DFX vs. Wolfe?

I feel like a lot of people starting out wan to know this.

From the US Distributor, DFX and Wolfe are both made in the same factory with the same paint base. DFX has no perfume and comes in slightly larger containers for a slightly lower price.

I tell folks that from what I gather, they were basically the same colors when DFX came out, but as the two product lines started to develope seperately, colors have started to change, forumulas and such.

Both are very good paints, with the white and black from both being the best you'll find for line work. The essentials in both don't generally blend too well without a lot of work. Both have best metallic lines around (IMHO).

Feel free to post you opinions and experiences.

-Metina

I've not seen a big difference between DFX & Wolfe & consider them the same paint. I LOVE the metallics & neons. They are both low water paints & will get very mushy if over saturated in water. Don't spray them, but just dip your brush tip in water & then go to the cake.

I love both the Wolfe and DFX. I had the Wolfe Essentials and Mettalix as my home practice kit, and my DFX as my working kit. I just recently turned what was remaining of both my Wolfe palettes into splits. (see post split cake fun for photos) I just received an order from Anna W @ jest paint to round out my DFX paints. So now my at home practice and working set up is all DFX. I decided to go mainly all DFX because for me it is a better value for the size of the paints in the palettes and the singletons, and I just love the colors.

I prefer Wolfe red & orange to DFX, but otherwise they are the same to me.

Metina, any word on whether the DFX metallic purple is being discontinued like the Wolfe metallic purple?

~Michelle
a.k.a. Heff

Well... I am still using my supply of "old" Wolfe White which is much better than the "new" version, and better than DFX. It seems waxier and stays more solid over top of other colours. The newer recipes are still better than other brands, but not as good as the old Wolfe.

Wolfe red is definitely better than DFX for tongues and blood and making nice opaque drips of blood... seems "redder" than the DFX red (I have both). The DFX leans more to the orange side of red, the Wolfe more to the blue side.

I do not like the feel of either of them as a base - the Wolfe is waxy and heavy feeling and the DFX is very drying. I've worn both myself and perfer NOT to.

I like the DFX colours - I honestly do not know the names DFX gives them, but the lime green, the orange, the sky blue - are really bright and solid.

I use Wolfe UV because I still have lots in my kit. My back-up supply is Kryolan so won't be trying DFX anytime soon.

I have added a couple of DFX colours to my working kit - the lime green, orange and yellow. I have lots and will eventually, probably, get most into use.

At this point I go for colour and don't worry too much about the brand - I have so much on hand that I just refill with the colour I want that is there.

Okay, so the general consensus is that DFX red IS al ittle orangey? That makes me feel better... I thought I may have just gotten a bad batch, I really hate how the red is more of a red orange from crayola colored pencils... I was pretty disappointed when I first tryed it out. But I do LOVE all the other colors thus far, especially the metallics!!

I also love to use both of Wolfe and DFX. I want to ask some question in this category but admin didn't give me access to make new thread here.
What is the best solution to remove face paint so which I will not feel dryness in my skin?
Looking for reply...

Thanks

I'm in agreement with almost everything here - Having started out selling Wolfe, and for entirely personal reasons, decided to switch to DFX - I have noticed certain colour differences....yes, the DFX Red is certainly more orange and I prefer the wfx RED....but then I love Paradise Red which is as good (despite looking scarily brown in the pot)

as for removal....Baby shampoo......it works brilliantly - much better than make up remover and all the other malarchy!

I love love love the metallics, and couldn't live without the lime green or the sky blue in my kit...or the pale pink - yes it does take a while to learn how to blend it.....if Nick and Brian can blend it beautifully, then we can too...it just takes time to learn!

Diamond FX will be at Bodyssey in Calagry in August, with new colours and all the hottest new stuff. Come and check it out! www.bodyssey.ca

Lizzie

I didn't know that about the DFX red... I just ordered a huge 90 gram to replace my Wolfe red...

Put it in the swap shop, someone may want it.

I thought I'd add my two cents on Wolfe white v.s. DFX white for linework.

White linework is still one of my biggest challenges. I have been using DFX white. I just got Wolfe white to try. I think I am getting the Wolfe too wet I think and it's getting gummy on me. I am going to try less water - just dipping no spraying and see what I can figure out.

I was a die hard Wolfe user until I found Diamond FX. With the exception of red it is Diamond FX all the way. I do use primarily Paradise for sponging and bases, but I do all line work with Diamond FX. I also make all my split cakes with the Diamond FX as the colors tend to stay more true as they blend and not get as muddy. I have been experimenting with making Paradise into split cakes, but I don't love them as much!! They still work but to get the right consistency I feel like I'm wasting paint. JMHO

Hugs Helen

My opinion would be to go with Wolfe....it seems to be more consistent, again, in my opinion.

