Is Halloween makeup safe for kids and teens?

Face paint is a cosmetic, and in the US every color additive in a cosmetic must be approved by the FDA for the way it is used. That includes theatrical makeup. A color approved for nails or hair may not be approved for skin, and a color approved for most of the face may not be approved for the area around the eyes (FDA, content current as of 22 Nov 2022).

So the question for a costume is rarely "is this makeup dangerous?" It is "is this color, this lens or this glue somewhere it was cleared to be?"

The answer is none. The FDA has approved eight fluorescent colors for cosmetics, with limits on how they are used, and not one of them is approved for the area around the eyes. The only approved glow-in-the-dark color, luminescent zinc sulfide, is cleared for limited use, not for everyday use and not near the eyes (FDA, 22 Nov 2022). If a costume plan puts neon or glow paint on eyelids, that is the part to change.

What the rules cover, and what they don't

Cosmetics do not have to be tested by the FDA before they are sold, but they must be safe when used as directed, and the colors in them do need approval (American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org, updated 28 Oct 2022). Since the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022, the company responsible for a cosmetic also has to keep records supporting its safety and report serious adverse events to the FDA within 15 business days (FDA, current as of 10 Aug 2026).

On heavy metals, the FDA recommends no more than 10 parts per million of lead as an impurity in lip products and externally applied cosmetics. That is a recommendation, not a binding limit. In the FDA's own testing, more than 99% of those products on the US market came in under it (FDA, Lead in Cosmetics, current as of 25 Feb 2022).

Face paints have been recalled before: the FDA lists recalls in March 2005 and May 2009 for rashes, irritation, itching and minor swelling. Rules reduce risk. They do not remove the need to check.

Four checks before it goes on a face

1. It is made for skin. The FDA's advice is short: don't use items not intended for skin. A craft paint or a marker is not face paint, however washable it says it is. The same logic runs through our verdict on DIY skincare.
2. It has a full ingredient list, in English. The AAP flags products whose ingredients appear only in another language. It also notes that lead can be listed under other names, such as kohl, kajal or surma, and mercury as calomel or mercurio. How to read a skincare label covers the rest of the list.
3. Its colors are approved for where they are going. The FDA says to check the label against its Summary of Color Additives, and to confirm a color is approved for use near the eyes before it goes there.
4. It smells right. A very bad smell can mean a product is contaminated, and the FDA says to throw it away. The AAP adds: wash hands before applying, don't share makeup, and don't store it somewhere warm or damp.

Try it on an arm first

Before an unfamiliar product goes on a face, the FDA says to test a small amount on the arm for a few days, especially for anyone with allergies. The AAP says the same. Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, so a test that starts by Tuesday or Wednesday gives those few days.

That is the short version for something worn once. For skincare that goes on every day, how to patch test walks through the longer protocol dermatologists use.

Six things people assume

1. If it's sold for faces, it's fine near the eyes

Not necessarily. Some products are labeled not for use near the eyes, and the FDA says to keep makeup out of the eyes even when the packaging shows someone wearing it there. Products made for the eye area can still irritate skin if too much is used.

2. Glow-in-the-dark makeup is just brighter face paint

It is a different color additive. Luminescent zinc sulfide is the only glow-in-the-dark color the FDA has approved for cosmetics, for limited use, and it is not approved for everyday use or near the eyes.

3. Costume contact lenses are an accessory

They are medical devices. The FDA says every contact lens, decorative ones included, must be prescribed by a doctor, and that lenses sold without a prescription by costume shops, beauty supply stores, flea markets or unknown online sellers are illegal (FDA, current as of 22 Oct 2024). The risks it lists are scratches on the surface of the eye, allergic reactions, decreased vision, infection and blindness. Redness, eye pain that doesn't go away, or decreased vision means take the lenses out and see an eye doctor right away.

4. "Black henna" is just a darker henna

Henna is approved in the US only as a hair dye. "Black henna" often contains p-phenylenediamine (PPD), a coal-tar hair dye ingredient that can cause dangerous skin reactions in some people and is not permitted in cosmetics applied to skin (FDA, current as of 15 Oct 2024). The FDA has also had reports of reactions to some decal tattoos, and suggests trying one on a less noticeable spot before it goes on a face.

5. Lash glue and beard adhesive can cause reactions too

True. Lash glue, beard adhesive and latex pieces are common trouble spots, and the FDA says glue comes off the way its label directs, the same as makeup. Dr. Tsippora Shainhouse, then a clinical instructor of pediatric dermatology at USC, told Dermatology Times (23 Oct 2015) that eyelash glues, especially cheap ones, can cause severe contact dermatitis, and that "even reputable brands contain potential contact allergens, such as formaldehyde, cyanoacrylates, latex and rosins." She suggested wigs and beards with elastic ties in place of tape.

6. One night sleeping in it is harmless

The FDA says don't sleep in makeup: prolonged wear can irritate skin, and flaking or smearing can get into the eyes. The AAP's version is to remove the product at the end of the day.

Taking it off

The label decides the method. The FDA says to remove makeup the way its label directs, whether that is cold cream, soap and water or eye makeup remover, to go gently around the eyes because that skin is delicate, and to take adhesive off the same way.

After that, the night routine is the usual one: cleanse with smooth sali, tone with pore magic, moisturize with moisturose, and sunscreen in the morning as the fourth step, from our Sun & SPF collection. One caveat: smooth sali contains salicylic acid, and MedlinePlus (revised 15 Oct 2023) lists red, irritated or broken skin as skin not to put salicylic acid on. If a face is stinging once the paint is off, leave the cleanser for another night.

If skin reacts

Wash the product off and stop using it. If a reaction seems linked to face paint, the FDA says to consult a doctor, and anyone can report a reaction to a cosmetic through the FDA's cosmetic complaint page. Anything involving the eyes and a lens goes to an eye doctor right away.

Questions people ask

Is face paint safe for kids' skin?

Usually, if it is made for skin and used as directed. In the US, every color in face paint must be approved by the FDA for the way it is used, and the company must keep records supporting the product's safety. The FDA and the American Academy of Pediatrics both say to test a small amount on the arm a few days before it goes on a face, and to remove it at the end of the night.

Can you wear Halloween makeup near your eyes?

Only products and colors approved for the eye area. The FDA says some makeup is labeled not for use near the eyes, and none of the eight fluorescent colors approved for cosmetics, nor the one approved glow-in-the-dark color, is approved there. Check the label against the FDA's Summary of Color Additives, and keep everything else away from the eyes, even if the packaging shows it there.

Are colored contacts safe for Halloween?

Only with a prescription. The FDA treats decorative contact lenses as medical devices and says every lens must be prescribed by a doctor. Lenses sold without one, at costume shops, beauty supply stores, flea markets or by unknown online sellers, are illegal and can cause scratches on the eye, infection, decreased vision and blindness. Redness, pain or decreased vision means remove them and see an eye doctor right away.

How do you get Halloween makeup off?

The way its label says. The FDA's guidance is to follow the label's directions, whether that means cold cream, soap and water or eye makeup remover, to be gentle around the eyes, and to remove adhesive the same way. Don't sleep in it: the FDA says prolonged wear can irritate skin, and flakes can get into the eyes.

Is black henna safe?

No. The FDA says "black henna" often contains p-phenylenediamine (PPD), a hair dye ingredient that can cause dangerous skin reactions in some people and is not permitted in cosmetics applied to skin. Henna itself is approved in the US only as a hair dye, so even plain henna on skin is an unapproved use of a color additive.