( CNN ) -- Every day millions of women apply lipstick without a second thought . What many do n't know is that lipsticks may contain lead , the notorious metal that can cause learning , language and behavioral problems . Lead is a neurotoxin and can be dangerous even at small doses . So what 's lead doing in lipsticks ? Not all lipsticks contain lead , but a number of studies in recent years show that the metal is more prevalent than previously thought . In 2007 , the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics conducted a study -- `` A Poison Kiss '' -- that detected lead in 61 % of the 33 lipsticks tested , with levels ranging from 0.03 ppm to 0.65 ppm . Parts per million ( ppm ) is the measurement of lead in the environment . Medical experts say there is no safe level of lead in the blood . The FDA says it does n't consider the lead levels it found in lipsticks to be a safety issue . No lipstick lists lead as an ingredient . The amounts are small , but the presence of lead in lipstick , which is ingested and absorbed through the skin , raises concerns about the safety of a cosmetic product that is wildly popular among women . Urged on by both consumers and the cosmetics industry , the U.S. Food and Drug Administration conducted its own testing in 2010 . The FDA 's results were even more astonishing : The agency detected lead in all 400 lipsticks tested , ranging from 0.9 to 3.06 ppm -- four times higher than the levels observed in the study done by Campaign for Safe Cosmetics . And lead is n't the only toxic metal you may be applying to your lips . In a recent study , University of California researchers tested eight lipsticks and 24 lip glosses and detected nine toxic heavy metals , including chromium , cadmium , manganese , aluminum and lead . The FDA said , `` We have assessed the potential for harm to consumers from use of lipstick containing lead at the levels found in both rounds of testing . Lipstick , as a product intended for topical use with limited absorption , is ingested only in very small quantities . We do not consider the lead levels we found in the lipsticks to be a safety concern . '' Likewise , the cosmetics industry also does n't see this as an issue , saying that the dose makes the poison -- in other words , the trace amounts of heavy metals in lipsticks are not harmful . But the FDA noted , `` Although we do not believe that the lead content found in our recent lipstick analyses poses a safety concern , we are evaluating whether there may be a need to recommend an upper limit for lead in lipstick in order to further protect the health and welfare of consumers. `` Indeed , what the FDA and the cosmetics industry have been ignoring is cumulative exposure and potential long-term adverse effects . It 's true that a single lipstick application will not lead to harm . And the good news is that not all lipsticks contain detectable levels of lead or other heavy metals . ( And by the way , cost does n't seem to be a factor ; a cheap or expensive lipstick is n't the determinant of how much lead is present . ) The problem is when women who wear lipstick apply it two to 14 times a day , according to the University of California study . The result is that they are ingesting and absorbing through their lips as much as 87 milligrams of product a day , the study says . Women are not only applying their lipsticks several times a day , but they also are doing this in the span of a whole lifetime , which means that exposure to lead and other heavy metals adds up and can potentially affect their health . One challenge for people wanting to avoid exposure is that none of the metals , with the exception of aluminum , are deliberately added to lipsticks and lip glosses . The metals are contaminants that are present in the pigments and base materials used to make the products . Because the metals are not ingredients , cosmetics companies are not required to list them on products ' ingredient labels . The law regulating cosmetics passed Congress in 1938 and has never been updated . The FDA possesses no legal authority to make sure products are safe before they are sold . Nor is the agency empowered to pull dangerous products from store shelves . It 's the Wild West for cosmetics companies , which have very few rules restricting chemical ingredients used in everything from shampoos to lotions to lipsticks . As the contamination of lip products with heavy metals makes it clear , allowing the industry to police itself is not the best idea . We need the FDA to be empowered by Congress and to take action so women wo n't face any health risks when they put on makeup . Cosmetics companies should be required to adhere to a standard for best manufacturing processes to limit metal contamination . For now , consumers should take precautions to protect themselves from heavy metal exposure from lip products . First , use less . If you find yourself reapplying lipstick 14 times a day , consider cutting back . Second , do n't let children use lipstick , as their young bodies are especially vulnerable to toxic metals . Then let 's get to work to make sure that by the time they 've grown up , we have solved the problem of toxic chemicals in cosmetics .
Sharima Rasanayagam : Studies found higher level of lead in some lipsticks . Rasanayagam : This raises concerns about the safety of a popular product . She says FDA and cosmetic industry should pay attention to long-term effects . Rasanayagam : Congress needs to update the laws regulating cosmetics .