Paradise Lover Opinions Wanted - Warning Long!

Hi all! I'm getting ready to do my now serious kit ordering and after testing some snaz, dfx and paradise - and then researching and researching and researching - I decided to go with Paradise (I'm ducking as Shannon throws a shoe at me ). There are pros and cons with every paint. No discussion of that here - I think it's been talked to death but I do have some questions that I'd love additional input on about colors especially from those that love their Paradise (I think Psalmbook is a convert? And if I have it right Vampkat likes hers?)

1. Is the yellow as bad as some say? If you use Paradise but use a different yellow what is your brand of choice?

2. Is the orange as bad as some say after the latest change in formula? If you use Paradise but use a different orange what is your brand of choice?

3. Someone mentioned the Beach Berry as a viable red substitute for spiderman faces? Do you agree? And for red blood, tongues and linework do you like the snaz red - or prefer the dfx red?

4. How would you compare your Paradise white to DFX or Wolfe White for linework? How does paradise white stand up to snazaroo white for bases in your opinion? I am happy with snaz white for bases - just curious.

5. Finally the metallics .... thoughts? I do love the little I've worked with DFX - gold I think - it's in the tiger lily cake, but I'm comfortable with using the Paradise if it still gives a good pop. I think the concern I keep reading is more about ability to work with it than the color effect, but unsure from the opinions what the final call is on them?

I thought about buying the sampler but really need to use my budget wisely. Yada yada...

Colors I am getting for the 12 palette kit are:
Dark Pink, Light Pink, Lime, Amazon Green, Light Blue, Lagoon Blue, Berry Red, Wild Orchid, Dark Brown, Mango, Teal, Grey (and I'll try to rearrange some for split cakes). White and black I'll just keep separate, figuring they'll often be in my hand.

Except for the yellow/orange/red question for my tigers and flames these should very easily take care of all the faces in my beginning menu. Wild Orchid seems pale but everyone likes it and in either DFX or Paradise Metallic I believe I saw there was a nice dark violet like purple.

Thank you for reading and in advance for your opinions!!!!!! You all have contributed so much to my brain - I am proud to be carrying the "pro" bag with the forum name on it.

Oh and for sparkly bases - I have been happy with Snaz sparkle pink and orange. I'm thinking of some metallic for bases - gold and silver, but mostly the rest would be for line work.

I am quite new also but the first paints I ordered were Paradise and I like them. I got the basic, pastel and tropical smaller palettes so I could try out most of the colors (except the metallics of course. The orange in the basic palette seems pretty orange to me, but I am not sure if it is the same orange as you would buy separately. The beach berry red is very red and I have been happy with it for Spiderman. I did get DFX black and white and have been using those for bases and linework, except for the bases on kids. I also ordered the Paradise silver bullet and it is pretty but pretty translucent, which can be nice if that is the effect you are going for, I guess. I don't really find it hard to work with except it's hard to tell how much water to use, to me it seems like it soaks it in for some reason. I had to order new black and white today because I am so low and I was hoping to try the TAG but the Forum Shop only had a 90 gram of the regular black and only pearl white so I am going to try the Paradise black for linework instead of the DFX and I ordered the DFX white again.

I know I didn't give you much info you probably don't already know but these are the things I've found so far.

1. Is the yellow as bad as some say? If you use Paradise but use a different yellow what is your brand of choice? I like the yellow. I've cut all my colors in 1/2 & paired them w/ another color for some quick designs. I have my red/yellow for hibiscus & butterflies. I also have my yellow/green combo for leaves, gators & snakes

2. Is the orange as bad as some say after the latest change in formula? If you use Paradise but use a different orange what is your brand of choice?I still have the old orange, so I can't comment here.

3. Someone mentioned the Beach Berry as a viable red substitute for spiderman faces? Do you agree? And for red blood, tongues and linework do you like the snaz red - or prefer the dfx red? Beachberry is a great red for spidey, but I really love paradise metallic red for spidey. It gives a special wow. I use dfx red for blood. It doesn't bleed other colors easily & really gives a great bloody effect.

