Alex Face Paint Studio paints were tested
and found to contain lead.
Amazon.com

Thinking of painting your goblin's face for Halloween? You may want to reconsider. Testing reported by by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics revealed that some children's face paints contain lead, nickel, cadmium, and cobalt. Exposure to these metals could lead to health problems, including neurological effects and allergic reactions.

What did they find?

• 10 out of 10 children's face paints contained low levels of lead, ranging from 0.05 to 0.65 parts per million (ppm).
• 6 out of 10 products contained the potent allergens nickel, chromium and/or cobalt at levels ranging from 1.6 to 120 ppm, levels that could result in allergic reactions.

Ten commercially-available face paints were tested in independent labs. Brands included Alex, Ben Nye, Don Post, Rubie's, Snazaroo, Mehron, Wolfe Bros, and Jovi. A full 36-page report is available online.

Is this a concern? The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that parents be vigilant to protect their children from lead exposure. Lead exposure can lead to neurological problems, including hyperactivity and low IQ. Nickel, chromium, and cobalt can trigger allergic reactions and skin rashes. Lead exposure can also lead to health problems in adults, so adults should also beware. Research shows that nickel, chromium, and cobalt have been associated with skin contact dermatitis, an allergic rash.

Campaign for Safe Cosmetics noted that the ingredients labels for these paints did not list the metals. They suggested that the companies who manufacture the paints may not have been aware of the metal contamination. Metals can be inadvertently included in these types of products by using ingredients that are not tested for possible contaminants like lead.

There is a lack of safety standards for face paints and for cosmetics in the U.S., and Campaign for Safe Cosmetics is hoping to change that. They are collecting signatures for a petition to Congress to enact legislation to phase out hazardous cosmetics ingredients, and empower the FDA to more closely regulate cosmetics ingredients.

What can you do?

• Choose a Halloween costume that doesn't use face paint.
• If you are still holding out for the paint effect, go for natural colors. You can use beet juice, cocoa powder, tumeric, or berry juices mixed with skin lotion or with an oatmeal-honey blend for a home-made potion. In fact, there is a great recipe for a chocolate face mask that is a treat for your skin and a rich, dark color.
• If you still opt for commercial face paints, test a small dab of paint on your skin the day before Halloween to test for possible allergic reactions before applying to larger areas.

Comments, questions or suggestions? Anything you want to know about environmental health? Email your Chicago Environmental Health Examiner at MarisaNaujokas@gmail.com. Follow me on Twitter @chicagoenviron. Subscribe above and you will receive an email when I post a new article.