Silly Farm Supplies is a proud retailer of professional face and body art supplies.
We are distributors for several major make up manufacturers and we'd like to
take this opportunity to address a recent article published by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33524058/ regarding lead in face paints.

We at Silly Farm stand behind our products and their manufacturers. We have been
the leading provider of face and body art supplies for over 20 years and have a close
working relationship with the manufacturing companies. We stand behind their safety
ratings, trust that they have the best interest of the customer in mind, and that they take the necessary steps in making sure the products we use on children are safe and do not cause harm.

Ben Nye Corporation, one of the industries oldest and most notable make up manufacturers released a very informative and useful article in response to Safe Cosmetics article claims. Please take a moment to review the release. We are confident it will set your mind at ease and give you piece of mind when speaking to concerned parents and for your own concerns.
US Snazaroo Distributor, Gary Cole has also released a very informative statement which will also help you gain more insight into the materials and safety concerning face paint.
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Ben Nye Co. Official Statement
RE: Campaign for Safe Cosmetics Report, Lead in LW (Face Paints)

Ben Nye Makeup has been committed to the highest standards of product quality and safety for over 42 years. We adhere to responsible manufacturing procedures to meet the rigorous safety standards set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Several reputable organizations and experts have issued opinions regarding lead in cosmetics. As the CTFA states below, lead is unavoidable. It is present in our environment, in foods that we eat and even in water that we drink. There is no conclusive evidence to confirm how much lead is actually absorbed through contact with cosmetics. Further, there is not one single recorded case in U.S. medical literature substantiating lead poisoning through cosmetic use (SNOPES, NOVEMBER 2008).

CTFA Statement Re: Lead and Cosmetics (from the CTFA Website)
It is impossible to live in a lead-free world. Lead is ubiquitous in the environment. It is in the air, water, soil, in short, it is unavoidable. However, compared to the amount of lead a person would ingest from eating and drinking ordinary foods, the amount expected from the use of cosmetics would be extremely small.

Under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the responsibility to take action if it finds a product to be unsafe and has abundant legal authority to do so.

Cosmetics are safe products that millions of consumers use and enjoy every day. It is alarmist and irresponsible to suggest otherwise.

Below are links to websites with useful information that specifically address and invalidate the concern that lead content in responsibly manufactured cosmetics are at hazardous levels.

http://cosmeticsinfo.org/HBI/31
http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics

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Official Statement by Chief Scientist – John Bailey :
October 27, 2009
Contact: Contact:  Kathleen Dezio, 202/454-0302 or Lisa Powers, 202/466-0489
STATEMENT BY JOHN BAILEY, CHIEF SCIENTIST
PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS COUNCIL
HALLOWEEN FACE PAINTS ARE REGULATED BY FDA AND CAN BE USED SAFELY
On Oct. 27, 2009, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC) issued a news release and report alleging that the levels of various heavy metals the group found in theatrical and Halloween face paints could lead to skin allergies in children.
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"Face paints are novelty products that are applied infrequently and sold for use on special occasions or in theatrical settings.  Like cosmetics, these products are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the color additives used in them must be approved and listed by FDA.  Although the report does not identify the specific color ingredients in the products tested, the trace levels of naturally occurring heavy metals reportedly found in the products are well below the allowable levels set by FDA for approved colors as not presenting a safety concern.
"Although the report alleges that FDA does little to ensure the safety of these products, the agency does monitor face paints and has twice worked with manufacturers on recalls of face paint items when they were found to cause skin irritation and rashes.
"Parents are advised to follow all directions on how to use and remove face paints, avoid products that indicate they are not to be used on children, and test products on your child's arm a couple of days in advance to check for any potential allergic reaction.  For more information on face paint safety and tips for safe use, parents should consult the FDA Web site at: http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductandIngredientSafety Parents may also read face paint product labels and consult this site to ensure that the color ingredients in the product they intend to buy are approved by FDA.
"If they follow these basic guidelines, parents can enjoy Halloween festivities with their children without unnecessary worry about the safety of these novelty products.
"Although CSC is recommending to parents that they should mix up their own children's face paints, parents should note that since heavy metals are ubiquitous in food, water, air and other consumer products, there is no guarantee that homemade face paints are safer or as safe as those that may be purchased in stores.”                          
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For more information on cosmetic and personal care products, visit www.CosmeticsInfo.org.
Based in Washington, D.C., the Personal Care Products Council is the leading national trade association representing the global cosmetic and personal care products industry. Founded in 1894, the Council's more than 600 member companies manufacture, distribute, and supply the vast majority of finished personal care products marketed in the U.S.As the makers of a diverse range of products millions of consumers rely on everyday, from sunscreens, toothpaste and shampoo to moisturizer, lipstick and fragrance, personal care products companies are global leaders committed to product safety, quality and innovation.

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Release by Gary Cole of Snazaroo:

Sorry for the delay in responding to this fire storm but I have been in transit until about one hour ago traveling to the classes I’ll be teaching in Tennessee. My phone has been ringing off the hook as people jump to panic. I did not want to say ignore the article because I knew FPHQ deserved better and I also knew you would not let me get away with it. I am going to give a fairly quick and concise response just to stop the fire and I have been told that there would be a formal press release coming directly in response to this article from either the SNAZAROO main office in the UK or from ColArt the parent company. I have spoken to those up the food chain and they are aware of this article. No doubt it paints a scary picture in it first presentation.

