According to Kern, good makeup cannot be manufactured at this price point. Additionally, because this makeup is mass-produced only around Halloween, companies sometimes resell remaining inventory. This is why the makeup can sometimes be dry and unusable right out of the package. With the product on the shelves for so long, it is also very easy for it to collect bacteria that can be harmful to your skin and face.

For children who rub their faces and then touch their eyes with this makeup on, it can easily cause an eye infection. After a night of trick-or-treating, children and parents won’t think to wash the makeup off before bed, and then they will wake up the next morning with skin or eye irritation.

“Children really run a risk of infection if they rub their eyes while wearing this makeup,” Kern says.

Colored contacts are another major infection-causing agent when it comes to Halloween costumes. In order to safely use these contact lenses, people should purchase them through an optometrist to get the correct size; because it’s just for one night, many people order them online. The online contact lenses usually come in one size, and if the wearer forgets to take them out, it can result in swelling of the eyes, Kern said.

Another big problem with Halloween makeup is false eyelashes. The glue that comes with these is essentially superglue. Kern said that sometimes patients come in after Halloween and have glued their natural eyelashes together or even glued their eye shut and have to have lashes picked out one by one to open it again.

Kern suggests that people avoid the cheap Halloween makeup options and just use regular cosmetics. Although it’s a little more costly, it is a lot safer for skin and eyes in the long run.

“Use your own makeup for Halloween, especially around the eyes,” Kern says.

When choosing Halloween makeup this year, put safety before spooky.