Halloween is almost upon us and some of you may even be dressing up for parties now. One thing you may not think about is the safety of the makeup you use on yourself or your children. While makeup is preferable to masks (it is not as likely to block your vision), you still have to use care in choosing your makeup.
Just as beauty makeup can be unsafe, so can Halloween makeup. Here are a few tips to ensure you have a safe Halloween:
– Don’t even use something as makeup that wasn’t specifically meant to be used on your skin.
– Read the label! It sounds simple, but many of us simply don’t do it.
– Don’t use the following florescent colors near your eyes: D&C Orange No. 5, No. 10, and No. 11; D&C Red No. 21, No. 22, No. 27 and No. 28; and D&C Yellow No. 7
– To test for allergic reactions to makeup, put a small amount on your skin a few days before you need to dress up. If that small patch if skin reacts negatively, don’t use it.
– Did you know the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has a list of coloring agents that they have deemed safe for use in cosmetics? You can find the list on the FDA’s web page. By reading the labels, you can avoid the unapproved agents.
– Follow the directions, another simple thing that we often fail to do. If the makeup specifically tells you not use it around your eyes, don’t.
– Smell the makeup before putting it on, especially if it is leftover from last year. If it smells bad, it probably is – don’t use it.
– After the party, be sure to wash your face well to remove all the makeup. Read the label for tips on how to remove the makeup.
If you have a bad reaction to a makeup, be sure to report it to the FDA to help protect others.
(The copyright holder of this image hereby releases it into the public domain.)
