gem glue which is better

can anyone tell me what is better: Mastik or Pros Aid and what is the difference.

One is not better than the other as they are apples and oranges, two different products.

Mastik is spirit gum. Spirit gum is very thick body adhesive with a moisture sealer, or an alcohol and resin based glue. It makes a strong hold good for heavy items. It comes in two formulations a hydo to be removed with water, good for short term use and kids and standard to be removed with spirit gum remover.

Pros-Aide although often private labeled is a trademarked product and the actual formulation need not be disclosed.
But it you can get a MSDS for the glue. It is a water-based formula. It too comes in varied formulations based on removal.

so, since Pros aid is water based, this would be a better choice when dealing with festivals and children, right. easy to wash off at the end of the day. Thank you so much. I used gems once last summer at this one festival and a couple kids came back saying their gem came off. I just wanted to get a good quality glue to hopefully prevent this.

No. Just because a product is water-based does not translate into wash off with soap and water. I can name glue to fx blood to airbrush makeup that all apply.

Pro Aide while water based is not easy to remove. And while many a face painter will tell parents and claim it can be removed with ISO alcohol it can and does not.  The alcohol will break down the glue somewhat but it does not fully or adequately remove the Pros Aide. Baby Oil is the same, it helps remove the glue but in order to fully remove Pro Aide you need a body adhesive remover. Pros Aide Remover or a body/medical adhesive remover. We offer Unisolve in the form of wipes to parents for glitter tattoo. I have used drug store surgical tape remover which did nothing.

Gems don't have too much glue but a picky parent will be an unhappy customer when they can't get that dirty spot of glue off their child's forehead before church with grandma or school.

If you want it to wash off with soap and water use Hydro Spirit Gum. Or goes with Pro Aide with an explanation or offer a remover.

Products are rolled into the cost of your design or offer a wipe on the side for XX cents. Not all parents care esp at festivals but... My clients, aside from festivals, which are mutli day events, are mainly upscale, an extra 50 cents per person is chicken feed.  

Remember too eyelash glue will hold most gems. I suggest you remove the bit of paint where the gem is going so the glue is on clean skin.

Well Pros-Aid is a medical adhesive and generally doesn't wash off with just soap and water, unless you really scrub.
Best things to remove it are Bond Off, Super-Solv, and 99% isopropyl myristate (which is different from 99% alcohol).

Best thing to remove spirit gum is spirit up remover. The others i mentioned 'can' work but i find the actual remover is best.

I use pros-aide for gluing on foam latex appliances for my FX work, and spirit gum is best for applying crepe hair and brow/hair blocking work I find.

If not cleaned properly they will leave a dirty spot

For gems I don't use my heavy duty products, i just use a latex free eyelash glue. There are a few brands out there that are latex free.
Ardell Lash Tite
House of Lashes
Revlon
Duo has a 'brush on' one, but i prefer mine in tubes.

All of em won't break the bank, will keep the gems in place, and I haven't had any reactions with my makeup clients to it, or kids that i know of. I'm pretty sensitive so i always try everything out on myself first. Haven't had a problem.

I find it helps to have something that will stick on but won't be a pain to get off works best. Something i tell the kids is "now if you leave it alone and don't touch it, it will stay there all day! Then when it's bath time you can keep it and put it in a jewelry box!" ^.^

where do you find these unisolve wipes?

saloner wrote:where do you find these unisolve wipes?

Office Depot has them.
or you can get them on amazon, ebay, or medical supply stores.
Just google UniSolve Adhesive Remover Wipes

They look like this.

I have also been using an eyelash adhesive (Quo) from Shoppers Drug Mart and I find the trick to this is dabbing it on the gem a minute or so before-hand and letting is get a bit tacky before applying. So far this seems to be the best method for me  

I have used Ybody glue for gems. I apply a thin layer then hold it in place for about 5 seconds. Works like a charm even over face paint! I currently use the nail brush applicator, but am thinking about switching to a lip gloss one for faster application for glitter tattoos.

Has anyone used the ybody and prosaide glue to compare application or how long they last for GT? Thanks.

FacePaintEvents.com wrote:Has anyone used the ybody and prosaide glue to compare application or how long they last for GT? Thanks.

