Re: Acrylic Paint on the Face???

by Terina Tue Oct 19, 2010 3:44 pm

Well...just because someone makes money at something doesn't mean they are professional. In that case, all of these people that perform cosmetic enhancements would be considered true plastic surgeons even though they are not "educated" nor have the correct equipment and background.

I think it is great that people learn and want to use better products. When I see someone using non safe paints, I don't lecture them but, I do take the time to politely educate them. Which goes to my original post. Jayde is right,not everyone cares. That makes them VERY unprofessional.I don't care if they made triple what I made last year. They are making it harder for the industry over all as a whole, and just because something isn't against the law (yet) doesn't mean that we should push it until some type of law has to be passed that would really just make it harder on everyone in the industry.

Why not use some type of spray to fix the designs if people are worried about them running? I did an event in the rain and just told them up front, if this gets wet it will not last. It washes off very easily. They had a decision then to purchase or not. Some got glitter tats, the rest didn't care, and I had maybe one walk away.

I do think that every person is entitled to their own opinion as long as it is the same as mine...LOL! Just kidding. Truly though, this is something that could hurt someone...it may not but even the slightest chance of that should be enough. To me that is the difference in someone being a professional and respecting others versus an unprofessional that is in it for the momentary $$$ amount.

by IamGinaW Tue Oct 19, 2010 4:17 pm

A Girl Named Michael wrote: Many colors of acrylic paint are made with ingredients that are toxic! Colors like "Cadmium Red, Cadmium Orange, or Cadmium Yellow(or Cad for short)" contain CADMIUM.

Cobalt is also toxic. I asked my art teacher what I should avoid since I was pregnant when I took her class and she said cadmiums and cobalts.

by Lady Jayde Tue Oct 19, 2010 4:33 pm

When I was working a Ren Faire with Hez Yanyo she offered the parents/patrons an option to have No-Sweat applied to the skin before painting for $1 and quite a few people took her up on it. It seamed to work pretty well as long as the kid didn't push the envelope and started doing jumpin jax or anything.

by BluAngL83 Tue Oct 19, 2010 4:40 pm

Terina wrote:Well...just because someone makes money at something doesn't mean they are professional. In that case, all of these people that perform cosmetic enhancements would be considered true plastic surgeons even though they are not "educated" nor have the correct equipment and background.

I completely agree Terina Smile

...

Shandi we applaud that you and others took the initiative to order professional face paints...BUT

IMO when you(general) KNOWINGLY use a product that isn't ment for the use you are using it for, you take a huge step backward. Thats even worse then when you do it by mistake/innocently/unknowingly. Its like your saying "oh well" and knowingly put a client at risk.

by Tash Tue Oct 19, 2010 4:45 pm

I agree the acrylic users shouldn't be verbally bashed - but a bit of shame doesn't hurt sometimes.
It would be nice if everytime you met one you could educate them and they would swing over to our side of seeing things but in my experience it just doesn't happen.
They want to - morally - some don't care.... but the ones that do would like to switch but will not pay out the money.
Even if it was readily available in the stores around here and you didn't have to order from the net I don't think they would change.
Money is the key.
Cheap face painter hurt our business.
They take jobs from us and stop us making money at festivals... they are hurting the industry - too many times I have had the " oh you had a bad cheap face paitning experience"
Good face painting is not cheap - Cheap face painting is not good.
In other industries the companies providing substandard products do not last long - but it takes awhile for people to know what the standard is.
Take coffee for instance - 10 years ago everyone would buy whatever crap they could get - now everyone want arabica beans with a caramel flavour..... all it took was educating the public and they will shun bad coffee ( or face painting Smile

)
Honestly as a mum there and as a face painter there is no room for ignorant behavior.... there are products designed for use on the skin and there are products that aren't .. Acrylic falls into the later category.
If a kid has a bad acrylic reaction - my daughter had one but it was on her hands and arms from finger painting - it is bad for the child and the parent. My daughters skin was sore and itchy and broke open if she touched it.
I will never allow my daughter to be painted without knowing what they are using - and I hope in the future EVERYONE does the same.

If you are doing classes to educate - great - but tell them they need to use FDA at the Jam, your on;y helping them get really good with their acrylic and how does that help the over all cause?
Sorry if you don't like my post - I agree with Jayde, this is too important of a subject to be nonchalant about.
If you started there and switched great!! If you are sticking with the acrylics - then seriously go and paint some wood and give up painting skin. YOu wouldn't use house paint to paint your car? Right?

by rose Tue Oct 19, 2010 10:36 pm

When i first started face painting, i learnt from another painter who has been doing it for 20 years. I just took everything she said as gospel, and purchased everything the same as she had in her kit. It was only months later when I really started to research more, that I found out although her paints were all proper f/p, the glitter she used was craft glitter glue! And I had bought heaps of it as I assumed it must be ok because she used it! The store i got it from even has it in the face paint section! Anyway, as soon as I found out I immediately replaced it with the right stuff.
Sometimes people genuinely don't know they are doing something wrong, but as soon as I realised, I would have had too much of a guilty conscience to keep doing it.

