Halloween Makeup: Safe for Kids?
The rainbow colors and glittery solutions that turn kids into fairies, clowns, warriors, and magicians may be harmful to their bodies — and manufacturers are under no obligation to disclose toxic ingredients on the labels.
On Sunday, New York Sen. Chuck Schumer held a press conference to shine a light on the dangers of many makeup kits sold in Halloween stores. In an effort to tighten the regulation around toxic ingredients like nickel, cobalt, chromium, and lead, Schumer cited a 2009 report by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics that found one or more of those substances present in 10 out of 10 of the popular children’s face paint products tested.
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“Every Halloween we worry about the candy we’re putting in our kids’ mouths, but nowadays we need to worry about the face paint we’re putting on our kids’ faces,” the senator said. “Toxic Chinese chemicals in children’s Halloween makeup and face paint is a scary thought, and yet, oftentimes, parents don’t even know what’s in these products.”
The Food and Drug Administration does not require costume makeup companies to list the harmful ingredients on the packaging. Schumer named Wet n Wild Fantasy Makers, Fun World, and Rubie’s Costume Co. among the brands that contain heavy metals. In a letter to the FDA, Schumer wrote, “Parents and all consumers have a right to know what ingredients are in the paint they are buying for use on their skin or the skin of their children. I strongly urge the FDA to use its existing authority and increase enforcement of products that are currently on the market that are mislabeled, misbranded or adulterated.”
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Lisa Donofrio, MD, associate clinical professor in the department of dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine, tells Yahoo Parenting that the costume makeup threat isn’t catastrophic. “For potential harmful absorption, the exposure would have to be for long periods of time or on a large surface area,” she says, adding that she recommends limiting makeup-wearing to a few hours and keeping it on just the face so that it’s only in contact with a small surface area.
Still, the best option, Donofrio notes, is to err on the side of safety by choosing chemical-free paints that clearly state their mindful status on the label. She points out that a quick search online leads to Go Green Face Paint, a company that makes organic products in the USA. Some people even choose to mix their own novelty paints with cold cream, cornstarch, water, and food coloring — that way, you’ll know exactly what’s going on your little one’s face.
Photo: John Lund/Marc Romanel/Getty Images
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