This is a comparison of techniques (not brands), but it's good info:
http://www.facepaintforum.com/t5438-glitter-glue-controversy

Quite a few people like Moonlight glue, but I haven't personally tried it:
http://www.facepaintforum.com/t12208-how-to-thicken-pros-aide-glue-i-swear-by-moonlight-glue

This thread had some glue comparisons, thought it's mostly paint swatches:
http://www.facepaintforum.com/t4609p105-this-vs-that-comparing-brands-side-by-side-picture-heavy

forest fairy: I went to your website. You are my new favorite face painter. I looked at your set up page. Tell me....what did you use for a display stand?

Awww thank you ^.^ Saloner!

I'll PM you the details. Anyone else wants to know just ask,

nadinesdreams wrote:I have also been using an eyelash adhesive (Quo) from Shoppers Drug Mart and I find the trick to this is dabbing it on the gem a minute or so before-hand and letting is get a bit tacky before applying.  So far this seems to be the best method for me  

this is what I do also. Learned it from a sillyfarm live tutorial.

Sweet Loretta wrote:Pro Aide while water based is not easy to remove. And while many a face painter will tell parents and claim it can be removed with ISO alcohol it can and does not.  The alcohol will break down the glue somewhat but it does not fully or adequately remove the Pros Aide. Baby Oil is the same, it helps remove the glue but in order to fully remove Pro Aide you need a body adhesive remover. Pros Aide Remover or a body/medical adhesive remover. We offer Unisolve in the form of wipes to parents for glitter tattoo. I have used drug store surgical tape remover which did nothing.

I finally figured out why I have been able to use alcohol or baby oil for YEARS to easily remove this product with no issue and why my clients have zero issue but others seem to. I swear I wasn't making it up just to give clients false info.

It's because I've been ordering and using Pros-Aide II - which has a much easier removal than the original pros-aide, which does need it's own remover. Pros-Aide II works great for gems, glitter tatts, etc but isn't as ridiculous to remove. The manufacturers recommend mineral oil. I personally use coconut oil.

*cough*

Lol. So why didn't cha' suggest PS2??

Simple. I've never used it, thus I have no personal experience with how easily it comes off or doesn't.
Though I would have thought one who has been using the product for years would know that was the product they were using. Didn't even occur to me that you might be using something by a similar but different name since you said you were in the FX industry and I assumed you knew they were different products.

Yup, made a mistake, it happens. I don't use II as often for SFx due to its reduced longevity. Regular Pros-aide is in a different kit that doesn't go on FP gigs, along with Tellesis, SnappyG, and those types of adhesives.

Pros-Aide 2, by the makers of Pros-aide, the Pros-aide product version which is easily removed with oil or alcohol. Works great, tasty, less filling, parent & client approved. Perfect for glitter tattoos and gem application needs.

Do you know what kind of prosaide is used for glitter tats? I want to get a glit tat kit soon. It says the glue is prosaide but perhaps it's really prosaide 2? I would think so if it's made to come off easier.

Good question, I never used a kit because it was less expensive to order only the components/stencils I wanted and the PA2 was much cheaper in bulk from an Fx supply company. It's certainly possible its Pros-Aide2 but some companies seem to be re-branding a product, adding color, and not being specific like YBody's "pink glue." Some add, what I'm guessing is cabosil to thicken it, and sell it as freehand GT glue. Denise Cold and some other painters on here really liked "Moonlight glue," but I have not tried it and don't know what it's base is, though some painters think it lasts the longest for GTs.

Sorry for the weird autocorrect, the cat puked on my laptop and while it's off getting a new keyboard, I'm using a phone. Less than ideal.

lol no worries.

Yeah that's just it is I was wondering if it would just be more cost effective to get PA2 if that's what they are using. Might get a starter kit because it's a cheaper start up, and compare the glue that comes with it.

If they are thickening it then it's probably cabosil they are using. That's what I use to make bondo for prothetics. Again not much experience using it with PA2. I usually like to add a little tint to my free hand GT glues just so i can see them better as they are pretty clear coat, and that sucks unless you have a stencil. A drop or 2 of liquid mehron blue in the bottle does the trick nicely.