lead, mmm mmm good.

Its Walmart ...

and why is anyone surprised?

Egad, what do you expect for a $1?

You expect that WalMart will not sell dangerous products to children, and that "but it's $1" is not an excuse for putting this crap on the shelves. Was that so hard?

@uberbucket: Just curious, at what price point is it no longer acceptable to include poison in childrens products?

but how much lead. Red lipstick and candy often have lead in them but trace amounts that are harmless. Its possible that there is actually very little and harmless about of lead in these face paints but they have to put a warning on for whatever reason. If you are concerned about lead don't buy them. At least they are letting you know up front so you can avoid the product.

@mythago: It doesn't even mater if it's meant for children. It's a product meant to be applied topically that contains a neurotoxin that serves only an aesthetic purpose. There is no good reason to justify this. This is America, a country with laws and regulations meant to protect us, and enforcement to uphold those laws. We shouldn't have to worry about poisons when we go to the store to buy something meant for our SKIN.

But its only dangerous in california - says so right on the packaging!

To be fair, the product came from a California Wal-Mart. You can't take two steps in CA without seeing the "This product/location may contain X, which is know by this state to cause Y." Heck, several things I own had that label, including electronics and plastic bins, which doesn't appear on the same product in other states (the hotel I stayed at a few weeks ago down in LA even had the same warning). It seems to me that they just slap the label on everything, whether or not it's actually dangerous.

California has stricter regulations in regards to lead. It's not considered dangerous in any part of the country other than there and maybe one or two other states.

I wouldn't put it on a kid's face though.

@Oranges w/ Cheese: Bill Hicks did a hilarious bit on cigarettes. He shopped carefully for his packs: "Found my brand. Just don't get the ones that say 'lung cancer'. Shop around. It is your body. 'Yeah, give me a carton of low birth weights. I think I can live with low birth weight, line 'em up..."

I bought a ton of these at the beginning of October when they first put them out. I've seen those California warnings on soooo many things (mostly at Wal-Mart now that I think about it). But I don't see anything on the packaging about kids...

@humphrmi: $1.50

@uberbucket: I found made in the USA, no lead added face paint at Fred Meyer (part of the Kroger "family" of stores) for just .99.

@Serenefengshui: There's a considerable difference between "No lead" and "No lead added"
I presume the WalMart item has traces of lead occuring in it which are probably below the reporting level for most states, but not California.

@Ajh:

Oh yes, no one else considers it dangerous which is why we still have lead based paints filling up our shelves. Though I'm betting you meant not in quantities found in that face paint.

@TVarmy: I agree. Just not getting all the too-cynical-for-you replies about what do you expect at Walmart for $1, blah blah. Well, I expect them not to sell products that are toxic when used as intended.

@roguemarvel: Enough lead that they are required to put a warning on the packaging. That's not "harmless trace amounts". Why is this even being sold?

@Skipweasel: Oh, that's a relief. If the State of Mississippi thinks it's perfectly OK to put lead on my kid's face, I won't pay any attention to what those Californians think about it.

I think the math goes something like this:
Wal-Mart + Red China = dangerous product made in China

Well it says contains lead with huge letters on the packaging... it would be another story if it did not. This would be like me complaining about smoking cigarettes...it says on the box that its gonna give me cancer same idea here...

actually i live in arizona, and i noticed ALL of the adult and children costumes had that warning including masks you put on your face, so i voted with my dollar, and did not celebrate halloween this year because it is nothing more than about corportate greed when you cannot even buy a costume cheap without poisioning yourself!

much like most everything else they sell, it probably came from china

There is some makeup at JoAnn Fabrics that is like this too. It was a goth makeup kit, and had THIS CONTAINS LEAD right on the package. I guess having lead in your toys isn't bad enough, we need to start applying it directly to our mouths.

Where's the Made in China logo?

@mythago: You find me something that has literally no lead and I'll eat my hat. Part of the problem with improving analytical techniques it that it gives you more to worry about. If the lead contained in it was below the amount you'd expect to find in, for example, chocolate, would you be pleased or start worrying about chocolate? Since it doesn't say how much lead, it's a pointless argument.
Oh, and lay off the Brazil nuts, they're radioactive.

At least their faces will be protected in the case of a nuclear blast.

@mythago:

Please note the warning mentions California. It's my understanding that Calif. has a much stricter lead composition law and requires this warning on products with any lead in them at all.

Someone please correct me if that's wrong.

Bummer about the lead paint. While you are here, can I interest you in the latest AC/DC album?

@socalrob: rofl

@oneliketadow: On the back of the package.

@AMetamorphosis: agreed, by certainly we all know or at least must have heard that walmart is a substandard store, that sells substandard (and at times dangerous) products. Ya know, it would be so nice if the "save money, live better" thing were true, but alas, if it walks like a duck, and shits like a duck...then it's most likely walmart.

Well... as long as you're not eating the face paint you should be fine. Lead particles are quite large and not easily absorbed through the skin.

My wife actually bought some of this to paint her face with. She ended up not using it. We usually don't shop at wal-mart but we were next door and just ran in.

Our package is exactly the same but does not have the Lead warning at all.

Interesting...I think. I'm glad we didn't use it.

@mythago: Well as someone pointed out this is in California. They have very strict laws about warning labels. Basically if it has a trace amount of anything that could be harmful they have a warning label.

You can't go into a building with out seeing a warning sign saying the building may have materials in it that can cause birth defects.

I saw this and went straight to my bedroom and the package of the facepaint crayons I used on my husband for his Halloween costume. Exact same crayons, exact same packaging, but no lead warning. Bought in Pennsylvania - there's the only difference.

@LarinaBabalique:

Ever used red lipstick? If you have you already are.

@RodAox: That's pretty much my conclusion. In this case if you bother to just glance at what you're buying, you will the warning. If not, that's your fault. I saw a similar warning on white face paint at my local Target.

It's different if a product contains a crazy-illegal amount of lead without bothering to mention it, but this is pretty clear.

Crap, I used a ton of crayon type paint for my Joker costume. I should technically be dead, yes?

@mythago: You really shouldn't. The problem with California is there is a awful lot of people who are generally clueless running things there like a helicoptering mother.

as others have mentioned, this is required by law in California. its a common warning on electrical products (extension cords, outlet adapters, etc) under Prop 65. Its cheaper to print the warning on all packages for all distribution.

Sure you lose feeling in your fingers and your IQ drops, but the colors are so much more brilliant.

@nosidedown: Ack, why are my ears bleeding!?!?

Everything is known to cause cancer in the state of California.

I say this as an East Bay resident.

That sure is strange. I wonder what happens when you eat the facepaint...

@NilzXX: I cannot imagine any sort of negative result to that whatsoever. Besides cancer. But maybe there would be a fun acid trip! Wait, I'd probably see clowns. eye h8 clownz

As far as paint goes or oil based makeup (which is really what this is) there is absolutely no reason for it to contain any lead. This is not 1915. My guess is it was made at a really small unsophisticated manufacturer or China (which is really a euphemism for unsophisticated manufacturer).

@Morberis: Yeah but i still wouldn't put it on my kids faces(if i had kids)

I sense greater consumer protection regulations starting on January 21, 2009 ......

hint, hint, it don't matter who gets elected. Henry Waxman (D)California, Chairman of House Oversight and Government Reform Committee already has his proposed laws written and is just waiting for a majority in Congress and a President (either candidate) that will sign off on the laws.