Face paint is a medium that is perfect for anything from kid’s parties and Halloween costumes to cosplay conventions and professional SFX makeup. There is face paint to use for some fun at home with the kids, or for professional sets. You just need to know which is the right face paint to use.
If you have ever used face paint before, you know that you cannot just go out and purchase any old pot of paint and brush it onto your skin. You wouldn’t just risk flaky, melty, or patchy paint, but skin irritation as well.
So, what are the best paints for face painting? The best paints for face painting are non-toxic and made specifically to be used on the skin. These will not contain any harsh chemicals that would irritate your skin and will have vibrant and opaque color. They should be easy to wash off unless you need water-resistant paint for all-day wear.
From professional face painting palettes to some fun and easy-to-use paints for dress-up parties, we’ll introduce you to our top 7 products on the market for various purposes. Read on to find the best paint for you!
What Kind of Paint Can You Use on Your Face?
It is important that the only kind of paint you use on your face is paint that has been designed specifically to be used on the skin. These are mostly water-based paints that are easy to apply and easy to wash off, without containing harsh chemicals that could harm or irritate the skin.
However, if you need something that will last for hours or even throughout the day, you’ll want paint that is resistant to sweat and oil that builds up on your skin.
There are also oil-based face paints that are used for professional body art and for SFX. These offer beautiful, long-lasting finishes, but need to be removed using makeup remover or a safe solvent. These oil-based paints are still made to be used on the skin and are therefore safe to use.
While you might be tempted to use the pot of acrylic paint sitting in the cupboard instead of buying proper face paint, don’t do it. Other types of paint will be difficult to remove from the skin, will flake and crack, won’t last as long, and will definitely cause irritation!
Buyer’s Guide – Paint for Face Painting
Not all face paints are made equal, so understanding exactly what you want from face paint will help you choose the paints which are best for you. To better understand what you want, here are some considerations to keep in mind.
1. Purpose
There are many different occasions where one might need face paint, and there are different face paints created to meet the needs of these occasions.
Determine what type of face paint you need by considering how you will be using it. Do you need basic face paint for costume parties? Do you need kid-friendly face paint to use at home or at your child’s school? Or do you need something more professional for cosplay or theatre performances?
Brighter palettes and face paints suitable for sensitive skin are best for kid’s face paint, and any casual occasion that calls for a pop of color, such as heading to a sports game.
Professional face paints, and those meant for cosplay, are usually more organized and come either in water-based or alcohol and oil-activated paints, which last longer when you are out and about.
2. Type of Face Paint
Face paint comes in a few different forms, such as in pans, pens, and pots. Most of the time, how the paints are presented and stored doesn’t affect the end results, but if you like instant paint without having to mix in just the right amount of water, pots would be best for you.
Paint in the form of pans and cakes is popular and needs a wet sponge or brush to activate the paint before it can be used.
Paint pens are super suitable for kids, as they cause very little mess and you don’t need any sponges or brushes. They are also a great option for when you just need a bit of color for a sports game or dress-up.
3. Ease of Removal
Water-based paints are the easiest to remove. Just some water and a damp towel can wipe it all away. This is ideal for costumes and for kids. Oil-based face paints require makeup remover or a suitable solvent to remove the oils away, but they last much longer.
4. Color Palette
There is a huge range of colors to choose from, but you will need to choose paints that come in colors that you will need the most. Some can be mixed together to create new colors, but it does help to choose a palette with a good selection.
The 7 Best Paints for Face Painting
These are our top picks for face paints which will see to a range of different needs, whether you want something professional or face paints to keep the kids entertained!
| Rank | Product | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | CCbeauty Professional Face Paint | Oil-based, 12 colors, 10 brushes |
| 2. | Face Paint Kit For Kids | Safe for sensitive skin, 15 colors, 60 stencils |
| 3. | UCANBE Athena Face Paint Oil Palette | Oil-based, 20 colors, full coverage |
| 4. | Blue Squid Face Paint Crayons For Kids | Made for sensitive skin, 36 colors |
| 5. | NYX Professional Makeup SFX Cream Color | Full-coverage, blendable, SFX-grade |
| 6. | Handy Art Primary Face Paint Kit | For sensitive skin, long-lasting, 6 colors |
| 7. | Snazaroo Face Paint Palette Kit | Long-lasting, full-coverage, 8 colors |
1. CCbeauty Professional Face Paint
The CCbeauty Professional Face Paint set is made for those who take their body painting seriously, and who want a quality product that allows for a long-lasting finish and brighter colors.
These oil-based paints are easy to apply and smooth onto the skin beautifully. The paints are oil-based, non-toxic, and safe to use on the body.
An incredible palette of colors contains 12 beautifully pigmented paints which give perfect coverage. Included with the paint set are 10 paintbrushes with different size tips.
Mix the colors together to get a specific shade, or use the gold or silver paint for extra accents and highlights. This set will give you flawless applications and help you create some amazing looks with ease. The kit has all you need to get started!
2. Face Paint Kit For Kids
This is the ultimate face paint kit for kids, or for when you need a reliable face paint set for costume parties or Halloween!
The kit has all you need to give yourself or others endless face paint looks and is safe to use on sensitive skin.
There are 15 bright and vibrant colors in the kit, which give great coverage and which can be mixed together.
There are also 60 reusable stencils, 3 brushes, 2 different color glitter powders, 2 sponges, 2 chalk hair colors, and an added face paint book with instructions for over 30 face paint looks!
