Remington College’s Cosmetology and Criminal Justice departments offer safety tips for Halloween
Halloween Makeup Safety Tips
As the leaves begin to change and October quickly approaches, the Cosmetology department at Remington College offers ten costume and makeup tips to help keep everyone safe and spooky this Halloween season.
- When using any new makeup, first perform a patch test to ensure that you will not have a negative reaction to the makeup. This should be done by applying a small amount of the make up to the underside of your arm or on your neck; if the area is irritated, do not use the makeup on other parts of your body. Don’t forget to do patch tests for children planning to use makeup as well!
- Use makeup instead of a mask. Masks can be uncomfortable, and can obscure a children’s vision or breathing. A child’s vision being compromised while they are trick or treating, crossing streets and walking around crowded or unfamiliar neighborhoods, is a huge and entirely avoidable risk.
- Craft glitter should never be used on the face or body. This kind of glitter can lead to major eye irritation, or even cornea scratches. Opt for specially formulated cosmetic glitter instead, which is much safer.
- Many people are allergic to latex, which is used frequently for props and prosthetic skin used for costume makeup. Test anyone who plans on using these materials for latex allergies ahead of time.
- If you buy a costume for a child, we recommend washing the costume before they wear it, to ensure there are no harmful or irritating chemicals on the fabric. If the costume is delicate, wash it by hand in the sink and let it air dry. If the costume includes non-fabric materials, wipe those down with soap and water, rinse, and dry thoroughly to prevent mold.
- Ensure that the ingredients used in your costume makeup, including glues, fake blood and prosthetics, are FDA approved. Makeup used specifically for stage or theatre is more likely to contain only FDA approved ingredients.
- Check that your props contain safe ingredients as well. Some Halloween masks or props can contain harmful ingredients, such as lead paint. Consider making your own with safe materials, such as papier-mâché, or using makeup instead of a mask.
- To keep skin as healthy as possible, costume makeup should ideally be free of oil and alcohol, and use a water base. Search for costume makeup that is non-comedogenic, which means it does not clog pores.
- Consider using a wig or a hat instead of spray-on hair color. Aerosol hair color can dry out your hair, leaving it brittle, dry and in poor condition.
- Never use non-prescription contacts for a costume! Contacts are a medical device, and should be properly fitted to each individual by a doctor. Talk to your optometrist about the possibility of prescription color contacts if you’re interested in getting a pair. Wearing improperly fitted or unhygienic contacts puts you at risk for losing your eyesight.
Trick or Treating Safety Tips
It’s almost Halloween! Before everyone gets ready to go trick or treating, it’s a good idea to go over safety guidelines to help keep you and your family safe this year. Check out these tips from Remington College’s Criminal Justice Department on how to keep your Halloween night the safe kind of scary.
- Teach children to walk safely. That means stopping and looking both ways before crossing an intersection, staying on the sidewalk whenever possible, putting away electronic devices while walking, keeping an eye out for cars and never darting into the street.
- Remember to drive particularly safely on Halloween as well, or whenever there is a Halloween event nearby. Halloween is exciting, and some small children may forget road safety rules on their quest for candy. Take extra time to look for kids, especially in residential neighborhoods. Be especially careful when backing out, turning, entering or exiting a space.
- Have children carry glow sticks or flashlights to help them see while they’re out at night, and to help increase their visibility to drivers. For younger children who may not want to carry a glow stick or flashlight along with their candy bucket, consider a non-toxic glow necklace or bracelet instead.
- Make sure children’s costumes fit them properly. Baggy, loose or improperly fastened clothing could cause them to trip. It’s a great idea to do a “test run” with new costumes, to make sure children are totally comfortable wearing their costume for an extended period of time before the big day.
- Costumes, wigs, props and other materials should also be fire-resistant. On that note, traditional jack-o-lantern candles can be dangerous, especially for children. LED lights are a great safe alternative to use in your pumpkins.
- Use makeup instead of a mask. Masks can hinder a child’s vision, which is dangerous while they’re out trick or treating. If you must use a mask, make sure it fits properly, that they can see well through the eyeholes in every direction, and that they can breathe properly while wearing it.
- Go over general trick or treating guidelines with your children. I.E., knock on familiar doors, and if a house is dark or isn’t decorated, don’t knock. Never go inside of a house while trick or treating. Keep to the sidewalk and don’t cut through anyone’s yard. Remember, stranger danger applies every day of the year.
- Make sure children are properly supervised. Children under twelve should always have an adult chaperon, and older children should use a buddy system and be given clear directions on where they are allowed to go, what time they are to return, and how to contact you if there is an emergency.
- Check your children’s candy! While recent evidence from Snopes and other urban legend experts suggest tales of tainted Halloween candy have been widely exaggerated, you should still check all candy to make sure it’s fully wrapped, clean and safe. Dispose of any candy that has an open or torn wrapper, no matter how small the opening is. Check candy for discoloration, make sure it isn’t expired, and throw away all homemade candy unless you personally know and trust the individual who made it. Bring along a bag of your own candy to give to children during your walk so they aren’t tempted to eat the candy they collect before you get a chance to inspect it.
- Some houses may give out something other than candy, such as coins or small toys. Make sure these objects are age-appropriate, and clean them before giving them to your children. Remember, for small children, toys and many candies can be a choking hazard.