#AskTamara: Is my scary witch Halloween mask full of toxic chemicals?

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For those new to this website:

Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) to test consumer goods for toxicants (specifically heavy metals — including Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Antimony, and Arsenic). Tamara’s work was featured in Consumer Reports Magazine in February 2023 (March 2023 print edition).

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#AskTamara

Question: Is my scary witch Halloween mask full of toxic chemicals?

Answer: Probably. Yes.

Of course, I can’t speculate about all chemicals nor can I report on all masks (I would have to test many examples — from all of the different brands (and different production years) — to come up with a more educated science-based opinion), but I will report on my toxicity concerns based on the XRF test results of the one specific mask that I have tested (the exact mask pictured below).

This is a 2003 witch mask by “The Paper Magic Group” out of Pennsylvania. It is “Made In China” as many of these items are.

Rule of thumb: In general, I always assume that Halloween gear might likely be toxic in some way or another unless it is specifically sold and marketed for use by young children.

For more Halloween gear I have tested, click here.

While this particular witch mask did NOT test positive for Lead, cadmium, or mercury, it DID test positive for trace levels of Arsenic (As), and extremely high levels of Antimony (Sb).

Please note that several tests were done on each component of the mask, with correspondingly various XRF test results. Only one set of results is listed for each component.

For a #SaferChoice for Halloween makeup for kids, click here.

Antimony is a known carcinogen and is a chief component in fire retardants and I don’t believe it belongs on a consumer good that is in prolonged contact with our faces. (Especially a Halloween mask that children might certainly likely use [on their sweaty faces, breathing deeply as they excitedly walk and run — sometimes for cumulative miles — on what is for many the crazed-fantasy-and-significance-imbued-masked-candy-orgy-ritual that is their most-anticipated/cherished day of the entire year] — despite it’s being ostensibly “marketed to, and sold for use by adults.”)

I’m also concerned about the presence of antimony in the context of hand-to-mouth behavior anticipated on Halloween (without normal hand washing.) Specifically, I am referring to the potential for kids to hand this mask — touch the hair, take it on and off, throw it around in a game, etc., then go on to unwrap and eat Halloween candy afterward without first washing their hands.

This mask is from my collection and I have not yet decided if I am going to let the children use it again (ever). I am going to (at least temporarily) retire it to the collection of toxic consumer goods that I keep in my storage shed!

To see more things I have tested with an XRF, click here.

Below are the exact XRF test results of the mask pictured.

If a specific element is not listed in a section below it is because the reading for that component of the mask was “ND” (Non-Detect) for that element when tested with an XRF instrument. What this means is that if there is any trace of that element it is below the single-digit ppm detection limit of an XRF designed specifically to test for toxicity in consumer goods. This equates to an effective “negative” for that element when discussing potential toxicity in consumer goods.

Concerning chemicals are noted in BOLD and PINK.

The Green of The Mask (tested from the outside):

• Lead (Pb): ND
• Arsenic (As): ND
• Mercury (Hg): ND
• Cadmium (Cd): ND
• Barium (Ba): 169 +/- 40 ppm
• Antimony (Sb): 218 +/- 15 ppm
• Bromine (Br): 116 +/- 6 ppm
• Zinc (Zn): 244 +/- 24 ppm
• Copper (Cu): 63 +/- 22 ppm
• Iron (Fe): 250 +/- 52 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 28,800 +/- 1,600 ppm

Black “Hair” of Mask:

• Arsenic (As): 38 +/- 15 pm
• Antimony (Sb): 19,500 +/- 600 ppm
• Chromium (Cr): 156 +/- 82 ppm
• Bromine (Br): 57,400 +/- 1,700 ppm
• Nickel (Ni): 57 +/- 29 ppm
• Vanadium (V): 701 +/- 219 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 1,030 +/- 362 ppm

“Tooth”:

• Barium (Ba): 93 +/- 44 ppm
• Antimony (Sb): 92 +/- 16 ppm
• Bromine (Br): 167 +/- 10 ppm
• Zinc (Zn): 229 +/- 29 ppm
• Iron (Fe): 558 +/- 81 ppm
• Titanium (Ti): 124,300 +/- 3,100 ppm

Here’s an Amazon affiliate link to current products from this company online. (Please note that I am sharing this link solely for informational purposes and am not recommending these products in any way.)

As always, thank you for reading and for sharing these articles!

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Tamara Rubin
#LeadSafeMama

Do you want me to test more masks? Chip in here to support our independent consumer goods testing and Lead poisoning prevention advocacy work! Thank you!

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