spray? before painting?

So my aunt was telling me that they went to a bday party and they had a facepainter there. She mentioned that the lady sprayed something before she painted on every face. has anyone ever heard or seen this before?

She sprayed something on their FACES? If so, I hope it was just water, and her way of cleaning each face before painting it.

I've never heard of any sprays being applied prior to painting. Some painters use a barrier spray on the body (not usually the face) to keep the paint in place during performances.

The dark recesses of my mind hope she wasn't spraying cooking oil on their faces so the acrylics would come off later... *shudder*

Yes, I know some people "...always spray w/Mehron Barrier Spray." I did buy it when I started working weekly @ a bounce house, also recommended " to prevent the face paint from coming off right away." I did this on older kids (tweens) who were sweating. At the beach, I did use it on a teen who wanted her eye design to last till she went out that night. She was painted just before she went home.That day we were outside at the ocean and it was HOT! I mostly did glitter tatts.
I went to FABAIC recently. When I asked Mark Reid at a pre-day class if he used it @ the HOT, HOT Texas State Fair he said "No way, never... It's temporary, after all." My feeling...the barrier spray has alcohol in it, so I think it's just asking for trouble. I DO use it on myself when I paint my arm pre-gig to keep it from smudging.I have had 2 parents ask me for it @ the bounce house (probably because it's used locally). I just told a fellow FPer she could have my unused one.
A few times I saw people on FPF recommending or asking about using hair spray. I wouldn't use that at all on someone's face either. BOY, good thing I paint faster than I type!!!!!!!!!

Mehron Barrier Spray is good stuff. Use it under or over, or both, for the makeup. If I were doing a major event with pro models that needed sweat resistant makeup, on the face and or body, I'd maybe use this method. I would not spray a barrier on a kids face. Yes. too much alcohol. Same for Green Marble, No Sweat, Fixier or whatever. There are other methods like Mehron's ProFace.