Check out Sephora for Bourjois that's 30% off retail.

I could hear the pillars of desi-hood crumbling and roaring in anger as I wrote the title for this post. Loving kohl is one of the commandments for being desi, and I promise I'm not trying to single-handedly destroy the culture wherein girls are named Kajal. Furthermore, nothing really compares to the blackness and sultriness of desi kajal. I find it infinitely more intense than anything available on the market. However, there is some reason to be careful when buying desi kajal.

The New York City Department of Health and Hygiene and the FDA have both raised concerned over desi kajal and surma. In an FDA testing of kajal and surma coming from the Middle East and from South Asia, they all tested positive for lead. In fact, some samples were found to contain more than half their weight in lead. There have also been reports of people suffering from lead poisoning because of the lead in kajal and surma.

The lead in kajal and surma was also a direct cause of increased levels of lead in children and adults. Some companies brand their kajal and surma as lead free, but they often contain antimony (sometimes in very high levels). This is a substance that causes symptoms similar to arsenic poisoning.

One very frustrating thing is that companies also don't list their entire list of ingredients. They list things such as 'base q.s.' or 'kohl stone.' In an attempt to sidestep the FDA, some companies have branded their own stamp of approval on behalf of the FDA stating that their products are FDA approved. The FDA has emphasized that this is not the case and that these kajals and surmas are still suspect and might contain high levels of lead and antimony. Finally, keep in mind that Middle Eastern and South Asian surmas and kajals have actually been banned by the FDA even though they are imported.

Just in case you were wondering, the New York City Department of Health and Hygiene and the FDA have identified even these popular desi kajals as containing lead:

• Hashmi Surma Special
• Hashmi Kajal
• Hashmi Kohl Aswad

I will try to get my hands on the comprehensive list of kajals and surmas that contain lead.

information sources: www.cfsan.fda.gov, www.nyc.gov

I just got this wonderful code in my inbox for 30% off at the Urban Decay website. Enter the following code during checkout: FFA30. Enjoy!

Enter the code 91962 at checkout to use it. It's valid from 3/22/08 to 4/12/08 and you can use it on any one item available at ulta.com, even items on sale.

I know I've ranted a lot about the size of some of Besame's products but they do have some very nice products. The pigmentation is great and the colours are beautiful, I'm just not crazy about the size of the products at the price they used to be. Besame is having a last chance sale on some of their items. Here you go:

• Cashmere Powder Compact - regularly $45, now $20
• Double Sided Masterliner Eye Pencils - regularly $25, now $12
• Vanilla Infused Loose Powder - regularly $18, now $10
• Lip Glazes - regularly $18, now $10
• Rose Lotion - regularly $30, now $10
• Alluring Shadows - regularly $18, now $10
• Boudoir Rouge - regularly $20, now $10

I should join Bargain Hunters Anonymous, but for those of you who are on a higher plane of sanity than I am, here's a 20% coupon at www.ulta.com. It is good for your entire purchase, just enter 85525 as the promo code at checkout. It is valid from January 27 through February 2.

This is only available to us online and to get your discount enter "FF2007" as the promotional code at checkout.

I just thought I'd share a 10% off coupon for www.skincarerx.com. I get my Dermalogica face masks and some La Roche Posay stuff so they are a safe place to order from. Here's the coupon code:

Coupon Code: 10% Off Your First Purchase NEWS10

As you might all know, a recent study found varying quantities of lead in red lipstick. Different brands had different levels. I am posting this after some thought because I don't know how alarmed I should be. However, I'm posting the gist of the finds here and the list of lipsticks that were tested.

Here's an overview of the test:

• More than half of 33 brand‐name lipsticks tested (61 percent) contained detectable levels of lead, with levels ranging from .03 to .65 parts per million (ppm). None of these lipsticks listed lead as an ingredient.

• One‐third of the tested lipsticks exceeded the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s 0.1 ppm limit for lead in candy – a standard established to protect people from directly ingesting lead. Lipstick, like candy, is ingested directly. Nevertheless, the FDA has not set a limit for lead in lipstick – which fits with the disturbing absence of FDA regulatory oversight and enforcement capacity for the $50 billion personal care products industry.

The side effects of lead:
Lead is a proven neurotoxin that can cause learning, language and behavioral problems such as lowered IQ, reduced school performance and increased aggression. Pregnant women and young children are particularly vulnerable to lead exposure because lead easily crosses the placenta and may enter the fetal brain, where it interferes with normal development. Lead has also been linked to miscarriage, reduced fertility in both men and women, hormonal changes, menstrual irregularities and delays in the onset of puberty. Lead builds up in the body over time and lead‐containing lipstick applied several times a day, every day, combined with lead in water and other sources, could add up to significant exposure levels.

Lipsticks with less than 0.02 parts per million (ppm) lead (lower than the FDA‐recommended limit for candy
Avon Ultra Color Rich Cherry Jubilee
Body Shop Lip Colour Garnet
Clinique Long Last Lipstick Merlot
Dior Replenishing Lipcolor Red Premiere
Estee Lauder Maraschino
MAC Matte Lipstick Viva Glam 1
Revlon Superlustrous Love That Red
Revlon Superlustrous Bed of Roses
Revlon Colorstay Lipcolor Red Velvet
Tarte Inside Out Vitamin Lipstick
Wet N Wild Mega Colors Cherry Blossom

Lipsticks with detectable levels of lead but less than 0.1ppm lead (the FDA‐recommended limit for candy)
MAC Matte Lipstick Viva Glam
Revlon Love That Red
Cover Girl Queen Collection Ruby Remix
Clinique Long Last Paprika
Dior Replenishing Lipcolor Red Premiere
Body Shop Garnet
Wet N Wild Cherry Frost 0
Clinique Angel Red
Burtʹs Bees Lip Shimmer Merlot

Lipsticks with lead levels higher than 0.1ppm
Maybelline NY Moisture Extreme Scarlet Simmer
Cover Girl Incredifull Lipcolor Maximum Red
Peacekeeper Paint Me Compassionate
Maybelline NY Moisture Extreme Midnight Red
Maybelline NY Moisture Extreme Cocoa Plum
Dior Addict Positive Red
Cover Girl Continuous Color Cherry Brandy
LʹOreal Colour Riche True Red
Cover Girl Incredifull Lipcolor Maximum Red
LʹOreal Colour Riche Classic Wine
LʹOreal Colour Riche True Red

If you ladies have some extra info about this, feel free to share. I'm undecided. It's scary, but should I start panicking? I'm very paranoid about these things and I don't know if I should start weeding out my stash.

source: www.safecosmetics.org

So the fact that Pout will no longer be carried at Sephora has been making rounds and I thought I'd post about a Pout sale at Sephora when it actually happened. Sadly, I've been refreshing the Pout page on Sephora every five minutes devotedly in the hopes of catching this sale. Other than a slight case of Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, I have remained fruitless and I am still waiting. Hopefully, Pout will go out of Sephora with a bang much like Becca and those of us who are dying to try the blush duo mentioned by Mickey Contractor can get a great bargain. Until then, I will stay vigilant and be the town crier as soon as I hear more about the Pout situation.

On a side note, I feel awful for wishing they would get kicked out of Sephora already and put everything on sale.

There are still quite a few things left and I believe most of the line is 75% off. You can also get samples when you checkout at www.sephora.com. They have some great shades and textures. Just thought I'd let you ladies know.