Dear Nicki,I’m dressing up for Halloween and going all-out in a Lady Gaga get-up. What do I look for in makeup so my skin is okay?
-Jayne
Dear Jayne,
You bring up an excellent point: Despite all of the concern about preservatives and potentially toxic ingredients in skin care products, many brands of Halloween makeup are packed with preservatives and potential irritants, yet are a part of a growing business that has grown 16.8% this year, according to the National Retail Federation. Here’s what you need to know before you buy:
1.) Choose “theatrical” makeup instead of “Halloween” makeup.
Jeremy Floyd, a Northwestern University theater instructor, suggests parents skip the cheap dollar-store makeup and invest in a quality theater makeup instead.
The reason? “It’s the pigment that contains irritants,” Floyd said. “In general, it’s red that can cause skin irritation, especially in products that have cheap ingredients. It can cause unbelievably severe reactions to open body parts, which means inside the nostrils and around the eyes.”
In general, theatrical makeup contains higher-quality ingredients, and therefore less risk of irritation than Halloween makeup. Try the Graftobian Student Makeup Kit ($49.95, Amazon.com), which has a high concentration of pigments and stay-put wear designed for stage use. What’s more, Graftobian asserts their ingredients are top quality, cosmetic grade, FDA-approved ingredients, and lead- and formaldehyde-free.
2.) DON’T avoid parabens.
Yes, I know that this is usually a matter of personal choice. However, when it comes to Halloween makeup, you need parabens to ensure the substances will be guaranteed until the expiration date listed on the package. Without parabens in Halloween-type makeup, you are putting yourself at risk for bacterial overgrowth, and eventually breakouts, rashes, itching, and irritation.
Ingredients to look for (just this once!) include methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, isopropylparaben, butylparaben and isobutylparaben, or BHT (butylated hydroxtoluene).
3.) Use a cleanser designed for theatrical makeup.
When you take a course in Organic Chemistry, one of the first rules you learn is that “like dissolves like.” So if you are wearing an oil-based makeup, you need an oil-based remover to take it off. Likewise with water-based formulas.
Traditional makeup contains mostly oil- and/or water-based ingredients that are easily dissolved in a composition that is mostly water and/or oil, like the water and cyclopentisiloxane (silicone) in one of my favorites, Lancôme BiFacil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover ($22.75, Amazon.com).
Unfortunately, there is a huge variety of compound bases that can be used in Halloween, special effects, and/or theatrical makeup. According to European make-up expert Janus Vinther, these include Aerosil (a latex thickener), cake make-up (with more pigment than traditional make-up), camoflage or clown white make-up (with a higher cream content than traditional make-up), clay, collodium (used to make scars), silicones, and your more traditional water- and oil-based ingredients. In other words, since “like dissolves like,” if you use a lot of Halloween make-up, you need to include everything to ensure it all comes off!
For this reason, I recommend Ben Nye Remove It All ($10.00, Amazon.com, shown above) when you use Halloween, theatrical, and/or special effects make-up. It contains a number of different solvents designed to remove traces of all varieties of non-traditional makeup. While I wouldn’t use it everyday, I definitely wouldn’t dress up for Halloween without it!
4.) That night, forget any moisturizer with beeswax, castor oil, cocoa butter, dimethicone (and other silicones), lanolin, petrolatum or mineral oil.
While I am one of those scientists who still likes cosmetic-grade petrolatum and mineral oil for everyday purposes, I would not use them after applying Halloween makeup. Why? These ingredients are known as occlusives. Dermatologists love occlusives for normal use because they trap water into the skin, leaving it soft and moist. However, if you have any trace of heavy Halloween makeup trapped between the occlusive agent and your skin, this is something like rubbing butter on your face and sealing it with Saran wrap. It leaves you even more prone to breakouts. I would wait for at least 2 full face washings before I would chance any moisturizer with occlusive agents!
Bottom Line
For the skin-savvy consumer, Halloween makeup is a bit of a risky venture. I personally am taking the risk of smudges and smears and wearing traditional makeup painted in different patterns all over my face! However, if you want a more “professional” look, it is best to choose theatrical-grade makeup; look for parabens (sorry!); use a multi-solvent makeup remover, like Ben Nye Remove It All; and avoid occlusive agents in your moisturizer until you’ve washed your face a few times.
Hope this helps,
Nicki
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Photo source: VFS Makeup Design Students display Halloween makeup on Urban Rush, a photo by vancouverfilmschool on Flickr.