If you've ever looked at the back of your favorite face paint and noticed a warning like: "Not for use around the eyes or lips," you might have wondered why it's there,  especially if the product seems gentle, colorful, and fun.

At GTX Facepaint, we get this question all the time, and we totally understand the confusion. So let's break it down.

It's Not About Safety - It's About Regulations
First, let's be clear: our face paints are cosmetic-grade and safe for skin. But when it comes to labeling - especially in the U.S., Canada, UK, and EU - the rules around what pigments can be used near the eyes and lips vary a lot by country.

Different regions have different lists of color additives that are considered safe for specific areas of the body. What's allowed in one country might be restricted in another. So rather than create dozens of different labels and containers for each region (which would drive
 up costs and slow down global distribution), many professional face paint brands including ours use universal labeling that complies with the strictest standards. That's why you'll see the precaution on all of our products, even if some colors are technically safe for use around the eyes or mouth in your country.

Let's Talk About Pigments
Color additives are heavily regulated - especially in the U.S., where the FDA breaks down approval by body area. Since we are in the USA, here's a quick look at some commonly used pigments and their status according to the FDA (U.S. guidelines):
As you can see, some pigments are not approved for use near the eyes or lips, even though they're totally safe on the rest of the face. The FDA is especially strict about the eye area due to potential irritation or staining risks.

What Does That Mean for You?
When a label says "not for use around the eyes or lips," it's not saying the product is unsafe. It means that one or more of the pigments inside that color haven't been approved for those areas by at least one country's regulatory body and we're required to let you know.

It's also worth noting that many face painters, especially professionals choose to use certain colors near the eyes or lips anyway, based on personal experience and understanding of the ingredients. That's a personal choice, and we always recommend doing your own research and performing a patch test on all customers who have never been painted, or if you have customers with sensitive skin or general skin concerns.

We care deeply about transparency and customer safety. Our products are compliant with cosmetic regulations in the U.S., Canada, the UK, Australia and the EU, and we make our labeling choices to meet the highest global standards - not because we think the paint is dangerous, but because we have regulatory standards to adhere to. We are always going to label correctly and register all cosmetic products. 

 If you ever have questions about specific pigments or want to learn more about colorant safety, feel free to reach out. hello@gtxfacepaint.com