Want to start face painting but not quite sure how? Face painting is fun and creative but all the pieces that go with it can be overwhelming. What brands do you use? One can easily get lost in a black hole of confusion on Google. So keep reading, because we’re about to make it simpler for you by answering your burning questions.
What should I apply before face painting?
As with any make up routine, a clean, dry face is your foundation. Avoid moisturizer and opt for a primer, like Smashbox Photo Finish Hydrating Primer. This will keep you paint from sliding. Be sure to allow the primer to dry before painting.
Must Have Face Painting Kit
The best overall face-painting kit as voted for on Spruce Crafts is the Kryvaline Professionals kit. Their paints are hypo-allergenic, non-toxic and gentle on skin, plus they’re vegan! They are easily washed off with soap and water, or baby wipes. This face painting kit is used by a face painting world champion, Lucie Brouillard, and award-winning face painter Amanda Tozser. You can check out some sample design tutorials on the Kryvaline Face and Body Art Youtube channel.
Face Painting Palette
A face painting palette contains individual colors of face and body paint, much like a makeup palette. Some palettes can hold up to 30 colors. There are many face painting palette brands out there. The top picks include Tag Body Art, Fusion Face Paint Prime, Diamond FX, Global Bodyart Pro and Mikim Face Paint, and, of course, Kryvaline. A lot of popular face painting brands are made with paraffin based wax, giving it a clay like consistency and great staying power.
Hand Towel
You’ll definitely need a hand towel to dry your hands after cleaning them between clients. Baby wipes work well too, but a hand towel is an extra absorbent option, plus they are cheaper than continually buying and throwing away paper towels.
Reusable Sponge
Sponges speed up one stroke designs. Most face painters use one sponge per face, to avoid spreading germs. Then just toss them in the laundry when you get home. They can become stained over time, so some choose black sponges or dye their white sponges black.
Here are some sponges we love:
Jest Paint – Hydra Face Painting Sponge
Kryvaline – Large “Never Stain”* SOFT Black Face Painting Sponge – 1 Half
Splash Face Painting Sponges by Jest Paint – Wing (6 pieces)
Kryvaline – High Density SOFT Black Sponge – Small Petal
Stencils
A stencil adds dimension to your design by helping you paint intricate and delicate shapes that would be harder to do with a normal paint brush tip. You simply hold the stencil to the skin and paint in the gaps. Here are some recommended stencils and what they’re best for:
Bad Ass Mini 1005 – Face Painting Stencil – Scales
Ooh! Face Painting Stencil | Snowflake Wrap #1 (W07)
Face Painting Stencil | Tribal Wrap (W14)
Ooh! Face Painting Stencil | Star Wrap (W02)
Half Ass Face Painting Stencil Set – Organic #0
You can find a stencil for any shape!
Star Blends
Mehron Starblends are powder based face paint that you can apply with a dry sponge a blender. This can be put over the primer and act as a base. These work wonderfully for those hot days when you fear your face paint may run. You can add touches of shimmer or sprinkles on top of these bases.
Face Paint Storage
Face paint should be stored in a cool, dry place, away from direct light. Avoid damp basements, hot cars or anywhere that will lead to melted or cold face paint.
Do You Need A Special Paint for Face Painting?
Using regular acrylic paints, such as those for painting canvases, are a bad choice for skin. They contain toxic ingredients like lead and formaldehyde. Thus, one should always use cosmetic grade products for skin application. Professional face paints have been tested and approved by the FDA for safety, which is the ultimate benefit for your clients. A safe client is a happy client!
The Best Face Paint Brands
The best face paint is Fusion Body Art face paint. Fusion paints are easy to wash off with a soapy sponge and water. and are super easy to use, they are bold and highly pigmented. Professional face painters also love to use glycerin-based face paints to create beautiful backgrounds that will not crack or flake off with movement. Brands like Superstar, Paradise from Mehron, Graftobian, and FAB, are all glycerin-based face paint brands. Some more famous and quality brands include:
Global Colours Body Art – great variety of opaque and bright colors, and brilliant consistency.
Diamond FX – amazing consistency and vibrant colors.
TAG Body Art – pearl colors!
Face painting doesn’t seem so daunting a task now, does it? Whether you want to try it for yourself, or hire a professional, now you’ll know what to look for. Yombu has an amazing team of professional face painters who will entertain children – and adults! – with creative face painting designs, and engaging personality. The children will be transfixed and you can sit back and chill – or get your face painted! Book a face-painter with Yombu in the following Cities by clicking on a link below:
Face-painters in Miami
Face-painters in Los Angeles
Face-painters in New York
Face-painters in Boston
Face-painters in Chicago
Face-painters in Atlanta
FAQ’s
What is the easiest face paint design?
Butterflies are one of the fastest and easiest face paint designs you can make, plus there are hundreds of variations.
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