Awsome Face Paint
Dressing up as something scary or weird on Halloween is perhaps the most exciting thing about this holiday. It’s thus not a surprise that a lot of people say that Halloween is their favorite holiday among all the holidays in the western world. Aside from the dresses and costumes, children have become excited about face paint. Actually, even adults go all out when it comes to face paint!

But did you know that not all face paint products in the market are safe for use? In a study done by Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, it was revealed that many face paint products contain materials that are harmful! MSN gives the dish:

The report, issued by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, is titled: Pretty Scary: Could Halloween Face Paint Cause Lifelong Health Problems? Researchers tested 10 face paint products, the types widely available via the Internet or in craft or Halloween stores.

“All 10 face paint products tested contained lead, and six out of 10 had known skin allergens, including nickel, cobalt or chromium, at levels above recommendations of industry studies,” said Stacy Malkan, the campaign’s co-founder and a co-author of the report. Malkan is also the author of Not Just a Pretty Face, a 2007 book detailing what she sees as the potentially hazardous ingredients in cosmetics.

For the new report, she said, “We looked for a range of heavy metals, and we didn’t find mercury or arsenic. Other countries have found those in face paints. We did unfortunately find lead in all the products.” Exposure to lead can cause developmental and behavioral problems, experts agree.

I don’t know about you, but the findings are pretty SCARY – and in the real sense, mind you! So what should you do? I would suggest avoiding face paints altogether. While this might disappoint your child greatly, you just need to explain the reality to them. Alternatively, try to look for organic materials or products to use. These may be more expensive and may not be as fun as “normal” face paint, but at least you can assure your child’s safety this Halloween.

Photo courtesy of Just Fun Online

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