4. How would you compare your Paradise white to DFX or Wolfe White for linework? How does paradise white stand up to snazaroo white for bases in your opinion? I am happy with snaz white for bases - just curious. My favorite white for base in paradise, but I run out too quick. I'm using Kryolan white for base right now & it makes a good base, but stays too creamy & takes longer to dry. I do not like paradise or kryaln for linework. It's a blending paint. I still use dfx/wolfe white for lines.

5. Finally the metallics .... thoughts? I do love the little I've worked with DFX - gold I think - it's in the tiger lily cake, but I'm comfortable with using the Paradise if it still gives a good pop. I think the concern I keep reading is more about ability to work with it than the color effect, but unsure from the opinions what the final call is on them? This is one I have to revisit. As a newbie face painter I got some paradise metallics & hated them. It may have been my lack of ability or it may have been the paints. This said, I do have silver & think it's lousy. I much prefer dfx silver. I love metallic red as it's the only true red. dfx red is really more a magenta & any boy would tell you it's pink. I love all my dfx metallics & have used them almost up & neeeed more!

I hope this helps!

Thank you! This is EXACTLY the kind of input I was hoping for.

1. Is the yellow as bad as some say? If you use Paradise but use a different yellow what is your brand of choice? I have just switched from Kryolan to Paradise, it's a brighter Yellow.

2. Is the orange as bad as some say after the latest change in formula? If you use Paradise but use a different orange what is your brand of choice?
I use Kryolan Orange...it's just like a bright orange pumpkin

3. Someone mentioned the Beach Berry as a viable red substitute for spiderman faces? Do you agree? And for red blood, tongues and linework do you like the snaz red - or prefer the dfx red? Beach Berry is not a true red, it's more orangey. Spidey Red = Snaz red for me...You CANNOT beat it period! For tongues, etc, I use Wolfe red....it's a truer red than DFX

4. How would you compare your Paradise white to DFX or Wolfe White for linework? How does paradise white stand up to snazaroo white for bases in your opinion? I am happy with snaz white for bases - just curious. If you like snaz white for bases AWESOME! It's the cheapest option out there.
Linework, I recommend eother Wolfe or DFX (or Tag although I've not tried it yet, I've heard it's got the same stuff in it as the other two) Paradise SUCKS for line work (IMO)

5. Finally the metallics .... thoughts? I do love the little I've worked with DFX - gold I think - it's in the tiger lily cake, but I'm comfortable with using the Paradise if it still gives a good pop. I think the concern I keep reading is more about ability to work with it than the color effect, but unsure from the opinions what the final call is on them? I do not like the Paradise metallics unless it's "HotRod Green" or "Cherry Bomb Red" or "Sunset Orange ".
LOVE my old Wolfe Silver, but I now have DFX. It's the closest to the old Wolfe I've found and if I need it to "POP" I'll add a touch of Mehron Silver Powder to the top of the cake & mix it in. I still use Wolfe Gold & just got Wolfe copper at FABAIC....it's nice!

Wild Orchid is a dark wine colored purple and not pale at all. Love it to outline, when black is too harsh. I would pick a more "East Carolina University" purple for your pallette instead of the brown or grey. I use those colors but not as much as I use purple. I have Kryolan Lila.
The DFX metallic purple especially for linework; I would recommend as they've changed the formula for the Wolfe Metallic purple (so sad, I LOVED that color)
Snaz Sparkle Orange & Pink are awesome as well, but as I'm sure you've figured out, not for linework!
Hope that helped!

pixieface wrote:(I'm ducking as Shannon throws a shoe at me ).

Hey... I never said NOT to use it if you want... just don't use it near me!!

