In case you haven't heard, there's lead in your lipstick. I heard the CBC news report a couple of months ago. And Gillian Deacon's new book came out this past February, informatively titled There's Lead in Your Lipstick. I hardly ever wear lipstick, but I dabbed some on recently. With my memory like a sieve these days, it only hit me after I'd applied it - there's lead in my lip-stick! Which means there's lead on my lips! What's wrong with a little lip-smacking lead? Just to refresh all our memories, lead is a highly toxic heavy metal. It's been banned, prohibited or phased out of gasoline, new plumbing pipes, paints and Canadian-manufactured food cans. The reason is simple. Lead zaps health with either 1. the knock-out punch of high exposure, with symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, coma and sometimes even death; or 2. the slow drip of a little lead seeping into bones and organs year after year, with symptoms like fatigue, appetite loss, constipation, sleeplessness, headaches and irritability. Blood disorders and damage to the nervous system, brain and kidneys can also develop. Lipstick lead obviously falls into the slow drip category. How much lead gets into your system depends on how much, how often and how long you wear lipstick. It could also depend on the brand and the batch. But according to a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency study in 2009, applying lipsticks and other lead-containing cosmetics every day or several times a day "can potentially add up to significant exposure levels." Pregnant and nursing moms can pass that exposure on to their babies. Lead in infants and children can damage brain and nervous system development and result in learning disabilities, poor growth, hearing problems and behaviour problems. Low-level lead poisoning often isn't seen for what it is, but doc-tors can measure lead in blood tests. So ... if lead isn't allowed in our air, in our water, in our food or on our walls, then why is it allowed on our lips? Less-than-lovely lead sneaks into cosmetics as a contaminant or as part of colouring agents, which is why you"ll never see it on an ingredient list. To avoid lead and other heavy metals in lipsticks, like arsenic, cadmium, beryllium and thallium, buy trusted brands of lip balm and lip tints, like Aubrey Organics (www.www.aubrey-organics.com) or - my fave - Badger Balm (see www.badgerbalm.com). Better yet, make your own balm with 100 per cent safe ingredients. Here's a recipe I've tried (source unknown) that's soothing for the senses, the skin and the soul.1 TB. grated beeswax (food-grade) 3 TB. almond oil (or sunflower, jojoba, olive or castor oil) TB. honey1 capsule Vit. E1 TB. powdered cocoa or shaved chocolate* (dark unsweetened best) In the top of a double boiler, gently simmer beeswax and oil, stirring frequently. When melted,remove from heat and add honey,chocolate and Vitamin E. Whisk together well. Optional: when nearly cool, add two drops of an essential oil, such as peppermint oil. Pour into tubes, tins or small jars. If too soft, add more bees waxnext time; if too hard, add more oil.*Melt shaved chocolate with beeswax or in separate double boiler. For more recipes, Google "homemade lip balm" (avoid recipes recommending old lip stick or petroleum jelly). Or browse through Deacon's book. It's time to get the lead out.