Halloween Face Paints Contain Lead and Other Heavy Metals

Halloween face paints contain contaminants such as lead and other heavy metals reports a US group, which recently tested 10 children’s face paints. The research team tested the paints for heavy metals and reviewed ingredient labels of Halloween products sold at seasonal holiday stores.

Titled ‘Pretty Scary’, the report recommends that parents look for safer alternative for their children. Part of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a national coalition of US based nonprofit health and environmental groups.
The report says that though the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] advises parents against using cosmetics on their children that could possibly contain lead; parents have no way of knowing which face paints are safe to buy as the product labels do not carry enough information. Interestingly, there is no legal requirement to list items such as lead and heavy metals.

Face paint, though used popularly during the Halloween season is increasingly popular all year at children’s birthday parties and even when they dress up and play at home. This continued exposure to a potentially harmful product could result in several side effects.

The report highlights the low-level of safety standards for cosmetics sold in the United States should be a matter of concern not taken too lightly.

In the report:

– 10 out of 10 children’s face paints contained lead at levels between 0.05 and 0.65 parts per million (ppm).

– 6 out of 10 children’s face paints contained nickel, cobalt or chromium at levels between 1.6 to 120 ppm (much higher than the industry safety standard of 1 ppm).

– Snazaroo Face Paint contained some of the highest levels of lead, nickel and cobalt found in the study. This product carries the words “nontoxic” and “hypoallergenic” on its label.