Building my starter kit

Hi - I'm new to face painting and the forum and am just starting to build my kit. I have some Wolfe and Snazaroo paints (all in classic colours, black and white) and am debating my next purchase. I'm wondering which of the following you would recommend as a good "next" purchase (I will be working on kids mostly):

- Snazaroo Sparkling Colours
- Metallics
- Blend/One-stroke Cakes

I was also wondering, for the Canadians out there, where you get your supplies? (Other than Michaels - I've already been there for my brushes ) I've seen some Canadian online shops for face paints but they are very expensive...do you order from Canada, the US or the UK?

Thanks so much!!!

I order from the States most of the time just because the prices are so much cheaper and the selection can be so much better. You have to watch shipping costs and remember sometimes you get dinged with duty at the border and then you don't save anything after all.
I use lots of snaz sparkles and I love the large paradise prisma cakes, actually any splits, the tag one strokes are brilliant because of the length. Metina has great selection here in the facepaintforumshop
Remember you don't need as much as we all carry, it's the practicing and learning to use each brand that makes the art wonderful.

The Face Paint Forum shop has great fast shipping & Metina's prices are great. She does ship to Canada. There's a link to the shop at the top of the Forum/page.
I love the new TAG paints she just got & the prices can't be beat! Paradise is a little gentler for young kids skin. Snaz is the gentlest, but looks a little dull for my liking.

Thanks so much for the quick responses.
I'm going to be placing an order with the forum shop soon - I love the items Metina carries - I think I need help scaling down my list which is why I am stuck deciding between these three items
I am going to order the TAG neon rainbow cake and some DFX paint with one of the three items listed above so I can try a variety of brands.
I like the paradise cakes but I'm a little concerned about the complaints some people have had about the smell. Also, I read on one of the posts that there is cocoa bean in that particular paint - wouldn't that cause a reaction with kids who have nut allergies.?

I don't know about buying supplies in Canada, but I would recommend at least one rainbow cake. My most popular design is the (metallic) rainbow butterfly. It's quick, easy and impressing. You can do some impressive quick things with rainbow cakes and one-strokes but don't go crazy and get them all unless you can afford it! Plus, you might think about making some of your own after you get a taste of using them.

Metalics are fun, but not really necessary unless you can afford them.

Here's the metalic rainbow I use:
http://www.facepaintforumshop.com/servlet/the-421/TAG-Pearl-Rainbow/Detail

and here's a picture:

@ Brandi,

I use almost all paradise, and I regularly paint two kids with nut allergies (my little cousin and my friend's niece). Neither of them have had reactions to it. I was worried at first because the little girl's allergies are horrible. She is so allergy prone that her mom has to carry around an epi pen. But she has never had a reaction to it. Oh, and the smell is great too!

I definately recommend getting at least a couple blendy cakes... a rainbow, a leaf colored one, and maybe one for doing quick flowers. You can do soooo much with just those. And I agree with Gina, the Metallics are nice, but not essential, plus they cost a little more. I've not used the Snaz sparkle colors as I'm not generally a big fan of snaz, but I do like the color the give in swatches and have been debating getting a few myself just to give Snaz a second chance... but that will have to come when I have money

Yeah Metina is really good with fast shipping. I like Paradise paint alot. It smells so tropical and it has a soft quality that's cool for blending and stuff. I just recently got some DFX paint which I am loving for it's bolder quality. It is very similar to Wolfe but you get more for your money.

I like the ease with which paradise blends too. Wolfe and DFX are little more difficult due to their high wax content and how fast they dry, but they're not impossible to blend, it just takes practice. I have several Mehron Pro-sized cakes just for covering the whole face in full faces, it's a lighter makeup and more confortable over larg areas, especially for the little kids.

I'm sold! I will have to try the paradise - I love anything that smells tropical and now that I know kids with nut allergies don't react to them (thank you pjhamel) I will have to give them a try!!!. I think I will order some split cakes - does anyone know which sized brush is best with them? 3/4" or 1"?
Thanks so much for all your help everyone! I love this forum!!

