There’s something magical about face paint. Wearing it on any occasion is just plain fun and can really spur a child’s imagination. It transforms them into animals, super heroes, or whatever else they can dream up… even when it’s not Halloween.
But parents do need to be aware of what’s in the face paints they choose and the potential dangers they pose. Studies have shown that even face paints labeled as “safe”, “FDA-approved”, “hypoallergenic” or “non-toxic” may contain heavy metals such as lead, nickel, cobalt, and chromium.
These toxic metals, which can cause allergies, are not intended ingredients; they contaminate the face paint when manufacturers use low-quality mineral ingredients that were not tested before use. Children can ingest these metals when they apply makeup to their lips, touch their faces, and then their mouths.
Manufacturers don’t list these heavy metals on the package because they’re unwanted byproducts, not actual ingredients. This makes it difficult for parents to know whether the face paint is safe. Here’s what to look for (and what to avoid) when searching for safe face paint for children.
Also read: Healthier Toys For Children: What to Look For and What to Avoid
Healthier Face Paint Alternatives
- Choose Halloween or play costumes that do not require face paint.
- Please check the label to ensure the face paint has been tested to be free from heavy metal contaminants and petrochemicals.
- Opt for face paints whose labels specifically state they are free from parabens, formaldehyde, synthetic dyes, and other harmful chemicals.
- Look for face paints colored with natural pigments from fruits, vegetables, flowers, and other botanicals.
- Titanium oxide and zinc oxide are commonly found in Halloween face paints and are considered safe when they have not been “micronized” into nano-particles. When choosing mineral-based face paints, look for the words “no nanoparticles”, or “not micronized” on the label.
by Earth Paint
Good To Know
- Titanium dioxide is a common ingredient in many products, such as face paints, sunscreens, and lip products. Avoid inhaling it in dust form. Don’t worry- it’s not absorbed through your skin or digestive system, so it’s generally considered safe for use in these products!
- Ingesting a large amount of zinc oxide may cause a mild laxative. But it is otherwise considered safe in face paints.
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- http://safecosmetics.org/article.php?id=584
- http://www.epa.gov/opprd001/inerts/titaniumdioxide.pdf
- http://safecosmetics.org/downloads/PrettyScary_Oct2709.pdf
- http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/ingredient/zinc-oxide
- http://www.altmd.com/Articles/Castor-Oil–Encyclopedia-of-Alternative-Medicine
- http://www.cosmeticsinfo.org/HBI/21
- http://www.altmd.com/Articles/Jojoba-Oil–Encyclopedia-of-Alternative-Medicine
- http://safecosmetics.org/article.php?id=292
- http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/707070/ZINC_OXIDE/
- http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/706561/TITANIUM_DIOXIDE/
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