Face Paint Safety

I am new to face painting and I have some concerns about hygiene, allergic reactions, and painting around the eyes and mouth. So far, I am just practicing and testing out the paint on my own face. The first face paint set I bought was from palmer and it made me break out in hives after doing a patch test (I have sensitive skin). Not to mention, it STAINED. So, I made sure to throw that one out. I am considering making my own face paint (the cold cream, cornstarch, and food coloring recipe). I liked the idea that I could use all organic products. Has anyone tried this? Does it make for good paint? I did buy some Halloween face paint at a party store that has been working great for me (Phantom Frights?). Has anyone ever heard of this? I was concerned mainly because it was cheap, so I thought it would be cheaply made. However, it goes on well and washes off very easily. I'm not sure if I will be using it on the kids, yet. I want to research more about the ingredients. I am looking into ordering a good solid face paint set online. I don't want to end up using some cheapy paint on a kid's face that could give them a reaction. Another concern of mine is the eye and mouth areas. The paint that I am using doesn't have a warning label. I used it around my own eyes and mouth without any problems, though. Also, any advice how to properly sanitize brushes and sponges between faces would be really helpful. Would I wash them with antibacterial soap and hot water? I'm trying to learn this important information before my first 2 gigs this weekend! -Thanks

Hi! Welcome! When you have a chance, you will want to read back through old posts - there are literally years of valuable info here

I'm going to try to break down your post a bit so I can reply in sections....

GreenPainter wrote:I am new to face painting and I have some concerns about hygiene, allergic reactions, and painting around the eyes and mouth. So far, I am just practicing and testing out the paint on my own face. The first face paint set I bought was from palmer and it made me break out in hives after doing a patch test (I have sensitive skin). Not to mention, it STAINED. So, I made sure to throw that one out.

Patch test is a great idea (especially if you are concerned you might react), but just because one person reacts (or doesn't), doesn't mean that others will or won't.... That said, I don't use Palmer.

GreenPainter wrote: I am considering making my own face paint (the cold cream, cornstarch, and food coloring recipe). I liked the idea that I could use all organic products. Has anyone tried this? Does it make for good paint?

I think I read in your post in introductions that you might be involved with events at an organic farm? I can see the advantage of being able to use products you could say were organic, however I'm not sure how cold cream or food coloring would fit in there. I also don't know that any regular face paints are or aren't organic. You might want to contact manufacturers and find out. One advantage that you have if you use face paint is that they are tested as being approved for cosmetic use, and they do have preservatives in there to prevent bacterial growth. If you mix your own you will want to consider refrigeration and discard whatever is not used after a day.

GreenPainter wrote:I did buy some Halloween face paint at a party store that has been working great for me (Phantom Frights?). Has anyone ever heard of this? I was concerned mainly because it was cheap, so I thought it would be cheaply made. However, it goes on well and washes off very easily. I'm not sure if I will be using it on the kids, yet. I want to research more about the ingredients.

I have not used that brand, and have not heard (positive or negative) comments about it specifically. I would be interested to know what ingredients are in it. I tend to avoid the Halloween face paints, although I have purchased them in the past, I don't actually use them on anyone (now that I use actual face paints).

GreenPainter wrote:I am looking into ordering a good solid face paint set online. I don't want to end up using some cheapy paint on a kid's face that could give them a reaction.

Anything can give someone a reaction - if it is something they react to - even food coloring. The regular face paints give you ingredients you can show customers so that they can indicate if there is something they know they react to in it. They have also been tested for skin application for years, and are used regularly in the industry. For a source for face paint, check out Metina's link above to the Face Paint Forum Shop - she provides this forum.

GreenPainter wrote:Another concern of mine is the eye and mouth areas. The paint that I am using doesn't have a warning label. I used it around my own eyes and mouth without any problems, though.

Generally red pigments are to be avoided around the eyes, blue pigments around the lips. Warning labels might not be required if they are not above a certain percentage of pigment in the product. I wasn't sure if your opening statement was indicating concern of hygiene around lips and/or eyes but if that is the case, using a cotton tipped stick ("Q tip") would be a disposable option.

GreenPainter wrote:Also, any advice how to properly sanitize brushes and sponges between faces would be really helpful. Would I wash them with antibacterial soap and hot water? I'm trying to learn this important information before my first 2 gigs this weekend! -Thanks

Regular soap ie Ivory (or baby shampoo) is fine, I use one sponge per face/color and wash after the gig/event. If I can use fresh brushes on everyone and wash after I do, otherwise I wash and spritz with 70% alcohol and allow to dry fully between uses.

Hi and welcome!!
I think you will find this page very helpful in answering your questions http://www.snazaroo.us/safety.htm

I would NOT recommend making your own paints. You are more likely to run into skin reactions with untested materials for that purpose. Besides, cold cream is going to leave you with a very greasy, non-drying mess. Professional face paints dry nicely so that the kids can touch it and play and it stays put.

Halloween makeup will not give you the kind of results you see on this site. That's not to even imply that you would not be welcome, I just want you to know that you can't get the same results with that kind of stuff.

Thanks Noella and Perry for the advice. It was extremely helpful! I just called my local craft story and they carry Tulip brand face paint (which I hear is pretty good) and I have a coupon for 30% off, so I will go pick some up this afternoon. That way, I don't have to use the Halloween makeup. As far as making my own face paint, I think my friend and I are going to concoct some as a fun little project. However, I highly doubt I will use it any kids. I agree it is probably safer to use an FDA approved product. Thanks again for all your help!

GreenPainter,
Tulip brand paint is the same thing as DFX, Wolfe & TAG. It is made in the same factory in China. They all work pretty much the same(though I've not had a chance to try Tulip). All these paints work great, but are high pigment paint & do pose the potential for staining. Personally, I love them, but don't use them on fair skinned children. You may want to go w/ the gentlest paint out there, since you're working w/ people into the whole organic concept. Snazaroo would be a great choice(not my favorite paint, but perfect for what you want).
I've seen homemade face paints in action & home remedy organic paints. They work horribly, stain & often hold ingredients that are more likely to cause a reaction(there's a reason face paints go through all the same testing as cosmetics).

Whatever you buy, keep the MSDS forms on hand, but don't post them. This way you can show them if asked for.

I don't get why people think Snazaroo is a good choice. I'm currently looking into ingredient lists for various brands because I want to get started in face painting and I am very concerned about exposing children to harmful chemicals. Snazaroo has lead, cobalt and nickel in their ingredients.
http://www.safecosmetics.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Pretty-Scary.pdf

not everyone has necessarily seen that article, as it deals with many of the cheaper, novelty face paints, which professional face painters don't use. it is alarming that snazaroo had such high limits, and it does show that other professional brands like wolfe, and 2 professional brands made in the US, mehron and ben nye, also showed some contamination. perhaps some of the ingredients are sourced outside the US, china being a big producer of cosmetic ingredients.

ruby red is a newer professional face paint brand made in the US, if you want to avoid products from overseas. however, most professional face paint brands have preservatives to prevent microbial growth. some have botanical ingredients, and many have paraffin.

there are several brands of organic face paints out now, you can Google them. i have not tried them, but the main difference is the colors are more earth toned and muted, due to the natural pigments.

the best way to evaluate the risk of professional face paints, i think, is to realize that any given child will probably only have their face painted a few times a year, so their exposure to face paint ingredients will be very limited.

they will have much greater, repeated exposure to similar ingredients in soap, shampoo, toothpaste, lotion, food, water, etc in everyday life.

hello