Acrylic paint is such a great option for so many different projects, and its uses are quite versatile. It is a great medium for hobbyists, beginners, and professionals alike, and it is readily available too!
However, there are some limits to how you can use acrylic paint. It is great for canvases and objects of all kinds, but this isn’t so true when it comes to your face!
Can you use acrylic paint on your face? While acrylic paint is non-toxic, it is not recommended to be used on your face. It is water-based, but this does not mean that it is not going to be irritating or harmful to your skin. It is also likely to crack and flake off of your skin.
If you are considering using acrylic paint as face paint, or are unsure of the risks, keep reading to find out whether or not it is okay, and the best paint to use for face painting!
Using Acrylic Paint On Your Face
Acrylic paint is non-toxic and water-based, two things that are considered to be good for face painting, but this does not mean that you should use acrylic paint on your face.
The chemical makeup of acrylic paint is not harsh, and if you get some paint on your hand while painting a canvas, nothing should happen unless you have certain allergies. With that said, the problem with wearing acrylic paint on your face is that it will be left to absorb for a longer time, and the skin on your face is often more sensitive than the rest of your body.
There are other chemicals in acrylic paint that aren’t necessarily toxic, but which are not great for your skin. Those who have sensitive skin might experience irritation and breakouts when using acrylic paint on their face, which is never enjoyable.
Another reason to avoid using acrylic paint on your face is that you will have to take it off at some point. Being water-based, acrylic paint is fairly easy to remove, but once it dries, it might take some scrubbing to get it off.
Acrylic paint was not designed to be removed so easily when dried, and you might have to scrub away at your face to remove the paint, which can be really damaging and painful on your skin.
There are some great face paints on the market that you could use instead of acrylic paint, which will be gentler on your skin, and which can be removed much easier.
Is Acrylic Paint Safe For Your Face?
The consensus is that you should not use acrylic paint on your face, but it is also true that some people might be able to use acrylic paint on their face with little issue.
Those with sensitive skin will definitely experience some irritation and redness if the acrylic paint contains chemicals that could irritate, and when taking the paint off of their face. It may also simply leave your skin dry and uncomfortable.
However, normal skin might not experience this at all, and only feel some irritation when removing the paint from the face.
Everyone’s skin reacts differently, and it is definitely not advised to use acrylic paint on children’s faces or those who have sensitive skin.
Certain skin ailments can make the effect that acrylic paint has even worse, such as eczema, acne, or rashes. Allergies can also flare when the skin is in contact with the paint.
Acrylic paint will most likely be much gentler on the skin than oil-based paints, but they were not designed to be used on the skin, so they should not be used this way!
Which Paints Are Safe For Your Face?
Body paints are incredibly popular, and because of this, there are so many different types of body and face paints available. Some are ideal just for party face painting, and others are specialized to be used for certain effects. We have another article listing our favorite paints for face painting, with specific products, for you to check out as well.
With the number of different types of face paints available, there really is no reason to use acrylic paint on your face! Here are the different types of body and face paints that are available, all great for different uses.
Water-Based Face Paints
Water-based face paints are possibly the safest option to use on your face and body. They have been designed to be gentle on the skin and to be easily removed using warm water.
This type of paint contains fewer chemicals that might irritate the skin, and there should be little reaction when they are worn. You also should not need to scrub the paint off, as water should remove it easily.
The one problem with this type of paint is that, as it is water-based, it does dry and crack up over time as the water evaporates. This causes it to flake off and rub off easily, so it is not suited for professional use, and should just be used for some fun face painting.
Face Paint Markers
Face paint markers are such fun to work with. They are made with skin-safe paint but come in marker form to be easy to apply. They are safe for kids to use too, and make it easy for them to come up with their own face painting designs.
These are non-toxic and gentle on the skin and come in a wide range of colors to experiment with.
Latex Body Paint
Latex body paint is most often used by costume designers and cosplayers and is great to use for special effects.
It is a great option to create different effects and textures, but it does take some time to learn how to work with it properly. It does not leave any residue behind and can be removed from the skin easily.
While latex body paint is designed to be used on the skin, many people suffer from latex allergies, so you need to make sure you are not allergic to latex, otherwise using latex body paint can be quite an unfortunate experience! Latex body paint should also not be used in high heat environments.
Alcohol-Based Body Paint
Alcohol-based body paint is used in special effects and holds up well in hot environments and under sun exposure. It is waterproof paint, so it will stay on even if you get a little bit wet.
The benefit of the paint being waterproof is that it will not crack or dry as you sweat or as the moisture evaporates out, and this means your look will last for longer.
The downside of this is that it is not very easy to remove, and does need to be removed with rubbing alcohol. This can be quite irritating when used on your skin, and you do need to be careful not to get the rubbing alcohol near your eyes.
