Parents are being urged to take extra care when choosing Halloween make-up for their children. It's the time of year when children enjoy dressing up and being made up so that they can attend parties and go trick or treating. However, the make-up you choose for your child may be the deciding factor on whether Halloween really is a trick or a treat for them.

In the UK the labelling of cosmetics is governed by the Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations 2003. These Regulations define a cosmetic as being a substance that is used on the skin, lips, teeth, nails or hair which has the effect of cleansing, perfuming, protecting, changing the appearance of or correcting odours.

Products that fall within this definition include lipsticks, face paints, deodorants, soaps, creams and eye shadows. These products must declare a list of ingredients, the contact details of the manufacturer, a best before date, a description of what the product is and any warnings/precautionary information to adhere to.

When choosing Halloween make-up please ensure that all of the above information is either on the outer packaging of the item, on the item itself or on a label attached to it. Also ensure that all warnings are followed and that these products are used only in the way specified on the product itself.