Costumes

The Beatles Yellow Submarine pin: 447,400 ppm Lead [90 ppm is unsafe for kids] + 6.766 ppm Cadmium (a carcinogen)

December 21, 2019December 24, 2019

When tested with an XRF instrument, this Yellow Submarine Beatles pin [with no maker’s mark or information to indicate country of origin or year of manufacture*] had the following readings: On the decorative enamel front of the pin: Lead (Pb): 447,400 +/- 2,700 ppm Cadmium (Cd): 6,766 +/- 346 ppm Chromium (Cr): 531 +/- 147…

Do you know where the “Mad Hatter” got his name? Here’s a clue – vintage felt hat: 3,844 ppm MERCURY! [100 is unsafe]

July 14, 2019July 14, 2019

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I have long known the vintage and antique felt hats were (historically) made with unsafe levels of Mercury (as part of the felting process for the wool as I understand it), but I had never personally tested a vintage felt hat and found it to be positive for high levels of Mercury — until now….

#AskTamara: Do modern Halloween masks have Lead? Does my Halloween gorilla mask have any toxic chemicals?

September 3, 2018October 4, 2023

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…

This “Go Green” organic face paint is a nice Lead-free option for the kiddos. What brand do you use?

December 3, 2017October 4, 2023

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…