What's in your lipstick? Lipstick ingredients to avoid and to love

Let’s look at what is in your lipstick- we’re talking about what ingredients love and nourish your lips and what ingredients that could in fact harm them AND your body.

Why add lead, parabens and aluminium to lipstick when you can make your lips soft and sweet with natural and organic ingredients? We consume 0ver 10kg lipstick in our lifetime so toss away those toxin filled products and give your lips a natural treat…your body will thank you for it!

WE DON’T LOVE

• SYNTHETIC or PETROLEUM WAXES: such as Microcrystalline Wax or Polybutene which are known to cause allergic reactions.
• ARTIFICIAL AND 'LAKE’ COLOURS: FD + C colourings are derived from coal tar (petroleum) and some are believed to be carcinogenic. Synthetics dyes are derived from ‘lakes’ using lead, aluminium, barium potassium and /or strontium - aluminium doubles as a stabiliser to stop bleeding and is known to cause cancer and neurologic diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Elevated lead levels (lead builds up over time) in adults can lead to a host of health problems from miscarriages to seizures.
• MANMADE CHEMICALS: Phthalates (colourless oily liquid) acts as a plasticiser to give lipstick it's 'slip’ and can negatively affect the endocrine and reproductive system.
• MINERAL OILS: That glossy shine from generic lipsticks comes from Petroleum which forms an impermeable barrier that ironically dries out the lips and can cause allergies.
• PRESERVATIVES: Parabens are used to stop microbe growth in lipstick but because there is not moisture in a lipstick nothing can grow. Parabens are linked to disrupting the endocrine system. And BHA and BHT are used to stop the fats in lipsticks from going rancid and may contribute to cancer and tumours.
• SYNTHETIC FRAGRANCES: Most are derived from Petrochemicals and include benzene derivatives, aldehydes and many other known toxins. Researchers in dermatology have labelled fragrance among the top five allergens, causing topical reactions like contact dermatitis. They are also capable of causing cancer, birth defects, central and nervous system disorders.
• ARTIFICIAL ANTI-AGEING: (Poly) methyl methacrylyte (PMMA), synthetic polymer beads used to fill lines and smooth the lips. It’s linked to severe allergic reactions and cardiovascular issues.

WE LOVE

• BEESWAX: forms the foundation of the stick while protecting the skin, retaining moisture and providing lips with an array of nutrients + antibacterial properties.
• MINERAL, FRUIT (cherry) & VEGETABLE (beetroot, carrot) PIGMENTS: give natural colour with anti-inflammatory properties and natural sun protection. Fruit & vegetable pigments are nutrient dense and may include antioxidants, Vitamin E & C which feed the skin helping it to remain soft and smooth.
• NATURAL OILS (Coconut, Avocado, Sesame seed) & COCOA BUTTER: give a smooth, silky texture to the lipstick while providing and retaining moisture on the lips to keep them soft and hydrated. They are an amazing skin food.
• CASTOR SEED OIL: gives a natural shine whilst hydrating the lips and providing hydration, anti-inflammatory and free-radical fighting antioxidant power.
• ROSEMARY & VITAMIN E: are natural preservatives that prevent rancidity while healing and providing lips with nourishing antioxidants.
• ESSENTIAL OILS (from foods such as juniper, mint, ginger and citrus) are amazing 'active' fragrance in their most pure form.
• CINNAMON: contains natural anti-ageing properties to help plump the lips and reduces fine lines with the additional benefit of having antiseptic properties.

What ingredients are in your lipstick? Why not try Luk Beautifoods Lip Nourish™, a sheer natural lipstick made from delicious skin-loving foods.