The water-activated paints are safe and gentle on all skin types. They are non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and fragrance-free. You simply need to add a few drops of water to the paints to activate them, and get painting!
3. UCANBE Athena Face Paint Oil Palette
The UCANBE Athena Face Paint Oil Palette contains 20 vibrant colors, as well as essential shades such as black and white. The paints are ideal for SFX, costume parties, festivals, cosplay, and full-body painting.
All the colors can be easily blended to create unique shades and blends, to suit every look you are after.
The paints are moist and soft and go onto the skin like a smooth cream. Sitting comfortably on the skin, the paints still provide full coverage and vibrant colors.
The semi-soft paint is safe and gentle on the skin and can be removed using a makeup removing solution.
With 20 large paints in the set, including black and white, these oil-based paints go onto the skin beautifully and last for ages once dry. You can achieve almost any look you are after using this one set!
4. Blue Squid Face Paint Crayons for Kids
Face paint crayons are ideal to use on kids and at kid’s parties. The Face Paint Crayons for Kids from Blue Squid are some of the best you can use, and will help create many happy little faces!
Most importantly, the face paint crayons are safe to use on sensitive skin, being hypoallergenic, and non-toxic. You can be sure that the paints are suitable to be used on children’s skin.
The crayons come in large, bright colors that offer excellent coverage. Even though they are kid’s crayons, they are cosmetic grade, and help to create beautiful face-painted masterpieces, with little effort!
There are 36 face paint sticks in the set, with 8 of them being metallic colors, and 28 being vibrant classic colors. As easy as the paint crayons are to apply to the face, they are just as easy to remove. Some mild soap and water will wipe away the face paint, not leaving any residue behind.
With the purchase of these paint crayons, you will have free access to step-by-step videos on how to paint like a pro!
5. NYX Professional Makeup SFX Cream Color
If you are wanting to build up a professional body paint and makeup set, the NYX Professional Makeup SFX Cream is a must-have.
You will have to build the kit by purchasing each color, but it really is a quality product that will give you incredible results.
The NYX SFX Cream was designed for body art and special effects makeup. With pumped-up pigments, the cream paint imparts extreme, full coverage, and blendable cover that helps to create the most incredible looks.
The opaque shades in the collection are ultra-creamy and blendable, allowing you to create just about any look you want. As professional as body paint gets, these cream colors will take your body art to the next level, and you will very quickly fall in love with the flawless results they help you to achieve!
6. Handy Art Primary Face Paint Kit
You never know when you might need a splash of face paint, and the Handy Art Primary Face Paint Kit is the ideal set to keep at home for when this need arises!
Whether you are heading out to support your favorite sports team and need some lines of color on your face, or have a theme party to attend, this kit will give you the basics you need!
The paints are specially formulated for the skin and are paraben and fragrance-free, so are suitable to be used on sensitive skin too.
The bright opaque colors have a creamy consistency, making them wonderfully easy to apply to the skin. The color pops once dry and lasts for quite some time! You can simply wash the face paint away with some soap and warm water, with no residue being left behind.
Choose between the 6 pack of primary colors, or the 6 pack of secondary colors, or both to form a complete set!
7. Snazaroo Face Paint Palette Kit
Snazaroo makes wonderful face paints, and their Face Paint Palette Kit is perfect to keep at home for when the kids want to be creative or have a party to attend.
The paints are designed and made using cosmetic-grade ingredients, which contain strong pigments to deliver vibrant colors and total coverage which last all day long.
There are 8 colors included in this kit, which can be blended together to make unique shades. The paints give a matte appearance once dried.
All the paints are skin-safe and have been specially formulated to be friendly on the most delicate of skin. Reviewed by independent dermatologists and toxicologists, you can trust that the paints are safe for your little one’s skin. They are all fragrance-free too, so they will not irritate the skin either!
Being water-based, the paints are easy to apply and easy to remove. Simply add a few drops of water to the color you want to use to activate the paint, and you can start applying it to the skin with a brush or sponge.
When done, wipe away the paint with some warm water and mild soap. Forget having to scrub the skin or use harsh soaps to remove the paint; it slides off easily and leaves no residue behind.
Ideal for kids, and when you need a pop of color, this set is a wonderful choice!
Related Questions
Can You Use Acrylic Paint on the Face?
While you can technically use acrylic paint on your face, it is not a good idea at all, and it is highly recommended that you do not.
Acrylic paints can contain chemicals and toxins that can irritate the skin and even cause long-term damage. Some acrylic paints are labeled as non-toxic, but this does not mean that they are safe to use on your face.
You will also have a difficult time removing the acrylic paint from your skin without scrubbing and hurting yourself.
What Is the Safest Type of Face Paint for the Skin?
Water-based face paints are probably the safest for the face. These are usually suitable for sensitive skin and do not contain harsh ingredients that could irritate the skin. Once done, these are easy to remove using some warm water and mild soap.
Good water-based face paints are non-toxic, non-allergenic, and fragrance-free. This means they are safe to use for children as well.
What Do I Need in My Face Paint Set?
If you are wanting to start face painting at parties or events, you will need to have a face painting kit. Some of the essentials you need include face paints, different size face paint brushes, sponges, plastic cups for water, a face cloth, a portable mirror or two, and some added accents like glitter or rhinestones.
You could also keep some step-by-step face painting instruction books or stencils to make the process easier at first.
What Are Some Helpful Tips for Face Painting?
If you’re excited to try face painting but you don’t really know where to start when it comes to using face paints, here’s a helpful video from the Elsa Rhae & Barron channel on YouTube discussing some face paint tips for beginners!
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