Halloween is just around the corner and so far, we have a potential Batman, Wonder Woman and a possible panther. My kids love to play dress-up year-round and are often making their unique pretend identity using anything they can find and adding to it by painting their own faces. Like anything else, before purchasing the kit, I did my research having seen past news stories and articles about lead and other heavy metals found in face paints. Below I outline why it’s important to avoid the mainstream brands and share the ones that are natural and safe after talking to the owners and representatives of companies themselves.
Why Does Using a Natural, Non-Toxic Face Paint Matter?
A few years ago, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics came out with a report on just what is lurking in most of the mainstream face paints sold in the United States. What they found is scary, especially since it is used on the largest organ of the body – the organ that absorbs much of what gets put on it.
Here’s some of what they found:
•Ten out of 10 face paints tested contain lead.
• Six out of 10 face paints tested contain known skin allergens nickel, cobalt and/ or chromium – at levels far exceeding the recommendations of industry studies.
• Labels contain misleading claims, such as “hypoallergenic,” on products with known skin allergens.
• Hair colors and other cosmetic products contain hazardous chemicals that are banned or restricted in Europe, Canada and Japan and contain colors not approved for use in cosmetics by the FDA.
Why does it matter if there’s lead and heavy metals in face paints?
For starters, at any level of contact with the skin, by mouth or by inhalation, lead is poison. “Lead exposures during prenatal development, infancy and childhood can cause attention deficits, hyperactivity, impulsive behavior, IQ deficits, reduced school performance, aggression and delinquent behavior.
Girls may experience delayed puberty from lead exposure. 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. Lead also contributes to a wide range of mental health issues throughout people’s lifetime”(Campaign for Safe Cosmetics).
Other Toxins Lurking in Face Paints
Some of the worst ingredients such as formaldehyde, phthalates, parabens, dioxins, and other petroleum-derived products can cause a range of health issues from skin irritation to cancer.
Aren’t These Face Paints Tested Before Being Sold?
The short answer is NO! There is no current regulation, but there are a few companies that do their own testing. There are times when a random test is done by the FDA to see if products on store shelves meet their requirements and at that point, those kits testing high are pulled off the shelves.
Are There Safe Face Paints?
Fortunately, Yes! I spent a week contacting all of the self-proclaimed natural companies selling face paints to dig deeper than the marketing. Here I only include the ones that are completely natural. Please note that I personally reached out to all of these companies and feel safe using these products with my own children.
I did not include companies that do not openly share ingredients. I also did not include any with synthetic ingredients. Synthetic pigments that have never been tested for toxicity can be labeled “non-toxic” because there is no data to prove otherwise. I have included affiliate links for some of these products. These links don’t cost you anything extra, but they do give back a small percentage to Raising Natural Kids. Thank you so much for your support.
Go Green
Go Green face paints are certified organic being that they are made from organic, plant-based ingredients. Also made in the U.S.A., they contain zero lead or synthetic dyes.
I reached out to Malcolm, the owner of Go Green, to find out about why and how the company came to be and he shared that when they started their company in 2014, he and his wife went to a party with one of their daughters and there was another girl crying because there was face painting there. She had severe allergies and was not able to have her face painted. This prompted Malcolm to research face paints. He came across an article by Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and found that make-up and face paint has so many dangerous ingredients that he had to find a new way. It was then that Go Green was founded. Since 2014, they have added 4 different kits of completely organic grease-type face paint, 4 different kits of vegan water-based face paint, 2 make-up kits and a set of edible finger paint.
Go Green Ingredients: Black, Red, Brown: Organic jojoba oil & castor oil, iron oxide, sericite, cosmetic grade rice powder, triglyceride (derives from coconut and palm kernel oil), polyglyceryl oleate (vegetable folic acid), 1% phenoxyethanol-SA (a safe alternative to paraben preservatives) •Yellow, Royal Blue, Light Blue, Aqua, Hot Pink, Light Green, Dark Green, Purple: Organic jojoba oil & castor oil, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, tin oxide, sericite, cosmetic grade rice powder, triglyceride (derives from coconut and palm kernel oil), polyglyceryl oleate (vegetable folic acid), 1% phenoxyethanol-SA (a safe alternative to paraben preservatives)
Example of Go Green face paint applied to the skin.
Natural Earth Paint
Made in the U.S.A., “Natural Earth Paints are certified non-toxic, and natural. They have been tested by government-approved toxicologists and third-party labs and are 100% non-toxic.” These paints are clay and mineral-based including skin conditioners such as organic, fair-trade shea butter and organic castor seed oil. I did some investigating and am fully confident that this company is what it say. In fact, it was started by a mother and an artist wanting safe supplies for her own family!
Natural Earth Ingredients: distilled water, natural clay & mineral pigments, organic castor seed oil, certified organic beeswax, Certified Organic Shea Nilotica (Fair-trade shea butter), cetearyl alcohol (from natural vegetable oils), carageenan seaweed, olive-mulse (olive based emulsifier), and 1% Optiphen (a formaldehyde-free and paraben-free preservative).
You can find a wider range of colors sold individually on their website.
Example of Natural Earth Paint face paint applied to the skin.
Nature’s Paint
For a solid base of brown, green and black, this company is worth note. They sell their paints for hunting, but they work just as well for face decor and are easy to apply as they come in a stick. If you are someone who does not support hunting, this company is not for you, as the owners created the paint for this purpose.
Several hours away from town and out chasing elk, Nature’s Paint Co-Founders, Nicole and Sereena found themselves with itchy and irritated skin. It was clear their camo face paint was to blame. When they tried to find a clean, natural alternative, they came up empty.
Taking matters into their own hands, Nature’s Paint was created.
If all else fails, you can make your own…
There are several websites that offer recipes for natural face paints. I have not tried making them myself, but I would love to know if you do! The recipes call for you to make your own natural dyes first, but Natural Candy Store sells a wide variety of natural food dyes already made.
Recipes for making your own: Earth Friendly Tips
Non- Toxic Nail Polish to Match
If you are looking for a safer alternative to mainstream nail polish, look no further than Poofy Organics. Poofy Organics offers salon quality without the major toxins. Plus, their nail polish remover has no scent and rates a zero for toxicity by the Environmental Working Group. They have over 90 colors to match any need.
FREE of Formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, formaldehyde resin, TPHP, camphor, xylene, parabens, fragrances, phthalates, and animal ingredients.
Although nail polish can never be completely natural, modern polishes are full of toxins that you breathe in, as well as absorb them through your skin every time you paint your nails. This is significantly worse if you have your nails done at a salon. POOFY POLISH does NOT have any of the major toxins!
The major toxins found in nail polish are:
Toluene- A human reproductive toxin.
Formaldehyde- A known carcinogen, plus they pickle dead bodies in it. YUCK!
Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)- Known to cause infertility, uterine cancer, testicular cancer & fetal defects just to name a few!
Camphor – Poisonous & can cause liver damage.
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