by A Girl Named Michael Mon Oct 25, 2010 11:52 am

shandi wrote:now lets first of all not start reaming me after this post please?
I know right now of over 20 face painters that use OMG! acrylic. They bring in sometimes 600 to 1000 a weekend. There are several of these painters that have insurance, I know because we discussed it and I asked how to get it. I have spent about 300.00 on Paradise,Snaz and Wolfe. I use it and I use Acrylic. I sometimes work in such humid rotten conditions that Acrylic is the only thing that will last more then five mins in these conditions. I can sit people side by side paint one with acrylic and one with paradise (and have) and had the one come back not 20 mins later the one painted with paradise asking to get some wet wipes so they can wipe the mess off. I can not take someone's money knowing that within mins it's going to sweat all off.
Now before you all start flipping out...there are face painters out there that have used acrylic paint for over 30 years. I've talked to them and they have never had any issues with it. I understand there are ingredeints that are harmful in "Some" acrylic colors. The lady I've been talking to the most said she looks for alternate colors and avoids the ones that might be harmful. As a Artist that paints things everyday I am noticing that paint is changing and the colors are not the same, I'm guessing that alot of the ingredients that are questionable are getting removed bit by bit.
Personally I am trying to not use it as often and am trying to limit my gigs to indoor and cooler months. I want to do what is right but if you put a acrylic face painter next to a paradise face painter and ask the public which they like better for lasting and durablity down here they are going to choose acrylic.
I just want to say that not all acrylic face painters out there are not knowlageble but they just made the choice to use it instead and it really isn't a cost issue. Please don't assume that they aren't "professional" some have been at it a very long time and make really good money. ( I wish I could make as much as I saw one lady take in over the weekend)
I like the paradise paint and like the feel of it, and enjoy learning how much I can do with it. I just wanted to add that there is no law in the states as of yet against the use of it, you can report it as unsafe to the people over the venues and let them decide or you can debate it with the painter in question. I bought my paradise pallet because I want to be safe, but I still really like acrylic...
Now don't shoot me....

How likely is it that you are going to see anyone after the event is over that you painted for them to complain? Not to mention that many of the toxic substances are cumulative. So to say that there hasn't been a problem(yet)seems to be just an excuse to not use the right supplies. I would not let anyone touch my kids with anything but face paint. They are already bombarded with enough chemical in their food and drinks, and ultimately my kids are far more important than another person's short cut. Sorry to be blunt- I know you(and the other folks who use acrylics) don't mean any harm, but that doesn't make it right.

by Luvs to paint Sat Mar 17, 2012 11:37 am

by Tilly - Formerly Punky Sun Mar 18, 2012 5:56 am

I'm still astonished that people think craft paint is okay to use on skin... I mean, one would think it's a no brainer!

My mom just got back from a Cruise vacation, and while in Antigua, she met this young man, 21, who was face painting at the port. He does this to make ends meet. He was using grease paint, otherwise known as clown or theatre make up. He told my mom it's because he can't find anywhere nearby that sells face paint and he can't affor international shipping. Okay, fair enough. AT LEAST he's using MAKE UP. He is also a local artist, using acrylic paint to paint T-shirts and other souvenirs. My mom asked if he ever used the acrylic on skin and he just kind of looked at her dumbfounded, as though he was shocked she'd asked, and said "No... that doesn't belong on skin... it belongs on craft stuff.

Now, if some guy with no prior experience with make up or face painting can figure that out... why can't some of these other people?

by Mehndi Masala Sun Mar 18, 2012 9:14 am

Tilly - Formerly Punky wrote:I'm still astonished that people think craft paint is okay to use on skin... I mean, one would think it's a no brainer!

My mom just got back from a Cruise vacation, and while in Antigua, she met this young man, 21, who was face painting at the port. He does this to make ends meet. He was using grease paint, otherwise known as clown or theatre make up. He told my mom it's because he can't find anywhere nearby that sells face paint and he can't affor international shipping. Okay, fair enough. AT LEAST he's using MAKE UP. He is also a local artist, using acrylic paint to paint T-shirts and other souvenirs. My mom asked if he ever used the acrylic on skin and he just kind of looked at her dumbfounded, as though he was shocked she'd asked, and said "No... that doesn't belong on skin... it belongs on craft stuff.

Now, if some guy with no prior experience with make up or face painting can figure that out... why can't some of these other people?

