If you're planning to use face paint on your kids this Halloween, use caution. A new report by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics titled "Pretty Scary: Could Halloween Face Paint Cause Lifelong Problems?" has found that commonly-used face paints contain lead as well as skin allergens such as nickel and chromium.
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a coalition of health and environmental organizations including the Environmental Working Group and the Breast Cancer Fund, had an independent laboratory test 10 face paint products commonly sold on the Internet or in craft or Halloween stores. All 10 were found to contain lead. And 6 out of 10 face paint products contained skin allergens in amounts that were far above the recommended levels. In some cases, the products were labeled hypoallergenic when they contained allergens. None of the metals found in the lab tests were on the labels.
To play it safe this Halloween, consider avoiding face paint products or think about making your own natural face paint. If you do use store-bought face paint, make sure you keep it away from your child's eyes, mouth and hands to avoid any contaminants from going directly into your child's body.
This is pretty scary, huh? Help us give the beauty industry a makeover, and demand regulation of all cosmetics – from face paint to lipstick to bubble bath to aftershave! Join the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics at http://www.safecosmetics.org!