Is Halloween Makeup Safe For Babies? Everything You Need to Know About Halloween Makeup

This year, you want your baby's Halloween costume to be perfect. After all, the adorable photos you have planned depend on it. So you've carefully curated every detail from head to toe. And as you're preparing to put the finishing touches on your little zombies, fairies, and goblins, you're probably wondering, is Halloween makeup safe for babies?

You may think wearing makeup is safer for your baby than a mask, which can inhibit a young child's breathing and vision, but there are other factors you have to consider when making your choice. Dangerous metals, such as lead and nickel can be found in some Halloween makeup that is made in China and can be extremely harmful to your young children. And, according to The Huffington Post, children between the ages of 1 and 6 are the most vulnerable to exposure to lead.

Currently, the FDA does not require cosmetic companies to list all of the harmful ingredients found in their products on their packaging, which can make it difficult for parents to know whether or not the products they choose are safe for their children. Even those products labeled hypoallergenic and safe for children may contain dangerous metals. In 2009, a study conducted by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found that all 10 of the brands of face paint they tested contained lead. Although the FDA does not approve the ingredients in cosmetic products before they are sold, they do test the safety of the color additives that are often used in makeup.

Though the risk of lead exposure in makeup is a serious issue, in the end, allowing your baby to wear some makeup on his face for a couple of hours on Halloween is probably not going to give them lead poisoning. The CDC explains that lead poisoning generally occurs when a person has been exposed to lead over a long period of time. However, it is also important to know that they have not been able to pinpoint a safe amount of lead in a child's blood.

In the end, it is possible to do Halloween makeup safely with your children. If you decide to use makeup on your baby this Halloween, it's best to make sure it doesn't irritate their skin first. Test the makeup on your child's arm before applying it to their face, as KidsHealth recommends. Check the FDA website for their list of approved color additives. But if you'd rather err on the side of caution, you can use a completely natural DIY makeup blend of cornstarch, cold cream, water, and food coloring.