LOL Shannon - by the time I'm at the level of expertise and dollars to be at a professional convention - or get the chance to work anywhere you near you - you can hold me to the promise that I'll have plenty of other alternative paints in my kit and won't break out the Paradise.

Linda - thanks so much for your input as well. I had been debating on that grey. I was thinking UNCA bulldogs with that color - but besides subtle shading didn't really have a design for it otherwise. And not sure how much of a call I'd get for it to make it worth buying. I can always mix it. You are right though that eastern carolina purple is one I'd like (I know I'd use it a lot just because it's so pretty).

1. Is the yellow as bad as some say? If you use Paradise but use a different yellow what is your brand of choice?
I like the yellow just fine.

2. Is the orange as bad as some say after the latest change in formula? If you use Paradise but use a different orange what is your brand of choice?
I never got the "old" orange, I just bought a new one, and it's orange enough for me.

3. Someone mentioned the Beach Berry as a viable red substitute for spiderman faces? Do you agree? And for red blood, tongues and linework do you like the snaz red - or prefer the dfx red?
I like the beach berry, but not for red as much for flowers and such. It's a lovely red with pink undertones. As for blood, I like paradise red fine as well. It's nice and dark.

4. How would you compare your Paradise white to DFX or Wolfe White for linework? How does paradise white stand up to snazaroo white for bases in your opinion? I am happy with snaz white for bases - just curious.
I never was a fan of snaz, it just seemed too thin. I like paradise because it blends really easily and covers well. I like paradise for line work over snaz, but dfx is better. Paradise does come off very white though, you just have to work it right.

5. Finally the metallics .... thoughts? I do love the little I've worked with DFX - gold I think - it's in the tiger lily cake, but I'm comfortable with using the Paradise if it still gives a good pop. I think the concern I keep reading is more about ability to work with it than the color effect, but unsure from the opinions what the final call is on them?
I just got all my metallics in, and I love love love the green, even though it stains something fierce. The blue and red I could take or leave, the silver is really really sheer, and the gold, well, I just mixed the mehron gold powder in and it's sitting in the fridge hardening now. I like gold to really POP. If I like what the powder does for the gold, I'll do the same to the silver.

1. Is the yellow as bad as some say? If you use Paradise but use a different yellow what is your brand of choice? All colors are good colors as far as I am concerned, they are just used for different things. I like the paradise yellow for a more pale yellow as oppose to school bus yellow. Wolfe makes a good school bus yellow.

2. Is the orange as bad as some say after the latest change in formula? If you use Paradise but use a different orange what is your brand of choice? Surprisingly, Snaz is my favorite orange. I don't have the new formula Paradise orange so I can't comment.

3. Someone mentioned the Beach Berry as a viable red substitute for spiderman faces? Do you agree? And for red blood, tongues and line work do you like the snaz red - or prefer the dfx red? I love Paradise Beach Berry for anything that I need to paint that is red. It gives me better coverage than my Snaz red. I prefer not to use Wolfe/TAG/DFX for bases, but for line work, they're reds are good too. I find that paradise works great for bases and line work so I would say it is more of an all purpose than the other brands.

4. How would you compare your Paradise white to DFX or Wolfe White for linework? How does paradise white stand up to snazaroo white for bases in your opinion? I am happy with snaz white for bases - just curious. Paradise white is the only paradise color I don't have so I can't comment.

5. Finally the metallics .... thoughts? I do love the little I've worked with DFX - gold I think - it's in the tiger lily cake, but I'm comfortable with using the Paradise if it still gives a good pop. I think the concern I keep reading is more about ability to work with it than the color effect, but unsure from the opinions what the final call is on them? Paradise metallics have been great for me to work with other than the blue. I have been very pleased with all the other ones.

