Paparazzi Starlet Shimmer Children’s Jewelry Tests Positive for Lead
Multi-level marketing company Paparazzi has recently come under scrutiny after lab testing came out identifying some pieces of Paparazzi jewelry as containing hazardous materials.
The info of ex-Paparazzi consultants and other anti-MLM activists whose information I reference in this article will be linked below. I highly suggest you check out their pages, support their cause, and listen to their full stories.
Paparazzi, a multi-level marketing company, has become a subject of concern as testing has come out regarding pieces of jewelry sold by the company. In January of 2022, a group of ex-consultants and anti-MLM advocates released test results of jewelry they had sent to Waypoint Analytical, an independent, third-party testing facility. These results revealed concerning levels of lead, arsenic, nickel, and cadmium; a large blow to a company that had previously advertised their jewelry as lead and nickel free.
If you are interested in reading more about this testing and viewing the results, I have linked my previous article below.
The presence of these materials in the jewelry is clearly troubling as lead can pose serious health risks. Lead poisoning has been a major consumer risk topic over the years, specifically when it comes to the exposure of children. Paparazzi jewelry sold pieces primarily for adult customers, but they did release a children's line at one point, the Starlet Shimmer collection.
The test results and new concern around the Starlet Shimmer children’s jewelry drew the attention of Tamara Rubin, also known as Lead Safe Mama. Tamara Rubin and her family have been personally impacted by lead poisoning and as a result, she become a leading advocate for the safety of families through education and consumer awareness. Rubin has received awards for her work from federal agencies such as the EPA and CDC.
She is certified to perform XRF testing. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) testing is a non-destructive technique used to determine the chemical composition of sample materials. This is the method in which she tests consumer goods for lead content.
After hearing about the Paparazzi case, Rubin received and tested pieces of the Starlet Shimmer collection and her testing revealed lead content well above regulated levels, specifically in a pair of floral stud earrings pictured below. Her article on the results is linked here.
As Rubin explains in her article and goes into further detail during this live stream, the lead results of this jewelry are above the limits of safe lead content in the state of California.
This is especially significant as these pieces of jewelry were marketed towards children. The jewelry itself, a line of earrings, rings, and more, was created in sizing that would seem best suited for young children. Advertising of the jewelry collection by Paparazzi and consultants often included young children.
As Rubin explains in the live stream, Paparazzi added text to the back of the packaging of the Starlet Shimmer collection that reads, “intended for 14 years and up”. This appears contradictory to the style, sizing, and advertising of the jewelry but may reveal a bit about Paprazzi’s intentions. As Rubin explains, an age limit disclaimer of 14 and above would have potentially shielded Paparazzi from the legal repercussions of selling lead jewelry to children. However, as of a June 2020 update in the state of California, 14 and 15-year-olds are included in the label of children.
There is more testing planned for the jewelry mentioned above and other parts of the Starlet Shimmer collection. Updates can be found on the Lead Safe Mama page as well as the Crack the Crown page.
Information for this article was gleaned from an amazing group of women speaking out on this issue.
Crack the Crown is a page run by mother-daughter duo Tracey and Caroline. They are ex-Paparazzi consultants using their platform to educate consumers and help consultants leave Paparazzi. They also run a support group for ex-Paparazzi consultants.
Tamara Rubin, also known as Lead Safe Mama, is a child health advocate who has won multiple national awards for her lead-poisoning prevention advocacy work. She is certified to perform independent testing of consumer goods using XRF technology and documents her findings on her website.
