>>3687876Try to avoid Cadmium and Cobalt paints, also never ever use Lead white.
They are pigments made of heavy metals and will absorb through skin, not instantly though. If you wash your hands thoroughly after painting, and not drink / eat where you are painting at (and always wash hands before eating or drinking) you should be moderately safe.
There has been no thorough studies of prolonged contact with heavy metal pigments that I am aware of, and we know that chemicals do have big influence on developing cancer and allergies so no one here can say for certain. I'd recommend latex gloves if you use artists paints to smear with fingers all the time, but for occasional blending and softening edges with fingers should be fine if you wash your hands often. And you are not using Lead white.
