The most important component in a woman's make-up kit is probably the lipstick. No make-up kit is complete without one (or many, considering the different shades and brands). They no doubt add beauty to your pout.

But, at what cost? Lipsticks come with some unavoidable side-effects, thanks to its manufacturing materials. Women wear lipstick when they leave home and continue wearing it all day long - sometimes even to bed.

Many lipsticks contain lead, which is extremely harmful and causes irreversible health damage. They cause allergy, irritation, and chapping on the lips and the surrounding skin. Certain harmful chemicals and heavy metals can also cause cancer.

Here are some harmful side-effects of using lipsticks regularly.

Heavy metals cause renal failure

Lipsticks contain harmful heavy metals like cadmium, magnesium and chromium. All these metals can cause dangerous diseases and organ damage. Extremely high amounts of cadmium can increase the risk of renal failure. Frequent application of lipstick can cause severe stomach tumours.

Lead is harmful to the nervous system

Lead is a common constituent in most lipsticks. Lead is a neurotoxin that has a harmful effect on the nervous system. It can also cause brain damage, hormonal imbalance and infertility.

Petrochemicals may affect the growth

Many lipsticks have petrochemicals as a common ingredient, which have harmful side-effects. Petrochemicals are a by-product of crude oil and natural gas. It can cause endocrine disruption that works as an obstacle for growth, development, reproduction, and intelligence.

Preservatives used in lipstick cause cancer

The preservatives used in lipsticks are formaldehyde and parabens that are known carcinogens. Lipsticks that utilize these preservatives cause irritation of the eyes, coughing, wheezing and irritation on skin. The mineral oils used in lipsticks block the skin pores and are responsible for many permanent harmful effects.

Chemicals in lipstick harm the body

Though bismuth oxychloride is a chemical used to preserve the lipstick, it is extremely harmful for the body. The harmful effect of lipsticks is due to the carcinogenic property of this ingredient. The propylparabens act as preservatives just like formaldehyde.

Lipstick increases toxin ingestion

Lipsticks are worn most of the time, including when eating out. Women ingest them accidentally while eating, long after they are applied. This increases the impact of the toxins present in lipsticks. The lipstick or lip gloss result in women exceeding the daily intake permitted for aluminium, cadmium, chromium and manganese. These accumulate in the body over time and cause toxicity. The intake of these metals are more than 20 per cent of their accepted daily intake (ADI) limits. ADI is the maximum amount of a toxin that a person can be exposed to without any major health risk.

So, here are some major side-effects caused by the harmful chemicals and heavy metals present in leading brands of lipsticks and lip gloss. The next time you wear your lipstick, make sure you wear one that does not contain these harmful ingredients.

On the lighter side, even men are vulnerable to the side-effect caused by lipstick stain on their shirts, when they are caught by their wives who realize that the lipstick stain on their shirt does not belong to them.

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Can lipstick affect your health? Know which ingredients are harmful for you and how

Here are a few things about lipsticks that not only damage your lips but it is also harmful to your health.

Applying lipstick is the first choice of women. Women choose the shade of lipstick according to their dress, occasion, mood, and style. You will definitely find one or the other lipstick in a women's bag. Light lipstick can change your entire look on any occasion. Although most cosmetics cause harm, the side effects of lipstick can be very dangerous for the body. This is because lipstick is applied on the lips and it goes directly inside the body while eating food. Because of this, harmful chemicals can directly reach the digestive system.

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Here are a few things about lipsticks that not only damage your lips but it is also harmful to your health. 

Check these ingredients while buying lipstick:

If manganese, cadmium, chromium and aluminium get together in the body, they do a lot of damage. While eating food with lipstick on, the chances of all these elements entering the body increase. In such a situation, while buying lipstick, keep in mind that it should not contain these products at all.

Harmful effects of wearing lipsticks: 

• Lead is found in most lipsticks. Lead is very harmful to the body. This can cause hypertension and heart problems.
• There are many types of preservatives in lipsticks which harm the body. If their quantity is high, then there can be a risk of cancer. Paraben is one such preservative which is believed to be responsible for cancer. Due to this, the problem of breast cancer is seen in women.
• Actually, Bismuth oxychloride is also used as a preservative in lipstick. There is also a risk of getting cancer from this and it can make the body sick. Many people are also allergic to it.
• If you are pregnant, avoid applying lipstick all the time. Apply lipstick only occasionally and do not buy lipstick from cheap brands at all. If you want, you can use herbal lipstick.

Follow these tips while using lipstick:

• Avoid taking dark shades while buying lipstick because heavy metals are more in dark shades.
• Before applying lipstick, apply a base of ghee or petroleum jelly on the lips, it reduces the side effects.
• Local brands may be cheaper but they can damage your lips.
• Buy lipstick from good brands only and must check its ingredients.
• Do scrub your lips with sugar ad honey to remove the pigmentation that lipsticks cause.