Lead found in Halloween Face Paints

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics web site conducted tests on Halloween face paints and their findings are alarming when we consider using these "fun" items on our children. Many parents opt for face paint as a safer alternative over masks, while our children are out trick-or-treating.

To quote CFSC article's findings: "For this report, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics sent 10 children's face paints to an independent lab to test for heavy metals. Among our findings:

* 10 out of 10 children's face paints we tested contained low levels of lead, ranging from 0.05 to 0.65 parts per million (ppm).

Experts say there is no safe level of lead exposure for children and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that parents avoid using cosmetics on their children that could be contaminated with lead.

Lead exposures early in life can lead to hyperactivity, impulsive behavior, IQ deficits, reduced school performance, aggression and delinquent behavior. It can also impact fertility, including increasing risk for miscarriage and reducing sperm quality. Early-life lead exposure can even increase risk for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

* 6 out of 10 products contained the potent allergens nickel, chromium and/or cobalt at levels ranging from 1.6 to 120 ppm – far above the safety recommendations of industry studies.

Nickel, chromium, and cobalt can trigger skin rashes that appear throughout life with subsequent exposures."

Lead is non banned from Cosmetics in the USA, but is Canada and parts of Europe. Often, however, these small quantity - special occasion cosmetics slip through the testing cracks. It is important for us to know what we are putting on our own faces and those of our children. To download the full report please click here