Gina - I am thinking about getting the Neon TAG rainbow and the DFX rainbow mini (for rainbows on arms and across the forehead etc.) Do you think the TAG Pearl rainbow is better than the TAG Neon? Thank you:)

I think it is good to have both size brushes to experiment with and give you more design options. I think you will really like Paradise. And yes, this forum is so awesome.

I was also wondering what everyone uses for gold (for a character like Ironman) and silver (for machine characters or Transformers)?
Thanks again!!!

Brandi Cameron wrote:Gina - I am thinking about getting the Neon TAG rainbow and the DFX rainbow mini (for rainbows on arms and across the forehead etc.) Do you think the TAG Pearl rainbow is better than the TAG Neon? Thank you:)

They are very different. I would go with the pearl first if you only want to buy one. The neon isn't as opaque and there is a warning on the neons because of the ingredients they use to make them glow under black light. You can read about the warning here:
http://www.facepaintforum.com/t3292-new-neon-paint-labeling

Oh, I don't have the TAG neon because Metina was out. I have the DFX neon.

Gold and silver are nice accent colors for almost any design. They can be used for eye designs, swords, helmets, crowns, you name it. Here are a few designs that I use gold and silver with...

Really old pic of a sword... but you get the idea... And a plane both for the boys, lol


Fireworks...


Eye designs that can go with any outfit... (again, REALLY old pic.. lol)


I can't find pics of my crowns right this second, but you get the idea. Of all the metallics, gold and silver are my most used.

I agree gold and silver are the 2 Metallic colors that you can't go wrong with. Although I honestly don't like them in Paradise brand. Not as bold. Maybe in Wolfe.

Punky I love the photos! - what brand do you use?

Thanks so much Tanya - I don't think the forumshop has Wolfe - do you think DFX would be a good comparable?

From what I hear DFX is very similar to Wolfe and is even made in the same factory. It is bolder than Paradise. I get frustrated with the Paradise gold because I have to layer it to make it pop.

Hi Brandi!! I am in Ontario also, and let me tell you, Metina's shipping is incredibly superfast and her prices are amazing. I'm not sure where you are in Ontario, but if you happen to be near a Curry's Art Supply Store, they carry a limited selection of Snazaroo paints for very low prices also. www.currys.com

Just to confuse you even further about rainbows LOL...

I prefer the DFX neon rainbow over the TAG neon rainbow - it seems to have more "pop" and seems (to me) to be brighter. However, the DFX does have the labelling that looks scary while the TAG does not have the same warning on its label.

If you are going to get a DFX rainbow mini, I would go for the neon. I had a regular one first but then bought a neon one, and I won't go back to the regular ones. I love the neon!! However, it got used up really fast. So now I am using the TAG neon rainbow one-stroke cake which is a much better value - you get a lot more paint (30 grm instead of 10 grm) and it is easier to use in the rectangular container - but as I said, just doesn't seem to be as bright to me.

I love the TAG pearl rainbow however the green and purple tend to linger on my skin a little (even with my new washing method). But it's so beautiful, it's worth it.

Yep, I agree that gold and silver are very useful. I use TAG and I do love them.

DEFINATELY do not go with Paradise for metallics... what ever you do! As awesome as a brand Paradise is, it just falls flat on its face when it comes to Metallics. Paradise's metallics are a dull, crumbly, inconsistent mess. I've tried them twice, and both times was utterly unimpressed.

Something is wrong with the recipe that Paradise uses or something because the paints are not smooth... as far as consistency and texture, it's like trying to paint with baking soda (minus the clean smell). That causes the coverage to be splotchy at best. Like Tanya said, if you want coverage you have to layer it on a good 3-4 times to make it look halfway decent, meaning you use more paint and that comes straight out of your pocket.

I use DFX and Wolf for my metallics. Both are great brands, but I tend to like the DFX colors just a hair better. They are the smoothest brand for metallics that I personally have come across and the coverage can't be beat.

Paradise essentials and Tag Pearls

Thanks so much everyone!!!

I also love dfx and tag metallic/pearls