Hygiene questions

I've read here that some people use a different brush for each child. I can't picture how that would work. Even a new sponge for each child seems a lot to me. If you are doing a PPF for 6 hrs (the length of an average market around here) isn't that a huge amount? Don't most faces need more then one brush, sometimes more then one sponge?

Is it really necessary? What can I do till I can afford all the extra bits and pieces.

Depends on your local health regulations. I have to as we have the most strict health regulations specifically mentioning face painting that anyone has heard of.

I have a selection of brushes with multiples of my favourites - they have to be cleaned and sanitized, and dry completely before I reuse them. And sponges are cheap... not a big deal to buy some to cut up and use. They are used on one person then put in a bucket of water to be washed later.

It really is not that big a deal.

If your local health regulations don't stipulate you can make your own call... lots of people use one brush and sponge per colour all day... not something that I would want to be painted with, but...

I am on a forum for models, photgraphers and makeup artists, and I was chuckling the other day as several of them were flipping out because someone dropped a brush, and then tried to use it on them, ditto an eye brow pencil.

It is funny to me the extreme range of attitudes toward the sanitation issue. As face painters we are just lucky because in MOST states, we sneak in somehow, I imagine because we seem "Harmless". I know, if you read the state regulations in Florida, we certainly DO fall into the category that SHOULD require training and a state license... but I know of NO ONE, including the theme parks that requires that. (If any of you have worked in the parks, please correct me if I am wrong about that.) So, obviously we fall into a loophole.

Yet, in many ways, we are putting more product on a face in one day than the average makeup artist does, with no (Formal) training in hygiene and so on.

Note- I am NOT taking a side or pointing a finger, just that I think it is interesting. I was a theatrical makeup artist for years, with little formal state sanctioned training, but now as I am revisiting that side of things, I am leaning toward at LEAST taking an aestethician course to be "legal" and have the potential of doing other things in similar genre's.

In my area, the NORM is one songe per color and use the same brushes all day long. I pretend I am a neighbor of Shannon's and paint the way she does in terms of hygiene. YES, I buy a ton of sponges, and buy my brushes by the hundred pack.... But, the cost per brush is minimal, and I am pleased. And in the end, unless someone is forcing you to do something legally- what matters is are you and your customers ok with the standard of protection you are offering them and their children- right?

I like the way Shannon put it at the end of her post... Would I/you want to have makeup, facial, hair cut or other similar non-medical non-invasive service done on me/us, using tools that had been used on 50 other people that day without sterilizing and cleaning? Not for me, but that's me..

I use the same brushes all day with thorough rinsing in between and one sponge per person with rinsing between colours. This is more about saving my water than preventing spreading anything because as soon as your brush or sponge touches their face, anything would go into your water.

The truth is, there are ingredients in your paint that prevent germs from surviving on your paints. And the children are just as likely to catch each other's germs standing in line waiting for their turn as from your brush or sponge. You aren't sticking your brush up their nose, but they are sticking their fingers up their nose and touching each other... they are kids.

If you do choose to sterilize brushes in between, be aware that you need to make sure that any cleaning solutions are THOROUGHLY rinsed off and they dry in between uses before reusing or all of your efforts could make things worse rather than better by getting soap or alcohol into some kid's eyes or on sensitive skin. The water you use with your paints directly should be completely clean water with nothing added to it for the safety of the kids and the paints.

I work more often as a makeup artist for TV/photography etc than as a face painter - and I was trained with sanitation, so I have certain habits (and I don't *want* to break them).... until I spent time here, my brushes never touched product that wasn't on a stainless steel palette/knife. I used to scoop out a portion of the paint colour I wanted (Wolfe/Kryolan etc), and mix it with water on my palette. A sponge was use once, then garbage, grab a new one.

I've relaxed into my current mode with water based paints which is where a brush only touches product when it was clean and dry as I picked it up. After a brush/sponge touches a child, it doesn't go back into product (unless it is on a stainless steel palette/knife). And I wash sponges now. I couldn't use split cakes till I got to that point with willing to have brushes/sponges touch product - I used to multi load yes, but split cakes are so much easier/faster/better!

I'm probably also extreme with my water - I have water to use with product (distilled) that is in a dropper bottle, spray bottle or menda bottle - that's what the brushes/sponges get dipped in - then after I'm done using a brush on a child it gets washed out (with water obtained on site) in a small stainless steel bowl - that gets dumped into the used sponge bucket when it looks just slightly murky. This keeps my water fresh (and me happy).

@ Leapinglizzard, where do you purchase the 100 pack brushes?

DickBlick.com

Like Noella, I add distilled water to my cakes. I use a 4 oz squeeze bottle and add by the drop as needed. I never dip a brush in water to wet it, the water is added to the cake. Same with sponges. They are dry, the paint is wet.

I do not use a new brush for each child. However; I do add brush bath to my water and like always rinse each brush after each use. I purchased by brush bath on Sillyfarm.com ($8 each) you only need a drop or two per bucket.
You can also get an extra bucket and clean each sponge after each child if you like.
I have never had a complaint from a parent or customer (young or old)
Good Luck!