Lipsticks, in one form or another, have been around for well over two millenniums. But most of the companies and manufacturers do not keep their list of ingredients available to the public’s knowledge. So this has caused some massive confusion around its usage. It may enhance the appeal, but does it cause any harm? Or what are the ingredients in lipstick? If these things bother you too, this guide will help you get over with them.

How was lipstick invented?

It is not possible to credit a single person as the inventor of the lipstick. The history dates back as far as Romans and even further. The ancient lipstick was more of natural color from dyes that could be found in nature at that time.

Cleopatra, the queen of ancient Egyptian royalty, is known for using beetles and ants to make her variation of ancient lipsticks. However, it was not until the middle ages, one certain alchemist named Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi for making the foundational ingredients in lipsticks. , but it started to come together as the form we know during the late industrial revolution.

What are some common ingredients in lipsticks?

Wax

Wax is considered to be the base of any lipstick. Three waxes are most commonly used in most lipsticks. They are beeswax, candelilla, and carnauba wax.

Oil

OIl constitutes 60% or more in any lipstick.

Preservatives and antioxidants

These are added to make it possible to store lipsticks months if not years.

Alcohol

Alcohol is required to dissolve the oil and wax together.

Is lipstick edible?

Not really. The lipstick contains ingredients such as aluminum, cadmium, chromium, and manganese. These are toxic to the human body and should not be ingested into the human body. If it is not significant in the amount, there should not be any harm. But if you are ingesting the body regularly, there is a serious risk of experiencing harmful side effects on the body in long results.

Should you use it when lipstick smells like a crayon?

Well, first of all, it should not be smelling like crayon at all if it’s not expired. But if it does smell like crayons, you should stop using it immediately although it can be due to the wrong way of storing the lipstick, smelling like a crayon is generally considered to be a huge red flag.

Can lipstick cause cold sores?

Well cold sore due to lipstick does not usually happen, but it is technically possible. Due to the contagious nature of cold sore, you will likely catch cold sores if an infected person has used it already.

So this is why it is highly discouraged to share makeup and ingredients between two people or a group.

How long can you use before lipstick goes bad?

Typically it is possible to use lipstick for up to 2 years. But it generally does not last that long.so depending on your usage and how you store them, it may last you from 1 year to 1.5 years.

Can lipstick cause chapped lips?

Many complain that they get chapped and dry out lips due to the use of lipsticks with prolonged hours. However, lipstick can indeed cause chapped lips, and it is due to the alcohol in it. Most of the lipstick will contain a certain amount of alcohol in it. This is the reason some people may experience excessive dryness in their lips.

Can lipstick cause cancer?

Well, it is still widely debated whether lipstick will cause cancer or not. Most of the papers and research about this relationship between cancer and lipstick does not have any conclusive evidence about it.