Thanks again everyone! For several nights I dreamed about different brands of red chasing me around (it was a nightmare let me tell you!) but I think I have it all figured out now - well at least to feel I've made good choices with my budget. My shopping list has its t's crossed and i's dotted. At some point after I have had a chance to use my new paints I'll resurrect this thread and add my two cents.

ok - to all the people that think Paradise sucks for linework - check out my work - I use exclusively all paradise - except the rainbow neon because Paradise doesn't do neon..... so if you think my line work sucks then don't use paradise.
The paradise red is perfect for blood - it looks dark in the pot but is soo much better then the fake blood they sell... and I think the beach berry blows snaz red away... but thats just me.
The orange isn't as dark as I would like - better for lions and not so much Tigers so I"m working on replacing that maybe with a mettalic orange.
The wild orchid is an awesome purple - it's not light, and not too dark, it's a pinky purple, and my most go to color along with Teal Mango and Lagoon blue.
The metalics are a hit and miss - the red is the only true mettalic red and the bronze and copper are awesome - yes they need to be worked more then regular paradise but it's worth it to get a real metalic look.... I prefer the metalic powders - they can be added to any paint to give it a metallic look.
I stick with Paradise because it is easily removed, and behaves more like a makeup then paint... in fact it says makeup on the bottom so if parent s ask I show them - it also helps to explain how to look after it - I explain it's just like our makeup - if you sweat and wipe it will smear so fan your face and pat dry - no wiping, and remove with warm water and soap.
I know you have already made your purchase and I think you made a good choice going with paradise....
I will say one thing ... IF you find the wonderfull smell of the paints too strong - leave all the lids off and your pallets open for two days. Then don't re lid just close the pallet. My paints still smell lovely but you have to stick your nose in it to smell it.... not just go near them.
Have fun with your new purchases and post your experimentations....
Honestly imo nothing blends quite like paradise - so if you are a blender you will love them. And keep your white very soupy so it behaves for you!

Thanks Tash - I was hoping you'd weigh in.

I did know I wanted to stick to one line of product (as much as I could). So all the posts here helped me feel confident I could do that. I need to make this a profitable venture and sticking to one line (and it's the one I can obtain for the best price) will keep things psychologically simpler and more cost effective. I could soooo buy everything that comes out!

I really wanted something that wouldn't stain (I'm finding the dfx rainbow for example takes work to get off my skin).

I think I'd have to be pretty experienced with lots of color before I found any lacking.

I tested the smell with several people I knew that are especially sensitive to scent and it passed with flying colors. And I agree with that it is a nice scent and not overwhelming.

Warning, some Paradise stains as well. I have a hard time w/ metallic green, amazon green, & teal.

Thanks Psalm - I had heard about the teal but not amazon green. That's a shame it seemed a good go-to color. I find I don't use my snaz dark green at all.

I decided that my only metallics at this point are going to be silver and gold with the additional mixing powder.

The metallic green def. Stains bad. So sad, because it's so so pretty. Think I'll just warn parents and give them the choice.

I understand that even Snaz green can stain - it would take additional time, but wildcatfin http://www.facepaintforum.com/face-painting-kit-f5/green-snaz-staining-skin-t1556.htm?highlight=green suggests swiping with another color first (in this case snaz sparkle white as it doesn't really affect what is put over it).

Linda - do you not have that same problem with the dark green?

pixie,
dont overly concern yourself with sticking to just one brand of fp. Explore the different brands and their colors and find which one YOU like and can work with the best.

Lucy Brouillard (sp?) has just about every different type of paint brand there is and in different colors (yes even one or two paradise and snaz, but mostly DFX, Wolfe, Tag, Grimas, kryolan). For her Snaz red is the only true red, but you see thats just her, it works for her. She can't live without her neons/bright colors do she goes with the stuff with hight pigmentation.

I've gone trough snaz (LOVE red, fucshia, teal/sea green) but for the most part i cant do with out my DFX. I'm trying out some Tag brought and I LOVED the purple pearl (metallic, even Lucy loved it and used my brand new paint!).

