Lead Detected in Face Paint

Minuscule, but measurable, amounts of lead were found in all samples of commercially available brands of face paint that were sent for testing by the nonprofit The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (TCSC). In addition, 6 of the brands contained levels of heavy-metal allergens (nickel, cobalt, or chromium) that exceeded recommended standards for consumer products (1 ppm).

Ten face paints—many of which were marketed for children—were purchased through Amazon.com and sent for heavy-metal testing at an independent laboratory, Analytical Sciences in Petaluma, California. Four of the brands were manufactured in China. Other countries of origin were the United States (4), the United Kingdom (1), and Spain (1).

Detectable levels of mercury or arsenic were not found.

The study was prompted by the discovery of lead in top-selling lipsticks in 2007* and reports of heavy metals in kids' face paints sold in other countries (eg, here, here, and here).

TCSC states that there is currently no way to determine if a particular brand of cosmetic contains heavy metals unless testing is conducted by the consumer herself. The organization charges that the FDA "does little to ensure that cosmetics are safe and actually lacks the power to do so...the FDA does not conduct routine testing of cosmetic products and does not have the authority to require companies to conduct pre-market safety assessments of their products or the ingredients in them. The FDA also does not require companies to list heavy metals or other harmful contaminants on product labels, even though they are commonly found in a wide array of personal care products." 

The cost of testing each brand of face paint for heavy metals was $270 per sample.

Whether small amounts of lead in the infrequently used face paint should be a concern is debated; however, there is no good reason for heavy metals to exist in cosmetics or similar products intended for children.

Last winter, contaminated face paint caused skin reactions, some photosensitive, in participants at a Girl Scout event. The paint was manufactured in China.

ppm = parts per million.

* Last month, the FDA reported lead levels in lipstick that were higher than those discovered in 2007 by The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.

Image of Alex Face Paint Studio, which contained the highest level of lead among the paint brands sampled, from Amazon.com.