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Cosmetics that contain lead are banned in Canada and Europe. In the United States, though, we’re making it too easy for children to get an unhealthy dose of lead. Since face paints aren’t intended for consumption, they don’t require FDA approval before they reach store shelves (though the FDA does test color additives, including those found in face paints). The responsibility for ensuring cosmetics are safe falls largely on manufacturers — often in China with little to no regulations.
As a result, face paints can contain toxic chemicals that are absorbed through the skin, or even worse, accidentally ingested. This is a problem, since according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “no safe blood lead level in children has been identified,” and “lead exposure can affect nearly every system in the body.”
But if you’re hoping to create that classic cadaverous look on your child’s ruddy cheeks this Halloween, there are ways to avoid the ghastliest of face paints. Check your paints’ ingredients to make sure they’re on the list of FDA-approved color additives. Even better, invest in some alternative non-toxic face paints.
If you can’t get your hands on some lead-free paint, though, you and your kid might want to consider going au naturel this Halloween.