Also thanks to Annette, my halloween swap buddy, I have mehron powders in silver and gold, and oh my! WOW factor straight up. Super awesome masks and helmets. Cant live with out that anymore.

So, in conclusion, if you ever want to try something new, just let people know in the Swap section, there are plenty who would like to sell off some of their stuff. OR also try the palettes (even used ones) to get a better feel of the colors

Pixie at the end of the day.....there is really no one "Perfect for All Things" facepaint or make-up if you will. Every brand has there issues or shortcomings and it is just a matter of what you can or can not live with.

It's ok to Not like something no matter what anyone else says about it.

I know you think sticking to one brand is more economical but in fact buying the best product for that particular application regardless of brand(getting the best bang for your buck) is moreso in line with you thinking and only buying what you truly need, instead of what we all may have been guilty of....buying what we want whether we truly needed it or not...lol

I am sure you will see in time, it is all a matter of trial and error.

I like what Lucie said, it's about the color not the brand. If you are acheiving the desired results then hey by all means stick with it, but if not, then why not change it?

There is no law or secret FP creed saying you need to be loyal to only one brand.......that is unless they(the company) are paying you to be lololol.

pixieface wrote:Linda - do you not have that same problem with the dark green?

I don't think I've ever used the dark green fby it self on my face, but I have it split w/ yellow & use that for green leaves a lot & have not stained.

Put silver underneath.
Nothing will stain - I swear by it.
I am fish belly white and often use the inside of my arm to paint - I use dove soap and have never been stained - but then usually I wash off in the shower rather then just try to wash my arm.
I must say though I do go through a lot of silver using it for a base under strong colors.

I gotta say - there is merit to sticking with the same brand.
I can put out a product information sign with product ingrediants.
I can talk about my paint with confidense - don't have to remember which one was which brand and what colors in what brand stain etc
I have gotten a few events JUST based on the fact I use paradise paint and they have some lovely natural ingrediants. I always say it will wash off easily and compared to the bodgy face apints some use the are a dream to remove. I have never had anyone tell me they had problems getting it off... and I have gigs where the same kids come back whenever I am there, I had one dad tell me " hey you were right it came off so easy my wife loved me for it!"
I honestly think if I hadn't found this forum I would still be oblivious to any staining - it doesn't stain me or my daughter - and oblivious to anyone saying they didn't like the smell... as I have only found this here, no-one in my experience doesn't like the smell....
So I would say in 99% of cases paradise would be the best paint to use as an allrounder.
If you want to get DFX, Wolfe, Tag, Krolan, BenNYE, etc etc by all means go ahead, but it's alot more work for you if someone does have staining or a reaction to work out what you used on that person.
Since wework with soo many kids I think its important to be able to supply an ingrediant list so parents can check to see if there anaphilactic child can be painted.... how do you possibly do this with multiple brands?
No doubt Pixie will by other products..... those neons are impossible to say no to.... but starting out in one place rather then a little bit from everywhere I think is really smart.... but then I would it's exactly what I did....lmao

What great input! I think these opinions are so critical for someone starting out to consider.

Everyone here is a different artist -and therefore need different optimum situations to do their best work.

There is so much to be said for the right tool for the job -very well put. And I know the value of that. Therefore for "my job" having a "tool" of one line of paints to be fully familiar with, will help me be the very best face painter I can be starting out. I really don't expect to miss colors I've never used. I just wanted to ensure that some of the basic colors in Paradise weren't really as bad as all that. Comparatively maybe. But it's all about perspective isn't it?

Tash's point above is definitely one of the reasons I came to the decision I did. Every line had its pros and cons - correct, no one paint is right for everything it seems. So in addition to being able to tell parents definitively - here, this is what I use - the simplicity of knowing what paints I am using, where I get them from, how they work (until they change the formula), etc. will let me focus more on increasing my skill and marketing my business- not my kit- once the initial set up is together.

