UPDATE:
Back in July, cult beauty brand Lime Crime received a warning letter from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over ingredients in their lipsticks that weren’t approved for use on, well, lips.
The FDA were specifically investigating the brand’s Velvetines Liquid Matte Lipsticks, which were said to “contain ferric ferrocyanide and ultramarines, both coloring agents”.
While the FDA had approved for the products to be used externally, there were concerns that because the lipstick comes into contact with the mouth, there wasn’t a guarantee that they were entirely safe. But now the popular indie makeup brand have been cleared and their Velvetines lipsticks are officially safe to use.
So for lovers of the brand, go forth and use Velvetines to your heart’s content.
Previously The Glow reported:
It's known for its brightly coloured lipsticks and distinct unicorn logo, but it's definitely not all sunshine and rainbows for alternative cosmetics brand, Lime Crime.
The company have been issued an official warning letter by the FDA due to the alleged inclusion of two ingredients in one of their lipsticks that are not approved for, well, use on lips.
RELATED: Why thousands of Instagrammers are boycotting this beauty brand.
The ingredients in question are listed on the packaging of Lime Crime's Velvetine Matte Lipstick in Red Velvet. They're two colour additives called Ferric Ferrocyanide and Ultramarines that are not approved for use in 'internal' cosmetics such as lip products in the US.
This is because while they are not toxic, they are both potential irritants.
The FDA have not tested the products themselves nor have they taken any action and are just responding to the printed ingredient list. It's now up to Lime Crime to provide evidence that the ingredients are not actually in the product, should they want to continue to sell it.
Their response? Lime Crime claims it's a misprint, which is also a violation of FDA standards due to being "false labelling".
If you're not familiar with the LA-based company, they're a vegan and cruelty-free makeup brand started by founder Doe Deere, and have a loyal (and diehard) beauty fan base (including over 1.5 million Instagram followers).
The company has been dogged by controversial claims of cultural appropriation (their 2012 Chinadoll campaign angered many) and backlash over negative blogger reviews since its launch in 2008.
And now, the FDA are warning that the inclusion of these ingredients goes against regulations. They're requesting that Lime Crime notify them in writing, within 15 days, of how they intend to correct the stated violations. (Post continues after gallery.)
Celebrities and lipstick: A winning combo
Lime Crime have been replying to some of the hundreds of concerned Facebook and Instagram comments from users and have also since released an official statement.
"Lime Crime is complying with the request to provide documentation demonstrating that these ingredients are not part of the Velvetines formula. We are confident that once the FDA reviews the proof, they will understand that it's simply a labeling error and consider the case resolved," it says.
In pictures of the ingredient list on the product's packaging, the two colour additives can clearly be seen, but are not currently in the online ingredient list of the product on the Lime Crime website.
In another comment to a customer enquiry, the company states that Ultramarines and Ferric Ferrocyanide are not part of the Velvetines formula, but goes onto mention that the colourings are safe and approved for lip use in Europe, which is true.
The company also made beauty headlines in March when it was discovered that hackers installed malware which recorded customer information as it was in putted into their website in real time between October 2014 and February 2015.
Feeling angry that making purchases with the company had put their security detail at risk (and there were stories of people having their credit card details stolen), the #BoycottLimeCrime movement started trending, with ex-customers calling for beauty lovers to boycott the brand and dispose of products.
The one thing you can safely bet? This latest news has added fuel to the already hot #BoycottLimeCrime fire.
Have you stopped using Lime Crime? Does this change your opinion of the brand?