks.
Lip products get their colour from either natural or synthetic additives. See Colorants 101 for “red light” colours.
And, we love this one, lipsticks may also contain fragrance and flavours to mask the chemicals, because really who wants to taste toxins?

Go "au naturel" you ask? Don't panic - you can find lots of kissable alternatives!
Each time you need a new tube - replace with a brand that uses less toxic ingredients than your current brand.
Products that contain beeswax, antioxidant vitamins and plant oils (i.e. jojoba oil) will actually make your lips healthier! Plus, they taste better!
Want to know how your current lipstick brand rates? Check out the Environmental Working Group Skin Deep Cosmetic Database.

While writing this e-bulletin, Tamey got rid of five lipsticks... she may consider therapy!
Patti loves lipstick - likely because she still hears her mother saying "you need a little colour" but it's been hard to say goodbye to some old favourites in favour of lipsticks with less toxins.
It's taken some experimenting to find some new "stand-bys", but Patti and Tamey are happy to report there are many options for more natural lips - both ones that come in fancy tubes and others that are inexpensive and great for keeping in all those accessible places - coat pockets, gym bag and desk drawer. See Product Reviews.
See Line it for hints as Lip liners go hand-in-hand with lipstick.

P.S. Don't forget that we're now blogging, we add a new blog several times a week so visit often.