Parents and guardians have been warned about the danger of buying face paints or Halloween cosmetics from outside the European Union, after some items were found to contain elevated levels of lead.
The Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) said that over the past two years, seven out of 40 products sampled by the safety watchdog were found to be non-compliant with EU cosmetic requirements and were removed from the Irish market.
The surveillance activities found cosmetics containing restricted or undesirable substances, including elevated levels of heavy metals such as lead.
Exposure to lead should be minimised, particularly among children, whose skin is still developing and may be more sensitive to certain substances, the HPRA said, warning that the use of products that do not meet EU safety requirements may “increase the risk of adverse health effects”.
“While cosmetic products sold in the European Union must meet strict safety requirements, products purchased from unknown or unverified sources, including some online marketplaces, may not comply with EU legislation and could pose risks to consumer health,” the HPRA said.
The HPRA contributes to the monitoring of all cosmetic products placed on the market, including cosmetic ingredients and emerging safety issues.
In the lead-up to Halloween, the HPRA undertakes targeted market surveillance activities focusing on face paints and other children’s cosmetic products that experience a seasonal increase in demand.
Although most cosmetic products available through reputable retailers comply with regulatory requirements, the HPRA is advising parents to remain vigilant of the dangers posed by substandard face paints, to check product labels carefully, and ensure that face paints and other cosmetics are purchased from reputable sources.
Lisa Byrne, cosmetic product manager at the HPRA, advised parents to buy these products from “reputable retailers and trusted online suppliers”.
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“While the vast majority of products available through established retailers comply with EU safety and regulatory requirements, caution is advised when purchasing from unfamiliar online sellers or sources outside the European Union,” she said.
“Choosing products from trusted suppliers helps ensure that appropriate safety assessments have been carried out, reducing the risk of exposure to non-compliant products and helping children enjoy Halloween safely.”
There are a number of indicators that could suggest a product is non-compliant or counterfeit, the HPRA said, including missing or poor-quality labelling, spelling errors, or products being sold at unusually low prices.
It said a face paint patch test should be carried out before the product is applied to larger areas of skin, and that it should not be applied to broken, irritated or sensitive skin.