In this day and age lipstick is pretty much a must in every woman’s makeup kit. I personally do not use much makeup, only some mascara and blush, but I wear lipstick pretty much every day. I find it fun to change my look with just one application. Even as a child, when my mother would prohibit adult makeup, I would try to color my lips by sucking on colored lollipops or red M&Ms. But nowadays as it turns out, my favorite accessory can be dangerous to my health. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) discovered that 400 of the most popular shades of lipstick contain traces of lead.

The FDA did not always worry about lipstick. That all changed in 2007 when a study done by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found traces of lead in most of the 33 lipstick they tested. Upon making this discovery, the organization began pressuring the FDA for tests on all lipsticks available on the market. Now that the tests are done and the results are in, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is pressuring the FDA to set a limit on lead in cosmetics.

Do you use make-up to hide your age? Well, you might need more and more as the months pass because make-up can actually age and damage your skin. I have to admit it, applying make-up is fun. I love being able to change my look in fifteen minutes, make my eyes look brighter, or my lips fuller. But, if applied incorrectly, make-up can ruin your skin.

All make-up has a number of chemicals in it. While some of these chemicals can be applied on the skin with virtually no problems, mixing them with chemicals from other make-up products can cause reactions that damage and age your skin. Remember that the skin instantly absorbs these chemicals and sends them through your bloodstream. Make sure all your make-up is free of chemicals on the “chemical watch list”. These naughty chemicals include aluminum, ammonia, parabens, and sodium lauryl suphate. Going organic could help minimize the negative effects of make-up.

Not only this, but after a certain period of time, the chemical composition in the make-up can change. Holding on to your favorite blush for three years is a no-no. Even if it still makes your cheeks look perfect! Cosmetics on average have a shelf life of one to two years. After this time, the chemicals in the make-up start to degenerate and oils become rancid making the products potentially harmful to you and your skin. So, throw everything out if you have had it for more than two years. Make-up is not cheap, but neither is Botox. Also, do not buy in bulk if you want to save money, you will probably end up wasting money if you have to throw some of it away.

   With school starting back up, let’s remember sharing our eyeliner with our roommate might not be the safest thing to do.  It is fun sharing make up with your girlfriends when getting ready for a fun night out, but it’s important to take safety precautions when applying makeup.  Sharing can lead to infections and other bacterial issues.   

A few simple tips for sharing makeup:

Women all over the work use makeup on a daily basis to try and look their best. Most female bathroom and medicine cabinets are filled to the brim with cosmetic products that to the male eye are quite perplexing. You would have thanked your make up several times in your life for supporting you on so many important occasions, for making you a centre of attraction at night clubs, enhancing your beauty, hiding unwanted marks, giving you a new look, for making you emerge as a glamour doll at fashion events, and in some cases "creating miracles."  But have you really given it a thought that make up could be harming your health too? Like every coin has two sides, applying makeup too can have its own pros and cons. However, with little extra care and caution, one can make the best of make up without harming one’s health. 

The average female uses up to 20 different skincare products per day!  Many skin products that women use leave their skin no time to breath, resulting in even more skin problems, which leads them to look for more products to use. Most women, and men too, are not aware that makeup can have negative effects of the skin when taken advantage of. Au naturale is a great way to go, but for those of you who can't leave the house without a that extra confidence booster, make sure you are aware of what you're using.