Lipstick & a Dye Allergy

Colored lip adornment date back thousands of years to a Sumerian queen who used a lead and red rock paste as dyes, according to Harvard University scholar Sarah Schaffer. Beauty and toxicity were not considered mutually exclusive. By the 1970s in the U.S., the FDA studied allergic reactions to lipstick, but according to Schaffer, "the lipstick industry continued to design and market products with more skill than scruples." However, allergen free lipsticks are now available.

Coal Tar Dyes

Coal tar dyes were originally derived from coal, but now many of the same chemicals are derived from petroleum products. They are highly colored and used for that purpose in foods and cosmetics, especially all shades of lipstick. According to the FDA, and reported by industry sources such as All Natural Cosmetics and the public interest group, Food Reactions, many coal tar dies, and similar chemical dyes like fluorescein and eosin, can cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals and may cause other medical conditions, including cancer.

Carmine

Carmine is an intense, red dye derived from the dried, crushed bodies and eggs of female cochineal beetles, according to a February 2008, report in "New York Fashion Magazine." Many lipsticks contain this product, which is known to produce allergic reactions. A 1997 report published by University of Michigan medical clinicians in the "Annals of Allergy and Asthma Immunology" documented a near-fatal anaphylactic reaction of an adult woman who ingested carmine dye in food. All Natural Cosmetics estimates that, over her entire lifetime, a woman may ingest as much as 4 pounds of lipstick.

Basic Formula

In addition to dyes, lipstick's basic ingredients can also cause allergic reactions. The solid base in which the dyes are suspended include carnauba wax and beeswax. Oil components, which provide smoothing qualities, rely on castor oil, lanolin and petrolatum. However, as cited by Schaffer, lanolin has sometimes been found to be contaminated by pesticides and petrolatum is a known allergen for some users. Food scientists reporting for the FDA, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Foodreactions.org document the allergen potential of all these basic ingredients.

Legal Issues

Shaffer reports that In 1974, the FDA would allow a lipstick maker to label their product "hypoallergenic" or "allergy tested" only if scientific studies document sufficient rarity of an allergic reaction. Claims of "complete safety" or "no adverse reaction" would represent illegal misbranding. In 1977 Almay Cosmetics successfully opposed this legislation in court as arbitrary and capricious. A consumer's best practice is to examine lipstick labels for any possible dye or ingredient allergens and consult a dermatologist or pharmacist for clarification if unsure.