Halloween Scare: Could Your Costume Cause Cancer?

Halloween Scare: Could Your Costume Cause Cancer?

If you’re like me, you wait until the day before Halloween to pull together a costume. I’ve learned to embrace my last-minute back-of-the-closet rummage—pulling together whatever zany costume concoction I can come up with. Last year I paired an old leopard print blouse (a hilarious hand-me-down from my mom) with a classic pair of black pants and stiletto heels. I added a splash of red nail polish and lipstick and used some blue eye shadow to create a fake bruise on my cheek. I instantly transformed into a stereotypical Italian mafia chick a la The Sopranos in almost no time flat! I’m constantly amazed at what I can create using up stuff that I already have. I’m pretty sure my old, crusty makeup is anything but chemical-free but I’m also pretty certain that reusing is better than contributing to the waste problem by investing in a plastic mask or synthetic costume—something even the greenest greenie could fall victim to during a last-minute Halloween frenzy. To ensure that doesn't happen, we’ve compiled a few Halloween costume ideas in our newly dispatched TreeHugger Holiday Guides page. It offers a plethora of green tips for Halloween and festivities beyond! Also be sure to check out more hair-raising Halloween how-to's on How Stuff Works.