Is Lipstick Toxic? Gwyneth Paltrow Thinks So

Gwyneth Paltrow stepped up her fight against toxins in cosmetics — specifically regarding the presence of lead in lipstick — by partnering with the targeted safety campaign by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) this week.

“Women have been exposed to toxic chemicals in cosmetics for far too long — it’s time to take action,” tweeted Paltrow, an actress who has made clean living part of her mission, both through her wide-reaching lifestyle brand, Goop, and through Juice Organics, of which she is the makeup’s creative director.

In the tweet, posted Tuesday, she urged followers to join her in signing the EWG petition, demanding that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) keep harmful traces of lead out of lipsticks.

“Scientists agree that there is no safe level of lead exposure for developing children,” notes the petition, which had more than 20,400 signatures as of Wednesday afternoon. “Even trace exposures can cause irreversible changes, including diminished IQ and behavioral problems. Yet every day, millions of women get a little bit of toxic lead on their lips with every swipe of their lipstick.”

In December, following years of pressure from environmental groups, the FDA issued recommended guidelines regarding the amount of lead allowed in lipstick and other cosmetics. But EWG said the guidelines did not go far enough; its petition and partnership with Paltrow continues that message.

“The values and mission of Goop and Gwyneth Paltrow align perfectly with EWG when it comes to giving consumers helpful advice on how they can reduce their exposure to toxic chemicals found in many personal care products,” Maura Walsh, EWG’s vice president of digital strategy, tells Yahoo Beauty. “Gwyneth has been a leader in the effort to give consumers more, rather than less, information about what’s in cosmetics, and we appreciate her willingness to lend her powerful voice to EWG’s push to get lead out of lipstick.”

Read More:

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Gynecologist Says Gwyneth Paltrow’s “Vagina Eggs” Are Dangerous

Black Women’s Hair Products Are So Toxic, This Organization Is Demanding Change

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