© Pixabay, public domain Many face paints don't list the harmful ingredients on their labels — putting kids at risk of exposure to lead and other chemicals.

Whether you’re drawing cat whiskers on your cheeks or you’re covering your entire face with ghoulish fake blood for a zombie look, face paint is a common practice on Halloween, and we often don’t think twice when applying it. But there are some things to look out for when you’re buying your cheap costume supplies: mainly, the ingredient labels.

While most contents in face paints have to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first, Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York is calling for the FDA to tighten regulations and be even more careful in testing for “toxic ingredients.” He’s also warning parents to be wary of these chemicals, hoping to prevent kids from breaking out in rashes or other skin problems after using face paints.

“Every Halloween we worry about the candy we’re putting in our kids’ mouths, but nowadays, we need to worry about the face paint we’re putting on our kids’ faces,” Schumer said, according to the NY Daily News.

Toxic ingredients in Halloween face paint can make our kids sick. Urging @US_FDA to tighten regulations. http://t.co/LJWvzhOmj9

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) October 19, 2015

The FDA has to test what’s in cosmetics before approving them to be marketed and sold. The tips include basic things like following all the directions on the label, avoiding face paints that smell really bad, and avoiding putting them in your eyes.

But in 2009, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found that nearly all of the face paints they tested contained lead, and six out of 10 face paints contained nickel, cobalt, and/or chromium — all of which are known skin allergens. The same report also notes that “the FDA also does not require companies to list heavy metals or other harmful contaminants on product labels, even though they are commonly found in a wide array of personal care products.” Many of these products contain levels of chemicals that far exceed what the FDA recommends, and perhaps this is why you should double-check the ingredient list on your Halloween purchases in advance.

So while you’re out shopping for face glues, paints, fake blood and skin, read the labels and avoid anything that screams sketch.

“The U.S. is simply not doing enough to protect our children from these harmful ingredients, and that’s a scary thought,” Schumer said, according to the NY Daily News.