Are there any dangers associated with the use of a coloured lip balm?

Although useful and convenient, tinted balms can also contain ingredients deemed undesirable for health (mineral oils, chemical preservatives, etc...) once ingested, even though they are seemingly almost harmless when applied to the skin. This raises concerns for a product used daily, and even more so for pregnant women, given the fact that the product applied to the lips ends up being largely ingested. Studies have estimated that we ingest between 20 to 50 mg of lip care products per day. However, some tinted lip balms can contain ingredients implicated for their potential health risks through oral exposure:

• The BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole) and the BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene) are used in cosmetics for their antioxidant properties. Indeed, these substances help to prevent oxidation and rancidity. However, these two substances are suspected of being endocrine disruptors, often present in the composition of tinted balms. In a nutshell, endocrine disruptors are molecules capable of deregulating the hormonal system and thus induce harmful effects on human health (growth, reproduction, foetal development, etc...). Moreover, the A.R.T.A.C. (French Association for Anti-Cancer Therapeutic Research) classifies them among potentially carcinogenic substances. Finally, both molecules are also known to be sensitising, thus being a source of allergies.

• Used for their protective and moisturising properties, tinted lip balms can also contain mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH), which include mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH). However, these substances are suspected to be carcinogenic, although they pose no danger when applied to the skin. Indeed, a study has shown that some of these hydrocarbons can accumulate in organs, particularly in the liver, spleen and lymph nodes, and lead to the formation of micro-granulomas, the exact repercussions of which are still unknown.

However, this does not mean we should resign ourselves to stop using balm and permanently turn away from this 2-in-1 care, which colours the lips while providing comfort, nourishment and hydration. There are increasingly more balms on the cosmetics market made from natural ingredients (vegetable oils, vegetable butters, vegetable waxes), as is the case with our tinted lip balm.

Available in 5 shades, it is enriched with hyaluronic acid derived from wheat fermentation to hydrate and plump the lips, with raspberry seed oil to nourish and protect the skin of the lips, and with peppermint macerate for a soothing and refreshing effect. At Typology, we wanted to apply the precautionary principle by excluding from our formulations all these substances that could potentially pose a health risk.