Wish this page had a 'like' button or a 'you tell it sister' button!!!

by Psalmbook Sun Mar 18, 2012 9:19 am

Whitney Meyers is dealing w/ this in her local market. Everyone uses craft paints & acrylics & think it's ok. There's a body artist that's using car paint to airbrush people! can you believe it?! Car Paint just doesn't sound like it's safe at all for the skin!

by Luvs to paint Sun Mar 18, 2012 10:02 am

CAR PAINT!! OMG!!

by Tilly - Formerly Punky Sun Mar 18, 2012 10:10 am

WHAT PAINT?! Omg! How do they get models to agree to that?! I spray painted engines a lot in 4-H when I took the small engines project and my dad profesionally restores antique tractors. If you read the MSDS for that stuff you'd see you are supposed to WEAR GLOVES and a RESPIRATOR to protect against all the toxic chemicals and cancer causing agents! This just floors me....

by MelodyFPL Sun Mar 18, 2012 10:18 am

I painted at a festival where there was another painter doing little doodles in acrylic, and after seeing my full faces, actually attempted full faces in acrylic. The next day I brought a stack of information sheets to pass around warning people about acrylics, and I GOT IN TROUBLE WITH THE FESTIVAL COORDINATOR. Turns out the acrylic whore was the fair director's daughter. Seems like all the more reason they should know what's safe and what's not... Regardless.. they won't have me back at that festival. I am pretty pissed.

by Psalmbook Sun Mar 18, 2012 11:40 am

Wow! The fair director can then be responsible for the lawsuits that will come from her practice....

by MelodyFPL Sun Mar 18, 2012 12:09 pm

I know..... *sigh*
And their fair goers LOVED me! According to the manager of the midway area I was in, my booth had more traffic than any of the games and other vendors on the midway.
Too bad for them.

by squiggle Sun Mar 18, 2012 12:52 pm

Would it be considered libel if I put a page on my website showing the local artists who use acrylics in their face painting? I mean, if they even have pictures on their own sites showing them using acrylics, I would just be showing what they're already showing, right? Oh well....

by Luvs to paint Sun Mar 18, 2012 1:17 pm

Did she explain why she wouldn't have you back? Because you were handing out info, or outing her daughter? Any way to contest the decision?

by MelodyFPL Sun Mar 18, 2012 1:19 pm

@lorie, no she didn't explain why... and I am over it really. It's her loss. I am booked clear through June so it's not like i NEED that festival. Let them have a crappy painter if that's what they want to do.

by MelodyFPL Sun Mar 18, 2012 1:20 pm

Squiggle, I don't know... it might. I personally wouldn't but that's just me. I would however LOVE to see the websites of someone who uses acrylics! Share??

by Luvs to paint Sun Mar 18, 2012 1:25 pm

It's hard to explain to a mom or child who has been painted with an acrylic design that I can't/won't remove it and repaint their face.

by pjhamel Sun Mar 18, 2012 1:43 pm

Squiggle, Libel is defined as "A published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation; a written defamation," so no, it would not be libel, as it is the truth.

by Luvs to paint Sun Mar 18, 2012 1:55 pm

To "The Face Paint Lady", I pm'd you her facebook info.

by cattsy Sun Mar 18, 2012 3:02 pm

A Girl Named Michael wrote:
shandi wrote:
I just want to say that not all acrylic face painters out there are not knowlageble but they just made the choice to use it instead and it really isn't a cost issue. Please don't assume that they aren't "professional" some have been at it a very long time and make really good money. ( I wish I could make as much as I saw one lady take in over the weekend)
I like the paradise paint and like the feel of it, and enjoy learning how much I can do with it. I just wanted to add that there is no law in the states as of yet against the use of it, you can report it as unsafe to the people over the venues and let them decide or you can debate it with the painter in question. I bought my paradise pallet because I want to be safe, but I still really like acrylic...
Now don't shoot me....

How likely is it that you are going to see anyone after the event is over that you painted for them to complain? Not to mention that many of the toxic substances are cumulative. So to say that there hasn't been a problem(yet)seems to be just an excuse to not use the right supplies. I would not let anyone touch my kids with anything but face paint.

I'm sorry.... I'm NOT going to candy coat this, or sugar coat it, or anything else. Shandi, I understand your position, but seriously??

Acrylics are UNSAFE!! The MANUFACTURERS say UNSAFE FOR SKIN!! There have been thousands of documented reactions, and you say it's okay because painters have "made the CHOICE!!! to continue using it??? INCLUDING yourself?? Give me a break.

There are options for hot/humid climates. No sweat sprays that help with longevity, certain brands hold up better than others (there's a thread about paints in the heat/humidity), you can use starblends, ben nye, or other powder makeups.

YOU ARE DELIBERATELY PUTTING PEOPLES CHILDREN AT RISK!! I don't give two $&!7$ if it "stays on better" tell that to the kid when half their face peels off like Terina's daughter. Like Michael said, what about the damage you're causing OVER TIME??

When you KNOW that it's unsafe, and continue to use it anyway, it's criminal, period, and you should be ashamed. I understand that you bought some paradise and are giving it a try, and that's great, good for you for doing the right thing. Now get rid of the toxic sludge of craft paint!!

by MelodyFPL Sun Mar 18, 2012 3:48 pm

I love you cattsy

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