Test flags concerns in two-thirds of Halloween make-up products

A test of 15 Halloween make-up products found potentially concerning ingredients in 10, ORF reported. The Upper Austrian Chamber of Labour and environmental consultancy Umweltberatung tested make-up sets, lipsticks and fake blood bought from well-known retail chains.

Five products contained plastics that can enter wastewater when washed off the skin and are difficult to break down. They were rated only conditionally recommendable. Another five received the lowest rating, “not recommendable”. They contained substances including Imidazolidinyl Urea, which releases formaldehyde, as well as butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), methylparaben or propylparaben.

Some of these substances can act like hormones in the body. BHT, for example, is suspected of affecting thyroid function, growth and fertility in living organisms. Studies in animals have linked methylparaben to changes in sex organs and lower sperm quality. However, the European Food Safety Authority considers the hormonal risk from cosmetics negligible, as only minimal amounts pass slowly through human skin into the bloodstream.

Prices ranged from 2.79 euros for the cheapest make-up set to 12.99 euros for half a litre of fake blood. The test found only a limited relationship between price and quality. The five highest-rated products were relatively expensive, although some were among the cheaper options when calculated by the milligram or millilitre.

Consumer advisers recommend reading product safety information carefully. Some products are not suitable for children or are approved only above a specified age. Others should first be tested on a small patch of skin, and some must be kept away from the eyes and lips.

The barcode-scanning app Toxfox can be used to check products for substances suspected of disrupting hormones, nanoparticles, PFAS, microplastics and other plastics.