Face Paints!
Over the last couple of weeks I had a bit of fun using facebook’s live video feature, and created a few designs for you all to watch. One of the questions that was asked many times what “What type of paints do you use?”.
Well….The answer is actually quite complex.I have put together (as promised) a blog post to share with you my, completely unbiased, thoughts on the different brands of paints. All of the paints that I use are ‘Professional Face Paints’. These are paints that are specifically designed for painting on the skin, they are more like a make up. There meet strict guidelines, including being approved by the FDA. Professional face paints are easy to work with, easy to wash off and most importantly are safe to use on the skin.
They should not leave a reaction. (However there is a small chance some sensitive skin may react to some brands. If you are ever concerned about a reaction a patch test should be conducted.) There are many paints out there that are often labeled ‘face paint’ that should not be used on the skin. I call these the cheap and nasty paints. Often sold for a couple of dollars in craft sections. (You can read more about the importance of good quality paints here.) Take a close look at the instructions on these containers and it will normally say for craft use, on paper, wood, fabric or metal.
Professional face paint may cost a more, but they are well worth the investment. I purchase my paints online from from trusted face and body paint suppliers. The investment in more expensive paints is acceptable, not only for safety, but the quality of the product is much better. In addition, they have more malleable materials that will spread on the face better and wont dry out so quickly.
As my painting progressed I eventually needed to expand my kit, I learnt quickly that different brands were useful for different applications. I needed a paint that wan’t going to blend as well to create nice crisp line work. Waxier brands, such as Wolfe, TAG and DiamondFX are fantastic for this.
I introduced Paradise paints for my base work. The creamy texture of this paint made it simple to apply, comfortable to wear, easy to blend with other colours and easy to wash off. (A paint that washes off well is very important, you want your clients to remember your face painting, but not so well that they can still see the remnants days later.)
Kryolan has a fabulous Aquacolor that is water soluble. It goes on with a beautiful shimmery effect and can easily wash off when the party is over.
For black and white, Wolfe appears to be the most popular brand to get clean, true to color, effects.