The Dark Side of Special Effects Makeup
Special effects (SFX) makeup and prosthetics have been used to transform movie actors into their characters since the earliest days of cinema. Early SFX materials were oftentimes made with extremely toxic ingredients, like mercury and lead, and caused all sorts of medical problems for the actors.
In the 1939 The Wizard of Oz movie, for example, The Tin Man was covered in actual aluminum powder which resulted in his hospitalization only nine days into filming. The Wicked Witch’s green skin was achieved with a flammable concoction containing copper oxide, causing her face and hand to catch fire when a pyrotechnic contraption (machine that creates controlled fires, explosions, etc. for movies) malfunctioned, giving her second and third degree burns.
Thankfully, the execution of SFX makeup has developed along with the rest of the film industry. Artists gaining more understanding of human anatomy, chemistry, and material sciences to execute the character’s looks means there are less risks for the actors, and better realistic effect. For example, latex and silicon were major innovations allowing for more comfort for actors and a more realistic look on camera.
Despite these innovations, many aspects of SFX and Halloween makeup remain dangerous. A 2022 study on costume cosmetics identified the risk associated with potentially toxic elements such as lead and arsenic, which are commonly found in costume makeup. Because these face paints are often used by children, accidental ingestion is extremely common. They concluded that through contact with skin, these products present a higher risk of cancer. The study results suggest the presence of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in cosmetics should be regulated/monitored to protect human health, especially for occupational exposure and use by children.
There is currently little federal regulation over what cosmetic companies are allowed to put into their products. No FDA approval is needed for a cosmetic product to hit the market, it is the manufacturers responsibility to label and disclaim any harmful ingredients. According to the FDA, “It’s against the law for a cosmetic to contain any ingredient that makes the product harmful when consumers use it according to directions on the label, or in the customary or expected way” but only eleven chemicals are actually banned. Compare that to the European Union’s list of over 1300 banned chemicals.
Because of the FDA’s minimal involvement with the regulation of cosmetic ingredients, it is up to the individual to be proactive about what is being put on their skin. Professor Mona Kulp of the chemistry department here at Smith provided us with a website that can be used to check the risk of ingredients in different cosmetic products: https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/
It’s not just everyday people who have to worry about dangerous SFX makeup today—even the professionals have not fixed every issue. For her role in The Substance, Margret Qualley wore a full prosthetic suit. It gave her acne that lasted for months, and intense anxiety during shooting. She went as far as to claim that the suit was a “torture chamber.” Is there a future where SFX makeup does not cause people to suffer, or will we have to leave it in the past?
By Charlotte Panofsky and Evie Tourtelot
