Supplies For Face Painting (Everything You Need)

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Want to have a fun party activity at your kid’s next birthday or costume party? Then face painting may be the right option. Face painting is a fun way to keep kids entertained. It can also quickly turn grown-ups into fun-loving partygoers when they get the paint on their faces too!

For a birthday party or Halloween costume, start with a few simple designs you can practice beforehand. You don’t need a large kit for a small family activity. A professional painter may be a better choice for a busy event with lots of guests.

The essentials are cosmetic face paint, a few clean brushes or makeup sponges, clean water if the paint requires it, and the right supplies for removal. Stencils and glitter are optional. Buy for the designs you plan to paint, rather than collecting every tool on this list.

Below, you’ll find what each supply does, what you can skip, and what to check before using it on skin. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

1. Face Paints

Choose paint labeled for cosmetic use on the face or body, and read its directions, age guidance, ingredients, and application restrictions. “Non-toxic” on a craft paint bottle does not mean it is intended for skin.

Follow the label’s restrictions for eyes and lips. A product or color suitable for one area may not be suitable for another. The FDA’s face-paint guidance recommends using only products intended for skin and checking unfamiliar makeup on a small area of the arm a couple of days before applying it to the face. That check does not guarantee there will be no reaction.

Water-activated palettes are one option for simple designs. The linked Diamond FX regular palette contains twelve 6-gram colors and two brushes; the Wolfe Pearl mini palette contains six 5-gram colors and a brush. The regular palette offers a broader starting color selection, while the pearl palette adds metallic shades. Check the exact variant and its package directions before buying or using either.

Plan removal before you start, and remove makeup before bed. Follow the paint’s own removal directions; not every formula washes off the same way.

Here are some recommendations:

Diamond FX 12 Color Palette – Check Current Price On Amazon
Wolfe F/X Mini Appetizer Pearl Palette- Check Current Price On Amazon

When it comes to colors, there are a few basics that you should get:

White paint, which is great for line work and outlines
Black paint, which is good for detail
A palette with primary colors will work wonders in most instances and usually saves you some money.
Metallic colors to make your design pop.
Neon colors are optional. The FDA says fluorescent cosmetic colors are not approved for use near the eyes; check the intended use of each shade before choosing a design.
Split cakes, which are basically palettes without the dividers between the colors. There are split cakes that you can use with sponges to create fun multi-color designs or smaller split cakes that will work with a flat brush using the one-stroke technique.

2. Brushes

Brushes are not just tools to transfer the colors from the pan to your face; they are also quite useful to help you create different designs and textures as well. You can also use thick, thin, and fan brushes to create different designs.

Start with a small round brush for lines and a flat brush for larger strokes. A soft synthetic brush is a common option, but its material alone does not guarantee it will suit everyone’s skin.

Keep brushes exclusively for cosmetics. Do not reuse a brush that has held acrylic, oil, or other craft paint. Use clean tools and follow the paint and tool manufacturers’ cleaning directions.

As for brush shapes, here are a few basic brush designs that can come in quite handy for face painting:

Detailing round brushes in various sizes
Flat brushes for filling in large spaces
Angled brushes for big strokes (such as rainbows)
Filbert brushes to build up layers of paint and create big washes
A petal brush to create flower designs easily

You can add other brush shapes as you learn. A petal brush can help with flower designs, but a beginner does not need every shape listed above. If your paint kit includes brushes, try those before buying a separate set.

3. Sponges

Use sponges sold for makeup or face painting. Their density and shape affect the marks they make:

Creating textures by using a low-density sponge
Filling in large spaces with a high-density sponge
Using as stencils to quickly ‘stamp’ shapes on the skin
Use with split-cakes to apply multiple colors at the same time

Besides checking the sponge densities, there are also various sponge shapes:

Circular sponges and half-circles are useful for filling in large areas and working with split-cakes
Wedges are useful for blending and creating straight edges
Petal sponges for stenciling

A cosmetic sponge and a stencil can cover simple shapes without buying a large set of craft stamps. Clean or replace applicators according to their instructions. Do not assume that rinsing an applicator makes it ready to share between people.

4. Stencils

If you are not artistically gifted, there are still ways that you can create amazing designs yourself – using stencils!

Stencils can help repeat stars, flowers, or Halloween shapes. Choose ones intended for face painting, check that their size fits the design, and follow their cleaning instructions.

Here are some great sets of stencils that work well with children’s parties or themed parties:

5. Glitter

Glitter is optional. For a first kit, you can skip it and use the colors you already have. If you add it, choose a cosmetic product labeled for the area you intend to decorate.

A “cosmetic” or “body glitter” label does not automatically mean a product can go near the eyes or on the lips. Follow the exact product’s restrictions, rather than copying where glitter appears in a promotional photo.

A body glitter gel is one format to consider. Read its current application and removal directions; it is not a substitute for paint labeled for the area you are working on.

6. Tub (for Water)

For water-activated paint, keep clean activation water separate from the container used to rinse dirty brushes. Use containers that are easy to keep stable on your work surface. Rinse water is not a hand-washing station or a disinfectant.

Wash your hands before applying cosmetics, and keep applicators clean. The FDA’s eye-cosmetic guidance advises against sharing eye makeup and recommends clean, single-use applicators when sampling it. Keep eye-area products and tools separate from shared party supplies.

7. Spray Bottle

If your paint’s instructions call for water, a small spray bottle can help you moisten a brush or sponge. Cream and other ready-to-use formulas may not need one.

Use a clean bottle reserved for this purpose. Follow the paint’s directions for how much water to add; a soaked applicator can make it harder to control your design.

8. Wipes and Cleanup Supplies

For small corrections, makeup remover wipes may be useful if both the wipe and paint labels allow that use. Check eye-area restrictions and do not assume “alcohol-free” means a wipe will suit every person or remove every formula.

Keep surface-cleaning products separate from cosmetics. A surface disinfectant wipe is for its labeled surfaces, not for wiping someone’s face or removing makeup. Follow its directions, including any required contact time.

Wash your hands between people rather than relying on a toilet wipe or a quick rinse in the paint-water tub. Keep paper towels nearby for spills and drying cleaned tools.

9. Makeup Remover and Q-tips

Clean cotton swabs can help tidy a small edge. Use the remover specified by your paint; a micellar makeup remover is an option only where its own label and the paint’s directions permit it. Remove makeup gently, especially around the eyes.

10. Accessories

Besides the tools and supplies mentioned above, there are quite a few accessories that you can have in your kit to make your life a lot easier.

The first thing you should have is hair clips and headbands to keep long hair away from the child’s face when you are painting. You definitely don’t want to get paint on the hair, so keeping these handy can be quite useful.

A mirror lets someone see the finished design. For a traveling kit, choose a protected or shatter-resistant mirror and pack it securely; a plastic case alone does not make glass unbreakable.

Speaking of travel, having a makeup case to store all of your face painting supplies is highly recommended.

Even if you’re not traveling with your face painting supplies, having a case to keep them all in one place will keep your home quite tidy and make the supplies more accessible for the next party!

How Do You Get Started With Face Painting?

Once you have all your supplies gathered, you’ll probably be looking for the next steps to get started. Below are a few tutorials that will help you learn the best tips for face painting.