Reactions to paint

Anyone have any experience with a group of kids having reactions to any brand of face paint?

I've had two adults react to Paradise. But nothing else has ever been reported to me.

I don't use Paradise.

I was using paradise only, and one black Ben Nye...a girl came back the next day (we were at a traditional archery shoot weekend event) and said she broke out after I painted her. The ONLY time I've ever had that happen!

Never happened to me (touch wood!) - what did you guys do after being told about the reactions?

I know the post you are referring to about the Wolfe Paints. It got really nasty on that list. I don't use Wolfe, but DFX. But since they are "basically" the same, I always test each new container of White or Black on one of my own children.

Given all the facts, I seriously think it had something to do with sunscreen or something going on with the animal park. Also, the mom never really committed to how many, just hers and "others she'd heard about." This is something we all need to watch out for though.

I had one reacting to Grimas, when I used that, it was for a theatre play, so she had to be painted. Ended up using skin lotion mixed with food dye. Worked allright.
Before I used DXF I used Wolfe, and I have never heard about anyone having an reaction. And all the parents gets a card with my contact info, so there should be no problem for them telling me. Plus a lot of them I continue to run into over the country, and nobody had mentioned anything. Only "my kid is normally not good with facepaint, and get a reaction, but this didn't happened with yours". (if, I new before that they had an reaction previously to facepaint, I would have suggested to paint on the arm, but not everybody tells it, and I can't ask everyone)

Kristal wrote:what did you guys do after being told about the reactions?

Since mine were adults and weren't overly concerned... I just never used Paradise again. I had only acquired one of the small palettes to try as it had just come out, and the smell was disgusting anyway, so I got rid of them (traded someone for something else).

On one person there were raised red welts in the shape of all the Paradise brushwork, and the other was horrible itching while the paint was on the skin around the eyes. Both people were "sensitive" types...

Like I said, I don't know about any other reactions as I've never had anyone tell me... when you paint kids and they vanish into the crowd you never know.

I use Paradise, Wolfe, Ben Nye and Kryolan. I've never had any reactions...and I'm pretty sensitive. I've used it all on myself. Fortunately no problems yet!

I did have one girl tell me she didn't like stuff near her eyes as it made them water. I used the Ben Nye powder instead of the Paradise (less smell) and then just used some Wolfe Black for the line work. She was fine. Her mom was surprised as she said usually she gets watery eyes, but 'sucks it up' because she wants to be face painted so badly!

I said, well, if you are willing to risk the watery eyes...I'll paint you!

Last time I heard the "watery eyes" line from a mom the kid had pink eye...

If their eyes are red and watery BEFORE I start painting.... then be afraid, be very afraid.

Hahah...nay, she looked healthy and normal. Thank God! With three boys I am very paranoid and can spot a sick kid at 20 paces!

I think she had 'smell allergies'. I remember you saying how badly the Paradise sets you off, 'smell wise', so I immediately avoided the smellier face paints! I always carry the Ben Nye Luminare 'powders' now, as they also work GREAT on small children that hate the 'cold wet sensation' of normal face paints around the eyes. It makes lovely butterflies too!

One thing I have been told about wolf to warn people about is the beewax base, if someone had a bee allergy, they may react to the wolf paint.

That's a new one...

any bee allergy sufferers willing to be a guinea pig?

I have been using a combo of snaz and wolfe for years and just this week I had 5 people break out. 1 was me and one was my daughter and we have both been painted 100 of times. I am baffled and want to get to the bottom of this. Another was an employees child who had been painted a few times before he broke out and broke out from an artist that only used snaz. I don't know what to do because we can't figure out what is causing it. It has been different paint, different artists, different brushed,sponges. I am bee sensative and so is my daughter. Don't know about the others.

I have been lucky. No one has told me they had a reaction. I do have the note in the front of my book saying it is the parents job to tell me if they have sensitive skin and to have a test swipe done. I have have parents ask to be tested. One of my children would use a cosmetic non latex sponge a swipe the inside of a wrist with my snaz paint while they were in line. By the time the child got to me, I could see if there was going to be a problem or not. As for the eyes, I do not paint them on my general jobs anymore. Just in case.

