Say What's in my Lipstick?

It's illegal to paint your house with it but it's A-OK for me to apply it directly to my lips.  Dare I say: only in America?   Lead, mamas, lead.  No, we're not kidding.  In. your. lipstick. True, this is not an issue unique to mamas.  And I don't even wear much of the stuff.  But still.  It's the principle.  My lips are not an OK place to rub lead.  They never were.  Yours?

And you know, I'm quite grateful that there are folks willing to sort through ingredients (thanks to the famed Skin Deep Cosmetics Database) so I can choose wisely, avoid poisoning myself while I'm shopping. But.  It's a band-aid.  A holdover until something can be done to prevent it in the first place.  There oughtta be a law, mamas, there oughtta be a law.  And I shouldn't have to say that so often.  Really.

So do something.  Aside from ditching the toxic lipstick and buying safe ones, check out the Campaign for  Safe Cosmetics.  They have loads of resources for taking action, like sending an e-letter to Avon asking it to remove toxic chemicals from its products.  Sometimes all this feels like pushing water uphill.  Like asking for something I just shouldn't have to ask for.  But I'll ask, because no-one, in any country, should be rubbing lead on their lips.  Is it really that hard to do the right thing here?

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[LTF]

City of Portland and Multnomah County present:

Beyond the Label: Toxics in Personal Care Products

Tuesday, May 27th
12:15 - 1:15
Multnomah County Central Library, US Bank Room
801 SW 10th Ave., Portland

Arielle Tozier
Oregon Center for Environmental Health
Diane Lund

Rachel's Friends Breast Cancer Coalition
Come find out what toxics lurk in personal care products, and what the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and others are doing to transform this industry.

Bring a friend, neighbor, or coworker! This event is open to the public.