In light of recent news that the FDA found lead in 400 brands of
lipstick, Yahoo! Shine took a look at other products containing
potentially hazardous ingredients. Historically, women have
risked their health for beauty by using cosmetics laden with
poisons. It’s reported that Queen Elizabeth’s face became so
disfigured from lead-contaminated makeup, she had all the
mirrors in her palace removed. In 18th century France,
courtesans applied vermilion rouge, which contained sulfur and
mercury, and suffered damage to their teeth, livers, and nervous
systems as a result. While the levels are much lower, according
to a 2011 report by Environmental Defense, an Ontario-based
research group, dangerous heavy metals still lurk in lip gloss,
mascara, foundation, blush, eye shadow, and eyeliner. The
researchers tested a total of 49 common products selected from
the cosmetic bags of six average Canadian women. They found that
every product contained at least one of seven heavy metals
including arsenic, cadmium, lead, nicke