Ancient Roman cosmetics were notoriously poisonous — despite the fact that it was already a well-known toxin, folks slathered their faces in white lead and dabbed red lead rouge on their cheeks. You wouldn't drop dead from a single application. The problem built up over time, as more and more and more of the stuff was applied (and absorbed) by your body. And that's still true today. In a new column for The New York Times — all about chemicals and your environment — Deb Blum writes about the lead (and aluminum and cadmium and all sorts of of other metals) that contaminates modern lipstick. The doses are low, much lower than Roman times. But the reapplications are many. Lipstick wearers touch up their color as often as 20 times in a single day.
Lead on your lips
Short Post, just one paragraph
Disclosure: Boing Boing earns a commission on purchases made through links in this post. Dessert cheesecake wafer bear claw fruitcake. Fruitcake chupa chups donut candy canes marzipan. Apple pie sweet… READ THE REST
Save 50% on a 1-year subscription to Dashlane's premium password manager
Disclosure: Boing Boing earns a commission on purchases made through links in this post. We all know vital information about ourselves and our private digital accounts can be compromised by… READ THE REST
The Bite Helper removes the itch of a mosquito bite in seconds
Disclosure: Boing Boing earns a commission on purchases made through links in this post. While mosquitoes have certainly earned their title as the deadliest animal on earth, their impact on… READ THE REST