Wolfe Red is definitely my choice for details - blood and tongues, BUT for bases I use Snaz Bright Red.

I never use Wolfe or DFX for bases when I am working. I don't like the feel of them myself so won't use them on kids. My bases are Snaz, Kryolan or Grimas.

I do use them for theatre or photo shoots because of the colour impact.

The DFX red in my kit isn't orangey at all. Hmmm. If anyone is willing to send me a small sample of their Wolfe Red(from a fairly new cake) I will be glad to do a test and give honest feedback.

But, I love my DFX red for Spiderman. I would say it is a really bright red and can see where a slighly darker version would be better for blood.

PM me for my address.

-Metina

I've been a volunteer face painter at school/organization events for a few years and have been using small Snaz palettes since that is what they are willing to buy for me. I'm planning on going into the business and buying a big palette and have been wondering what to use (i.e. DFX or Wolfe). From what most of you said it's pretty much a tie (with a few exceptions: color red and price) but what I'm most concerned about is when people say they don't want to use either as a base especially on kids. Most of what I will be doing is on kids and I need to know if you would recommend getting a different palette of paint for bases than what you use for line or other work. I'm not sure how much I want to lay out since I do have some split cakes and individual paints that I have already bought. Opinions?

I started out with a double Paradise professional size pallet.
I like it very much for bases as it blends really well and I have no problem using it for lining and details. It does have strong smell to it - like suntan cream or coconut - I really like that about it but some people are sensitive to smells like that. I like the fact it has some natural ingredients in them like avocado oil, chamomile, cocoa butter and aloe, so they don't dry out on the skin like some brands can. My skin always feels great after.
Now I use a mix of paradise, DFX, Tag, and even some snaz for bases.
I use paradise for opaques, DFX for Metallics, Tag for neons, and sparkle snaz for bases ( sometimes).
I only bought the snaz because it's the only brand I could buy cheaply in store over the counter so I figured I should try it at least.

I use DFX for all my linework, have not ventured to try any of the other colors, just the white and black but will probably do that as my colors run out.

I use wolfe/dfx metallics & UV for a base, but only on older kids. I stick to Paradise for the younger ones. My linework is always wolfe/dfx.

Thanks for the info. I was already planning on buying Wolfe/DFX black and white for the line work. I guess I'll have to try out a few Paradise paints and see how they work. I was hoping not to get too much of a mix of paints since many parents in this area want to see the ingredient lists and I already have Snaz, Wolfe and Kryolon in my rainbow cakes and palettes. I didn't want them to have too much reading to do.

I originally used Wolfe at the recommendation of my teachers/grandparents. I couldn't get the hang of line work at first- so I switched to Mehron liquids for my line work, then I realized it was taking for-ev-er to dry on kids faces who liked to touch the paint! SO, I practiced with Wolfe paints again and I am hooked on it- makes beautiful lines, and dries a lot faster.

Then when I joined here, I heard about DFX and tried that! Now, I don't know if it was because of the circumstances, but my wolfe white and black seem to get super-saturated and get gooey- which uses my paints up real fast. DFX doesn't *seem* to do that, at least it hasn't happened to me yet.

I still love my snazaroo for long-lasting paints, and bright blendable colors!

"Now, I don't know if it was because of the circumstances, but my wolfe white and black seem to get super-saturated and get gooey- which uses my paints up real fast. DFX doesn't *seem* to do that, at least it hasn't happened to me yet. "

As stated earlier in this thread DFX/Wolfe does not require as much water to activate. In fact, you are probably getting "gooey" because of too much moisture in the paint. Just back off of the water. Never spray or spritz DFX/Wolfe. I use only a wet brush on them and am amazed at how quickly they activate and go on so much better. Hope it helps.

So, do you think it would be wise if I invested in another white and black for my all-over sponge work? Sometimes the paints are a little too sticky and I have to spray the paint to get it to go smoothly onto my sponge!!! When I do brushwork I just get a little water on my brush and take it to the paint on its own!

I, like many others, use a different brand for base work: Paradise for the base and Wolfe black and white for line work. The waxiness of the Wolfe works great over the Paradise, while the Paradise doesn't feel heavy and "makeup" like as a base. Anyone else on this?

SuzySparkles wrote:I didn't know that about the DFX red... I just ordered a huge 90 gram to replace my Wolfe red...

mix a touch of blue in it for a good blood red. It can't be any worse than any other red...just have to know your pallette and how to mix em! Waste not, want not!