As a kid, I planned my Halloween costumes around how much makeup I could get away with "borrowing" from my mom's cosmetics drawer.  I loved slathering on rouge, lipstick, eyeliner, mascara... it made me feel so glamorous and exotic and grown up.  But - *sigh* - those were the good ol' days, when parents were more worried about finding razor blades in their kids apples than exposing their kids to toxic levels of lead toys and yes, makeup.

The cosmetic products test recently conducted by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics serves as a timely reminder that there is no "safe" lead level - it causes environmental and health problems even in small levels, particularly to babies and kids.  It comes from many sources and accumulates in the body.  It should be avoided - period.  This Halloween, if your kids are planning on incorporating make-up into their costumes, it may be worth considering purchasing some reasonably priced, organic alternatives to name-brand make-up.  Because like candy, lipstick and makeup are ingested, and can sit in the body indefinitely.  And if lead is lurking in 61% of our brand name lipsticks, should we assume that the rest of our make-up products are safe?

Gourmet Body Treats is a great online resource for organic (and fairly cheap) make-up.  Organic Lifestyles offers a wide range of products, including a mouth-watering, lead-free redder-than-red lipstick.  Saffron Rouge, and Nvey Natural Organics do, too.   

Halloween is an excellent excuse to go out and splurge on new, eco-friendly makeup, but the best reason is you.