A Scary Ingredient Has Reportedly Been Found In A Popular Kids' Makeup

There are a lot of risks involved in parenting. Having kids is in no way easy, but there comes a point when safety is just kind of expected. When your kids are at home with you, for example. Or when they're at school, church, or another organized activity. And as kids get older, it's pretty expected that the risks involved change somewhat. However, some risks can't be anticipated, like this one: Your kid's Justice makeup may have a seriously scary ingredient in it, and you'll definitely want to know what it is.

An ABC station in Durham, North Carolina recently reported that the popular retail store, Justice — whose clothing and accessories are marketed to young girls — was perhaps unknowingly selling makeup products that allegedly had traces of asbestos in them. During the course of the team's investigation, it reportedly found heavy metals that were unlisted in the ingredients, specifically "asbestos [which] was also found in the Just Shine Shimmer Powder" product. As Cosmopolitan reported,

Specifically, the lab found tremolite asbestos fibers, which contaminated the talc used in the Just Shine Shimmer Powder. Fitzgerald says the mineral reserve from which the talc was derived should have been tested for contamination; if it had been tested, it never would have been used by the manufacturer because the FDA prohibits asbestos-contaminated talc in cosmetics.

While this news is certainly upsetting, parents can also take comfort in the knowledge that, for now, only one makeup product has been found to reportedly be affected. Unfortunately, asbestos can only be found through lab testing, although there are resources out there to help parents find certified products that are completely safe for kids. In other words, if your child has the specific product mentioned in the report in their makeup drawer or bedroom, make sure to call the company to see what to do next (and maybe don't let your kid use it in the meantime).

Sean Fitzgerald, the Director of Research and Analytical Services at the lab where the asbestos was reportedly found, spoke to the dangers involved with the products. "In this powder designed for children," he explained, "they could die an untimely death in their thirties or forties because of the exposure to asbestos in this product."

For its part, Justice has neither confirmed nor denied the reports of asbestos. Romper reached out to the company for comment on the report's findings and did not immediately hear back, but in a statement released to ABC11, a brand spokesperson said:

Justice is committed to the safety and integrity of our products. Upon receiving the inquiry from WTVD, we immediately began an independent investigation. We cannot speculate regarding the matter until we have more information. Nonetheless, out of an abundance of caution, we have stopped the sale of this product while we investigate.

Hopefully, no children will be impacted by the alleged asbestos contamination, and no other products will be found to be affected moving forward, for everyone's sake.