Oh trust me - I could SO BE a tackle tart!!!!!!!!!! (I just love that phrase). So I think it's critical for anyone reading this to understand that this is a self-imposed limitation I felt the need to create for myself as a business person. As Perry Noia has stated in this forum - you learn to work with what you have. You become a master of it. Time and budget demand this kind of focus from me or it'll become a long standing hobby. And oh man I so have enough of those already.

Now what I truly admire is those that have worked with what they had and built up their kits - gotten out there with a basic 8-color palette and went to it. I will confess I am insecure enough I want to get out there to start finding my volunteer gigs with a nice pretty laptop! Even though I know in theory I can do it with that basic snaz pallette. Now is that budget minded? Or smart? Heck no. And I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit it. But if it's what I need personally to ensure success, to make me feel confident to get out there, then it becomes essential to my personal plan. I may be new to face painting but I'm not new to being self-employed.

The great thing about how this thread developed is that anyone reading it after us can get some more emotional pieces of what personally they will feel more comfortable with to get out there and get going - this is gut feeling stuff, wisdom and experience talking! It's not the colors at a fundamental level, it's what gives each of us personal confidence to get out there and be proud of what we do and do it well.

I just love you gals and guys!

Update - I got all my stuff in! Yay! I feel so serious now

So, I bought 14 Paradise colors and 1 Prisma Cake (Fleur). That way my 12 basic colors would fit a palette then black, white and silver I'd keep separate. I already had black so picked up red, orange, yellow, mango, light pink, dark pink, light blue, lagoon blue, light green, dark green, wild orchid, violet, silver and white.

I was going to buy one "off brand product" and that was dfx white -but smaller sizes of dfx or wolfe white appear to be completely out right now from all sorts of suppliers. So I decided to try Paradise and just see if I could live with it.

Here are my thoughts:

I love love love every color except the yellow, mango and white. All three of these seem to disappear into the skin. White pops quite nicely though over other colors if I am careful, the paint is more thick than watery and I use a sable brush. I am getting used to those sables! I assume the other colors will as well if I were to do that.

I think I will be happy with mango though for tiger bases and those little girl crowns.

Red is perfectly acceptable as a spidey color imho. The orange is a nice dark pumpkin as opposed to a bright orange.

The violet and wild orchid are so close to each other I do wish I had skipped the violet and ordered another color like brown. Of course I am thinking of getting the most versatility out of my kit as possible with the smallest number of paints. Violet and Wild Orchid ARE different purples, just one would have been fine in my kit.

I skipped teal and amazon green as beautiful as they are because of the concern over these being just slightly harder to remove than some of the other colors. I don't think I'll miss them from my kit or designs from a strictly practical standpoint. Lagoon blue and light blue work very nicely together.

The silver will be nice for a base (and I have designs for that) but is a little - well - insipid as I expected from reviews. I wanted to get the silver mixing powder but Metina seems to be out of that - she only had gold so got that and I love that. I've mixed it with Mango and it's quite nice.

I am still going to get brown and grey to round out the kit. Luxury colors I still want to play with will be lime green, white metallic and metallic cherry bomb red.

I love the Fleur Prisma cake - very big compared to the DFX cakes and I can get two distinct one strokes out of them - flowers and leaves. The Mehron guide to what you can do with that cake has a nice dragon with the green side for it's tummy and pinks for scales. Very Puff The Magic Dragon like. I will get the Arc En Ciel to be able to do fire and again, have some other options in the cake - consider that a must have. I think after that I would like to have Cool and Shadow.

Finally I ended up going with the Wimex practice head - I used the hairspray trick and so far the only color that stained it (immediately) was Paradise black - I have tried alcohol, shaving cream and baking soda - nothing gets it out. I only left the paint on about 20-30 minutes while I took some pictures. Ah well, Esmeralda has been initiated. For practice I can use other colors instead of black.

Anyway that's the report. Hope it's helpful!