This October, Ireland’s Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) issued a warning encouraging parents and guardians to take extra care when purchasing children’s face paints and other Halloween cosmetics.
Market surveillance identifies non-compliant products
As part of its targeted, risk-based market surveillance programme, the HPRA sampled 40 individual face paint products over the past two years. Seven were found not to comply with EU cosmetic requirements and were removed from the Irish market. The authority stresses that these figures relate to selected products and should not be interpreted as representing the overall level of compliance across the market. The surveillance activities have also identified cosmetic products containing restricted or undesirable substances, including elevated levels of heavy metals such as lead. The HPRA notes that exposure to lead should be minimised, particularly for children.
What consumers should check
The HPRA advises consumers to pay particular attention when purchasing face paints and other cosmetics for children. Possible warning signs of a non-compliant or counterfeit product include:
- no complete list of ingredients;
- poor-quality or incomplete labelling;
- spelling errors or inadequate safety information;
- poor packaging;
- unusually low prices, including for multi-component kits; and
- missing information identifying the Responsible Person and their address within the EU.
Consumers should also follow the instructions and warnings on the packaging and purchase products only from reputable sources supplying EU-compliant cosmetics. Seasonal products such as Halloween face paints are still cosmetics and must meet the applicable regulatory and safety requirements when placed on the EU market.
The Responsible Person remains central to EU compliance
The HPRA also draws attention to an important regulatory requirement: cosmetic product packaging should contain clear information identifying the Responsible Person. The Responsible Person is responsible for ensuring that the cosmetic product placed on the market is safe and complies with the EU Cosmetic Products Regulation and must be established in the EU, European Economic Area (EEA) or Northern Ireland.
A seasonal reminder for the cosmetics brand owners
The HPRA carries out targeted surveillance of face paints and other children’s cosmetics ahead of Halloween, when demand for these products increases. Its latest communication demonstrates how market surveillance can identify and remove products that do not meet applicable requirements while reinforcing the importance of reliable supply chains and appropriate product information.
Do you have questions on compliance of cosmetics and market access? Contact us here or at coslaw@obelis.net!
References:
HPRA (2026). HPRA urges care when purchasing children’s face paints this Halloween. Retrieved on 23 October 2026.
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