To want to know if face paints really DO contain LEAD?

[cabbageandbeans]

While internet shopping for a beginners set of face paints, I was alarmed to see reports suggesting that there may be lead in many of the leading brands! I have searched further but it is difficult to find any scientific information, particularly advice from the UK government! AND IF they do have lead in them WHY has no-one told us about it? My daughter has been having her face painted at various events over the last 2 years and it is extremely worrying to me that I may be exposing her to LEAD!
Anyone got any advice or good links for me?

Here is what seems to be the main source of the information:
safecosmetics.org/article.php?id=584

[knittynoodle]

My DP LARP's and he has said to me before that theres lead in his face paints. Hes a science teacher. Although I suppose thats not conclusive!

[TalkinPeace2]

2009 article
USA site and references
the EU are rather stricter on such things
0.05 ppm is less than in mos garden soils
scare mongering

[cabbageandbeans]

Yeah TalkinPeace, I was wondering if it was scare mongering.....I am with you on that BeerTricksPotter! Oh I DO hope it is.

[cabbageandbeans]

Saying that - is it really in soil?!!!! So ignorant about this stuff. And surely it is different if you are putting it directly onto skin for what can be a couple of hours?

[TalkinPeace2]

Lead is a naturally occurring mineral in the earth
rarer in some places than others but residues of it are everywhere from decades of used in fuel

I've NEVER yet seen an accurate newspaper article about toxicity that was not written by Ben Goldacre

[cabbageandbeans]

Are you saying that Ben Goldacre has written about this topic or just that he is the only trustworthy science journalist? I am keen to read something written in the UK regarding this matter.

[TalkinPeace2]

www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG2543.html
www.ciphe.org.uk/professional/public-health/lead-poisoning/
ukpmc.ac.uk/articles/PMC2235199/reload=0;jsessionid=C18F977BB170E4766E58012FAF535D26

three minutes on google

[thederkinsdame]

If it has a CE mark on it and it is from a reputable supplier, it should have been tested to within an inch of its life. I am in a related industry and believe me the safety tests for anything that goes near a child are extremely rigorous, especially where lead etc is concerned.

[BullieMama]

My daughter has had a terrible reaction to face paints this weekend, Friday she was at a party and had a skull and crossbones painted on each cheek. The reaction came up Saturday and is progressively getting worse, puffy face angry red bumps all down her face, neck and chest, itching like mad poor thing first day back and she feels really uncomfortable.

I would love to know what is in the stuff to give her such a bad reaction

[nocake]

Paints manufactured for use on skin are regulated to make the chance of a reaction very, very small. So the first thing to check is that they were face paints and they meet British standards. Last year some face paints were found to have been brought in from China without having been tested.

Secondly, what did you clean the paint off with as that could have caused a reaction.

Finally, it could be that your DD just has a reaction and should avoid face paints in future. It's rare but it does happen.

I hope she's feeling better soon.