Ah, lipsticks. You’d think those innocent sticks of saturated hues wouldn’t get their fair share of controversy. But in the past years, those tubes have been noted to pose health risks for containing lead.

Now before you panic and go on a lipstick ban (please don’t), I’d like to be the one to tell you that 1) you’ll be fine and 2) it’s slightly silly.

In 2011, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a study that ranked the lead content of 400 types and shades of lipsticks. News outlets picked it up, warning the public of the harm that supposedly would go with their pucker purchases. Lead, in its excessive amounts, could cause cancer. As expected, some have gone wild over the discovery and turned to supposedly lead-less lipsticks.

What hasn’t been said often is that lead is not added to cosmetics. This chemical element occurs naturally in the minerals found in lip pigments. Manufacturers do us a favor by cleaning as much traces of lead as possible through the technology they use. The US FDA likewise regulates the lead content in coloring agents. Besides, lead is present everywhere in the tiniest amounts that could hardly affect anyone at all.

Now what about the study, you ask? Well, it’s not lying. Lipsticks, because of their compact pigments, do have some lead. The average is 1.11 parts-per-million, which in non-mathspeak means it could hardly make a difference. Unless you consume lipsticks as a habit, you don’t have to worry about any health risks posed by lead. Truth be told, even if you consume thousands of it, you would still live a full lifetime.

Since we’re on the topic of lead in lipsticks, we may as well talk about the sister myth: the gold ring test. Legend has it that you’d be able to find out if there’s lead in your lipstick when you put some on your hand and run a gold ring over it. Should there be any presence of lead, the ring should leave a dark streak.

In case I haven’t been clear, lipsticks do contain minute, harmless quantities of lead. Second, gold, when scratched on various surfaces, can’t help but leave a trace. Meaning, it doesn’t have to react to lead for the streak to be dark.

You may now enjoy your new lipsticks without fear, ladies. You’re welcome.

16 new shades

Speaking of lipsticks, just today I came from Luxasia’s International Press Shopping Event. I was told to check out Shiseido’s 16 new red shades. I love how creamy they feel on the lips and how they glide on beautifully. The pigments are also such that, the color you see on the tube doesn’t change upon application.

Due to our different skin tones, there really is no real “universal” red shade. Of course some shades are more dynamic than others, but really you are cutting yourself short if you just stick to whatever shade people seem to be buying.

Now with the wide selection you will truly find the rouge for you. So try a shade or two before you buy. Every girl needs one hot red shade in her purse.