Kids' makeup kits can be found everywhere; they're lining the shelves at Claire's, in the toy aisle at Target, and even present in local discount stores. To most parents, there's no need to think twice about buying them for their little kids to play with. But after their toddler was left covered in blisters from using a kids' makeup kit, two parents are speaking out to warn other moms and dads about how dangerous they are. And their words have shed light on some troubling details about how disturbingly relaxed the laws and regulations surrounding these common makeup kits can be.
Tony and Kylie Cravens say they bought their 3-year-old daughter, Lydia, a kids' makeup kit from Family Dollar.
In a viral Facebook post detailing the incident, the parents said they thought the makeup was "harmless" and "non-toxic." They wrote, "We never imagined after spending the day applying [it] to her eyes and lips that our worst nightmare would come true."
In the days following her use of the makeup kit, Lydia developed severe blisters on her face.
In only about a day, the toddler went from being perfectly healthy to having her eyes swollen shut and her eyes and mouth blistered. According to her parents, Lydia also had "a rash all over her body that [they] would have to apply cold packs to every 30 minutes or so" simply because the chemicals burned her skin. The little girl was also unable to eat much for a few days "because of the blistering and cracking of her lips."
Later, her parents found out that the makeup kit they bought her contained well-known, dangerous chemicals.
"There are [six] different chemicals in this makeup that are commonly known to cause an allergic reaction," her parents wrote. "Lydia, unfortunately, was one of those people allergic."
Tony and Kylie Cravens were absolutely devastated to see their daughter hurt by something they previously thought was safe.
And after learning about the common allergens present in kids' makeup kits, they're warning other parents about them too. "I feel like it is very important to remind parents to be very careful about what we allow our children to have," they wrote. "For Tony and I this was definitely an eye-opener and we will be more cautious about acknowledging ingredients and educating ourselves on what is good and bad before purchasing from here on out."
Lydia's parents say she's already feeling better, but her experience raises some serious red flags about these makeup kits.
CBS News reports that in December 2017, kids retail giant Claire's pulled several kids' makeup items from its stores after a mom named Kristiana Warner sent her daughter's makeup kit to a lab and discovered it contained asbestos. In an interview with WFMY, Warner revealed that, like Lydia's kit, her daughter's makeup also tested positive for several common allergens.
The Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act was adopted by the FDA in 1938 and cosmetics have gone largely unregulated ever since.
According to STAT, cosmetics companies have been allowed to "self-police" when it comes to things like ingredients and chemicals. WFMY reports the FDA doesn't even have the legal authority to test or approve cosmetics to ensure their safety before they start hitting the market.
This makes everyone, especially children, vulnerable to dangerous substances like asbestos and commonly known dangerous chemicals, especially because they seem so harmless to parents. "You assume that when you're purchasing it, it is safe," Kristiana Warner told WPRI.
In November 2017, Refinery 29 reported that US senators had proposed the Personal Care Products Safety Act. This bill would give the FDA more authority over applying safety regulations to cosmetics companies. While it's a great step forward, it still needs to gain momentum in Congress before it actually becomes law. Until then, Lydia Cravens's parents' advice rings true: "Please be aware of what you are letting your babies have. Especially kids cosmetics, so this doesn't happen to your child."