This is my personal statement and I openly state I do not have the authority to speak on behalf of SNAZAROO UK or ColArt. I am speaking as owner of SNAZAROO USA Inc. who distributes the product in North America.

First of all note the article came from an ultra left group “The Daily Green – The Consumer’s Guide to the Green Revolution”. You should note their political standing on such issues and they pay their bills by sometimes alarmist reports on environmental issues.  I do give them kudos for providing a more detailed report (36 pages) which I have not yet had the opportunity to read in full. I wanted to provide this initial response just so you face painters do not go into a tail spin. It also allows all of you to respond to others when you are possibly confronted with this article.

SNAZAROO offers you “The World’s Safest and Easiest to use Face Paint Brand”. We still do. Our safety page at www.snazaroo.us/safety.htm goes well into the safety policies of SNAZAROO and why we should be your brand of choice. If you go online at www.snazaroo.us/PDF/ChildToySafety.pdf  you will find a MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) from SNAZAROO in the UK. It is from testing of the face paints sent out to an independent lab called SGS. In the report, you will see that SNAZAROO face paints are fully in compliant with the cosmetic laws of the E.U. and the U.S. FDA. This particular test was done in 1995. On the page titled “Appendix 1” you can see the actual testing and reported metals levels. You also will see that the metals levels are WELL BELOW the FDA requirements and found acceptable for use on the skin. In fact, the metal’s content reported could be sixty times its current level and still be within the cosmetic standards of the USA and the EU. It is safe as a cosmetic product.

One might scoff that none of these ingredients are listed in the formulation. Well they are not included as ingredients in SNAZAROO and therefore not listed. So where do they come from? They come as trace ingredients in the other ingredients formally listed. Most of the metals are coming from two specific colored pigments, black iron oxide and yellow iron oxide. These are natural ingredients widely used in the cosmetic industry. Look on the ingredient labels of every single brand of face paints including Mehron, Grimas, Mehron, Wolfe, Kryolan, Rubies, Alex, Ben Nye, Temptu, and yes, even SNAZAROO. These trace metal elements will be found in every single one of these brands as well as every major brand of women’s makeup. The black iron oxide is what makes the paint black and the yellow iron oxide adds to the yellow color in bright yellow and ochre yellow. Because these come from natural ingredients, by nature, they have these minerals in very minor quantities. If you took your black SNAZAROO paint and dropped it into a bag cut up in very fine pieces and you then put a strong magnet in the bag you would see the black be drawn toward the magnet. That is the attraction made by the black iron oxide which is the primary pigment and the magnet. For the record, this iron oxide is the same exact pigments that are used in virtually every brand of colored cosmetics on the market. It is used to color the black in every major brand of black eyeliner or any makeup that is black. You will find these same “trace metal ingredients” in EVERY BRAND that is black in appearance.

In the SNAZAROO MSDS you will see that the metals content from these trace elements are also compliant with ASTM F963-95 which is the Standard Consumer Safety standard that is specific to meet the Child Toy Safety rating.

The bottom line here is this left wing green group has raised a very large flag that did not need to be waved. SNAZAROO has and still does lead the world in its quality and safety. No other brand can stand the safety record of the SNAZAROO brand. It remains the standard despite skeptics and their reports. As long as the federal cosmetics leader’s state black iron oxide is acceptable for cosmetics in the E.U. and the U.S.A. then it will continue to be used to make the world’s black make ups black.

Gary Cole
SNAZAROO USA Inc.
1214 Metro Park Blvd.
Suite 201
Lewisville, TX 75057
972-221-8665 phone
800-451-4040 orders
972-221-8625 fax
972-897-7317 cell

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Mehron Statement:

Mehron makeup products are made in the U.S. using raw materials and colorants that
have gained FDA approval over years of exhaustive research and development.

Mehron makeup products are manufactured under Cosmetic Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) guidelines and are Generally Recognized as Safe.

The general public need NOT fear using Mehron makeup products for Halloween or for any other artistic, entertainment or beauty related application.

Inquiries and/or criticism of FDA policy should be directed to www.fda.gov/ or in writing to:

U.S. Food and Drug Administration
10903 New Hampshire Ave.
Silver Spring, MD 20993
1-888-463-6332

Mehron, Inc.

We at Silly Farm have the utmost concern for the safety of our customers and our industry. We will continue to follow studies, work with the manufacturers to bring you pertinent information, and keep up to date information regarding the materials used in the products we carry and sell.

Please keep in mind that the face and body art industry has experienced amazing growth over the past 10 years and the manufactures such as Mehron, Snazaroo, Ben Nye, Kryolan, and Wolfe have invested millions into research, development, and follow the required steps to ensure a safe industry. With the continued success and growth we can look forward to a safer and healthier industry with better product awareness.
Please feel free to contact us with any concerns or questions. We are always glad to help.

Sincerly,

Silly Farm Supplies
866-871-9403