Metzpah wrote:One thing I have been told about wolf to warn people about is the beewax base, if someone had a bee allergy, they may react to the wolf paint.

I think I know the class that you heard that one in.

A Bee sting is a far different thing then raw beeswax. People who have reactions to bee stings are reacting to the sting and the venom in that sting. They won't react to the bee, the honey or the wax. The beeswax is not a raw beeswax but a cosmetic grade beeswax formula that is a common ingredient in many on the shelf makeups, to give them stability, and also in several brands of facepaints.

I am not going to go and find the manufactures that use beeswax as a cosmetic base, you can do that yourself, however, I'm sorry that you were one of the people who were sucked into this scare.

Check the facts when you hear stuff like this. I recently called on Shannon to clarify something she had stated....Shannon was wonderful, she got data and back-up to show me and lead me to understanding that she was making a factual statement, not just repeating something. Thanks Shannon, you are now my hero.

Think about the statement about beeswax....Did you get any facts to back it up? If not, then go to the FDA site and check it out...start by going to the Cosmetics section and research it.

This kind of stuff drives me nutz. It's like people who say it's FDA approved when it's FDA compliant.

Off of my soapbox now, I'm out of steam.

Jenny

Metzpah wrote:any bee allergy sufferers willing to be a guinea pig?

I will get horrid raised welts that swell and burn and hurt like crazy from a bee sting, not a pretty site. It's not to the point of having to be hospitalized, but enough to be a serious allergic reaction from bee stings. I have no reaction to wolfe or to DFX, and they are my primary paints.

Jenny

Aw shucks... just the facts ma'am, just the facts.

Thanks for the report

I use a combo of just about every brand... I have Kryolan, Wolfe, Snaz, Paradise, Ben Nye, and a little Fardel...

And I have NEVER had a person that I painted tell me that they had a reaction.

NOW, I have had a reaction on myself once.... and it was from Kryolan of all paints! The one that no one ever complains about right??? I put the Mozart Pink on my hand and wrist(the only color) and my hand and wrist started the itch and burn! Couldn't believe it! And I am definitely not a sensitive skin type of person. I threw it away, and I've never had a problem with anything since. Just that once, ever... go fig.

I use a combination of Snazaroo and Paradise for base and color designs and Wolf white for line details.

Personally I have found that I cannot use Paradise yellow directly on my skin – it creates a slight burning sensation. When ever I paint with the yellow I always use it over a base color first. And the green and teal Paradise paints always leaves a stain behind (after removing) so again I try to use a base under those as well.

Several years ago a friend of mine became really nauseate after applying a full face design with Paradise – but she said it was the coconut scent.

Other than that – I haven’t heard of any other issues. Debbi - I really like the idea of testing the kids while they are in line. I’ll have to try that at the next event. ~ Deanna

The smell of Paradise makes me gag and has caused asthma attacks when I've been exposed to it for sometime.

Can I ask you, why, if it caused a burning sensation on YOU that you would even consider continuing to use it?

If I have any sort of reaction or irritation from a product, out it goes. I won't use it. If I react, then someone else could.

You know Shannon - that makes perfect sense... I mean I use a combo of products because certain ones are better than others for specific things... i.e. Snaz white for a base and Wolf white for line work... There is no reason why I couldn't swap out my Paradise yellow for a Snaz yellow. Good thinking! Thanks! Deanna

The one and only reaction I have had was from a child who was painted with only Snaz.
It just goes to show that you never know what a person will react to. And with society becoming more and more germophobic, children seem to have much weaker immune systems these days and are more and more "allergic" to things.

Has anyone heard of face paints containing 'gluten'? I had a mom insist that most face paints have gluten in them the other day. I thought it was pretty bizarre, but said I'd check into it. I'm going to be painting at a party her child will be at and she needs assurance that the paints are gluten free. I use Snazaroo, Diamond FX, Wolfe, and Kryolan.