Metallic Face Paint
Metallic face paint is absolutely stunning and you are able to create some amazing looks using it! There are metallic face paints that are safe to use on the skin, but you do need to choose this paint with caution.
Some contain chemicals that might be harmful to your skin, so make sure to only pick out high-quality metallic face paints that have good reviews.
Henna
If you are looking for longer-lasting paint for your skin, henna is a good option. It is a special paint used in special events, and when painted onto the skin, it temporarily dyes the skin. The paint comes from a certain plant dye that leaves behind a brown or red stain.
Henna is safe to use on the skin and should not cause any reaction unless you have allergies to it. Once stained, the paint will fade over time, and exfoliating the skin can help remove it faster.
There is not much color variation from using henna, so that is something to consider.
Testing Face Paint
It is a good idea to test out face paint before applying it to your face. The best way to do this is to apply a small amount of the paint to a small section of your skin, such as on your hand or your wrist. Wait a few minutes for the paint to dry, and then remove it with water or however is recommended.
Look for any signs of irritation or redness, and if the paint felt uncomfortable on your skin, then it is best to avoid using it on your face.
If the paint does not irritate, you can go on and test a small section of your face and see if it is fine when applied there too. Doing this before applying a full face of face paint means you won’t be left with red and inflamed skin.
Can You Use Acrylic Paint On Your Body?
Facial skin tends to be more sensitive than the skin on the rest of the body, and for this reason, it is not advised to place acrylic paint onto your face, but you might be able to get away with acrylic paint being used on the rest of your body.
It is always better to use body paint or face paint on your skin, but if you are stuck and don’t have many other options, you could always test it out to see how acrylic paint might affect your skin. Paint a small section of acrylic paint on your hand and see how it fairs.
Other than it possibly causing irritation, acrylic paint does not work well as body paint either, as it cracks and can be painful to remove. It might not cause any irritation when painted on, but removing it might be a different story!
How Do You Remove Acrylic Paint From Skin?
If you have painted your skin with some acrylic paint, you might find it a little difficult to remove. You obviously do not want to scrub away at your skin, as this can be damaging and painful, but you also can’t walk around with paint all over.
Water-based face paints are designed to be removed easily and can be washed away with some water. While acrylic paint is also water-based, it is a little more difficult to remove, as it contains other chemicals too.
Here is how to remove acrylic paint from your skin:
- Place a face cloth into a sink of warm water, and dab it around on the paint.
- Once moistened, try to gently wipe the paint away using the face cloth, rinsing it off in the sink filled with warm water when some paint is removed.
- If this is not working, use a gentle soap to try to remove the paint, by adding some soap onto the facecloth before wiping at your skin.
- Repeat this until the paint is all removed.
It might take quite a while to remove all of the paint this way, and you might have to scrub a little bit harder in some areas, but make sure not to scrub too hard that you hurt your skin and cause any damage.
If you are really battling to remove the paint from your skin, you could dab some baby oil or olive oil onto the paint on your skin and leave it for a few minutes. After waiting a few minutes, you can try to wipe away at the paint with a damp face cloth.
The oil should help to loosen the paint from your skin and should make it easier to wipe away. Just make sure to only use oil that will not harm your skin.
Turning Acrylic Paint Into Face Paint
When you are out of options, there is a way to turn acrylic paint into face paint. There is still a risk that the paint might irritate your skin, but it will lessen the risk slightly and make the acrylic paint more suitable for your skin.
To do this, you need to pour some of the acrylic paint into a container. An egg carton works well to hold individual colors.
Next, add in some lotion or moisturizer to the acrylic paint. This should be a gentle, skin-nourishing moisturizer that you have used before.
Use a paintbrush or teaspoon to mix the acrylic paint and the moisturizer together. This can then be tested on your skin in a small section to see if you have any reactions.
Adding moisturizer to the paint makes it a little gentler for your skin, and helps to water down the chemicals a little more.
You could also apply a thin layer of moisturizer to your skin before painting your face with the acrylic paint and moisturizer mixture, to further protect it, and to make it easier to remove the paint when you are done.
Related Questions
Does acrylic paint wash out of clothes?
Acrylic paint is water-based, and due to this, you can often rinse the paint out of clothes using cold water if you have not left the paint to dry.
If the paint has dried before you try to wash it out, you can apply hairspray to the paint to break it up, and then try to rinse it off with some water and detergent.
Is acrylic paint waterproof?
Acrylic paint is not waterproof. It is slightly water-resistant when dry, but it is water-based paint, so enough water will see the paint washing away.
Will acrylic paint dye my hair?
Acrylic paint will not dye your hair because it will wash away quickly. It will also dry out your hair, and the chemicals in the acrylic paint can cause your hair to become damaged too.
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