Carnival / Halloween make-up, what to consider

Last updated: 3. June 2020

Karnevalschminke
Halloween is at the door and thus for many the time to dress up. A good disguise naturally also includes a carefully made-up face. Whether you choose the clown, the vampire or perhaps also the ladybird, only the right make-up makes the disguise perfect. In the trade mainly fat-soluble products on basis of mineral waxes, Vaseline, oils and beeswax are offered or water-soluble products with and without glitter. The water-soluble products usually consist of pigments and carriers, they usually contain preservatives to extend the shelf life.

The advantage of water-soluble products is that they are easier to apply. While the fat-soluble make-up articles convince by a better durability.

But are the colors safe? Basically : Products from the previous year should only be used if they are unobtrusive in terms of smell, colour and consistency. Contact with the mucous membranes should generally be avoided.

In the past, chemical tests have repeatedly brought harmful chemicals to light. The investigations commissioned by Ökotest, Stiftung Warentest or the CVUA Stuttgart have shown in recent years, however, that the quality of these products has improved significantly over time. Critical dyes were still found in the fan make-up for the 2012 World Cup; in 2016 the products were inconspicuous.

The range of possible analyses extends from dyes, heavy metals on the color pigments, plasticizers, PAH to MOSH/MOAH.

MOSH and MOAH are currently the focus of attention. Both foodstuffs, consumer goods and cosmetic articles stand out again and again due to their increased content. (Stiftung Warentest published a report on lip care pencils in issue 03/2017. The mineral oil contents MOSH and MOAH have been proven in many products. Especially the aromatic MOAH compounds are suspected to be carcinogenic. See also the article on MOSH/MOAH.

my-lab offers the following analyses for cosmetics: