Face Painting Supplies for beginners

One of the questions I get asked over and over again is "What products do you recommend for someone just starting out?" Wow, That is a loaded question. I love so many different products for so many reasons but, If I think back to when I was just starting out as a face painter I really didn't need much to get the job done. In this article I'm going to break it down to you bare bones style.

 The first thing you need to know is this- Professional cosmetic grade face paint is what you will need to purchase. Not Acrylic paints found in an art store or craft store. Although they say Non-Toxic that does not mean they are safe or even made to be used on the skin.

 Cosmetic face paints are actually water activated "Makeup" Yes you read that right it's Makeup. Didn't think you were going to become a Makeup artist did you? That's a whole different article so let's let that sit in for a while and we'll come back to that at a later date.

 Back to getting started as a face painter. What do I need?

1. Cosmetic water based face paints- I recommend starting with a small palette that has Primary colors in it so you can learn to blend colors also, pink and purple so you can create some pretty butterflies and princesses. Below is a kit from Cameleon. It has just about every color you could want and need to get started. It also is my top pick for Black and White for all of my linework.  You can pick this up a JestPaint for about $65. If that is out of your budget you can pick up a smaller size palette with 6 primary colors for about $35. I would go for the larger one because you'll end up coming back to purchase the pastels and secondary colors.

 I also recommend buying a "Split cake" which means it has more than one color in the pot and is used with sponges. These range in prices but average about $14. You should also pick up at least one "One Stroke Cake" which means you can pick up multiple colors on your flat brush. I recommend picking up colors to create a Rose princess crown and butterfly and colors that create nice leaves which can also be used for various animals like snakes, turtles etc. These will average around $13
 If you feel like doing it yourself I have created a tutorial on how to make your own split cakes but, that may be a little further down the line once you are more comfortable with color combinations.

2. Next is sponges. My favorite sponges for rainbow cakes are the pink sponges from Always Wicked Art.
These are called High Density Sponges meaning they hold up  really nicely while delivering just the right amount of color evenly. You can pick these up for about $1 per half sponge.

My favorite sponges for single color blending are Hydra Sponges. They are typically about $.85-$1.00 per spnge. You will need to cut these in half unless they come pre-cut for you. You can purchase these at www.jestpaint.com

3. Brushes- I find many of my brushes in the art store but, you can also purchase a collection like these from Cameleon if you like a more streamlined look in your kit. I like  flat brushes in sizes 1 in, 3/4 in and 1/2 in for one stroke and split cakes, round brushes in size #1, #3, #6 and a #10 filbert.

4. Most importantly you will need GLITTER. What is face painting without the magical part of it? I recommend Sugar Face and Body Art glitters. They are glitters designed and chosen by artists. Tried and tested.
 The important thing to remember is to ALWAYS make sure you are choosing a "COSMETIC" glitter which just means it's poly or made from plastic not aluminum which can scratch the cornea if it gets in the eye.
 I personally prefer Azucar by Sugar Face and body Art which is a holographic white glitter. It can be used over any color and looks sparkly and magical!

5. Extras- It's always important to have some makeup wipes on hand to clean up little mess ups, a small water bottle to mist your sponge or cake to activate the paint, 2 cups for water. 1 for clear water, 1 for cleaning off your brush. I like to use Brush Bath from sillyfarm in my colored water cups to really remove the paint and help keep my brushes clean, a black towel to lay down on your table before you set up, a mirror and some antibacterial hand sanitizer to use in between clients.

I personally think this is just enough to get you started and on your way to becoming a professional face painter. If you still need help with setting up your kit I have a video for that and I also have created a few face painting tutorials to help get you on your way.
 You can watch my videos below:

I hope you found this helpful. Again this is just for beginners who are interested in finding out what pro products they should purchase to get started. If you are an intermediate to advanced artist this may be a nice idea for an emergency face painting kit or travel size face painting kit.

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