Halloween is just around the corner; a time of ghouls, goblins and all things that go bump in the night! And it now seems there may be other horrors that we should be doing our best to avoid. Particularly if we want to protect our children.

There have been several news stories recently warning that some popular face paints on sale for halloween may contain high levels of potentially toxic chemicals - particularly those imported from China and the Far East. They can contain dangerous chemicals such as lead, nickel, cobalt and chromium.

According to the New York Post, a report released by the advocacy group Campaign for Safe Cosmetics revealed that all 10 of the face paints they tested contained lead. And six of them had nickel, cobalt and/or chromium. (Click here to read the article.)

Charles Schemer is a US Senator. The article quoted him as saying;

“These toxic ingredients can make a child sick, but they’re never listed on the package. Parents are totally clueless as to what they’re putting on their child’s face. If they see it on the shelf they think it’s safe, but it’s not. When you buy makeup for your kids, make sure it doesn’t say 'made in China'.”

The Senator is pictured above displaying make-up palettes from a number of Chinese manufacturers, saying they are examples of potentially dangerous products. We don't know whether similar products are sold here in the UK. But if you're about to buy face paints, it sounds like it would be a good idea to check where they come from, and for any suspicious-sounding ingredients, before allowing them to be painted on a child's face.

No Tricks; just treats from Botanicals

But one thing is certain; you won't find us here at Botanicals cooking up a witches brew of toxic chemicals! We don't play tricks; we just offer you treats. All our ingredients are carefully sourced and approved by the Soil Association. Each product has been lovingly formulated and made by hand to ensure that you and your clients receive the very best gifts nature has to offer. So perhaps we should start producing natural and organic face paints!