BlackArts - Jenna Black wrote:
Ben Nye has great clown makeup & face painting palates. Most theater supply or costume companies carry Ben Nye.

I'm not looking for long wear clown makeup for myself.
This is stuff that needs to be gentle enough to come off with a baby wipe if the Mom/ kid doesn't like it.

Does this line still apply?

Tiffany David wrote:
Try www.madhattermagicshop.com for the link for Paradise Face Paints by Mehron or Wolfe FX. What you have listed is snazaroo- but snaz does not hold up well for me here in hot weather in Florida. You can also try www.sillyfarm.com for other kits but MadHatter is cheaper for Mehron.

Thanks, checking out those two links now!

Nemi wrote:
I'm seeing a lot of these rainbow cake pallets, can someone show me a practical use for them?

they look pretty but get super messy fast, becasue most of them are water activated if you have too much water on your brush you may just end up mixing the shades .
I'd stick to individual pan's of colour if I were you..

Deadly Design Make-up wrote:
I second Silly farm, http://www.sillyfarm.com/store/index.ph … t=188&pg=1

Kryolan , Wolfe, Snazaroo, Mehron, and Ben Nye are just a few of the awesome brands that will not only work really well but because of their quality a little will go a long way... so while the initial cost may be a bit more the product will last you longer... Aqua Colour's are great simple to use and clean up is a snap.. the colours are basically a solid pan that you add a little later too, and paint on the skin.. the only colours you might see some skin stain with are red and blue but this isnt permanent and usually just requires a little more soap and elbow grease to remove...

Please Please Please do NOT use anything you get at a craft store, just because its non toxic doesn't mean its safe for the skin, heck I've seen more issues such as rashes and serious skin staining from these products than I have ever seen with professional quality products.. 
And as a side note, dont use craft store glitter as well..craft store glitter can cut eyes and can lead to skin issues... use professional make-up quality glitter that's made for the skin... ( Ben Nye is my personal favorite maker of Glitter) 


I do wonder though , you know about basic make-up hygiene eh??? double dipping is a no no and you have to be aware of kids with skin issues , pink eye can run a muck if your spreading it around from one face to another...
I only say this because I've seen my share of disgusting face painters who will do things like use the same brush on every kid, or use their dirty water for 100 faces, and absolutely no brush cleaner or hand sanitizer in sight...

if your doing small parties its easy to keep clean, but if your doing larger events you Must be aware of how fast things can get messy...

Im just putting it out there... not saying your a messy face painter but I dont know you from a hole in the wall...

good luck to you...

For my own personal side stuff I'd be much cleaner, for the company though. I follow company rules.

.....I get weird looks for washing my brushes at the end of the day, before I go out the next day. FORGET cleaning per kid, that's unheard of.

I'm just one clown in a sea of unsanitary, I can't change the way things operate.

Nemi wrote:

For my own personal side stuff I'd be much cleaner, for the company though. I follow company rules.

.....I get weird looks for washing my brushes at the end of the day, before I go out the next day. FORGET cleaning per kid, that's unheard of.

I'm just one clown in a sea of unsanitary, I can't change the way things operate.

WOW... where will you be working so I can NOT have you paint my kids face....

Nemi wrote:
.....I get weird looks for washing my brushes at the end of the day, before I go out the next day. FORGET cleaning per kid, that's unheard of.

I'm just one clown in a sea of unsanitary, I can't change the way things operate.

Deadly Design Make-up wrote:

WOW... where will you be working so I can NOT have you paint my kids face....

You're in canada, I think you're safe.


I'm by far the cleanest person with my kit in the company. I do my best to clean my brushes and cup between parties, but I'm pretty sure I'm the only person who does that.

Other clowns could easily paint 100 faces in a day and never wash a brush, that's nasty to me, but I think you guys spoiled me, hanging out here so many years.

Deadly Design Make-up wrote:
well then thank god I'm in Canada...

And you can change things... I worked as a face painter too and painted well over 500 +  kids in a day, and I can tell you I never double dipped I used disposable brushes and sponges , and clean water for each face, and I never had an issue with using up too much time...

Im glad we have spoiled you, but maybe you need to talk to your company... one voice can make a difference...

There is NO talking to my company.
I've tried, I was told I could come in early to wash my brushes and sponges if I wanted to. I was looked at like a nut for requesting a clean blotting cloth and baby wipes.

Lastly, the parents don't care. If the parents don't care, the company has no incentive to care.

Nemi wrote:
There is NO talking to my company.
I've tried, I was told I could come in early to wash my brushes and sponges if I wanted to. I was looked at like a nut for requesting a clean blotting cloth and baby wipes.

Lastly, the parents don't care. If the parents don't care, the company has no incentive to care.

really parents dont care????... Well I'm a parent and even before I was a make-up artist or a mommy I did care... and now that I have a beautiful precious son I care even more.....
Wat company do you work for???, please PM me if you could, I'd love to check them out ....
I wouldnt ever work for a company who didnt take health concerns seriously...

here's some great images you could forward to the company your working for... you know so they can see what all the fuss is about...

Pink eye
http://www.thirdeyehealth.com/images/pink-eye-viral.jpg
skin yeast infection
http://archive.student.bmj.com/issues/0 … view_5.jpg
impeigo
http://indiahealthtour.com/images/inner … petigo.jpg
cold sores
http://www.dentistry.leeds.ac.uk/oralpa … %20lip.jpg

anyhoo good luck to you I hope your covered by the companies insurance..


Edit : wait hold on one second.. you work for a company as a clown but your asking about buying product thats not cheap crap... but the company doesn't care if your sanitary or not and they dont care if you use the same brush on 100+ kids... so then why are you asking about buying good products, dont they supply you with the basic crap you need?? sounds like all they would give you is a pallet and one brush and maybe a roll of paper towels and a bottle of water any way... So why spend the money on good products if your just going to mess them up and contaminate them...  Im confused. maybe its because its late and Im pregnant but maybe its not.....

SammiJ Makeup wrote:
Wow. So you feel okay if you spread colds, diseases, rashes, etc. from kid to kid? I wouldn't work for a company who operates like that. My conscience says otherwise. They can't MAKE you be unsanitary. Take it up with a health board if you must.

But it sounds like it's falling on deaf ears. You seem content to follow the pack.

I'm not content to follow the pack but I've been here for months and I know my comments fall on deaf ears, or worse I'm reprimanded for being a time waster.

I'm lucky and grateful to have found such a good job in this economy, and no, I'm not willing to quit because my bosses don't see things my way.

I'm simply not in the financial position to do that to myself....in fact I need more income, which is why I'm considering branching very small out onto my own. When I work for me, I make the rules, when you work for a company, they make the rules, and I bend them to the best of my ability.

Deadly Design Make-up wrote:

really parents dont care????... Well I'm a parent and even before I was a make-up artist or a mommy I did care... and now that I have a beautiful precious son I care even more.....
Wat company do you work for???, please PM me if you could, I'd love to check them out ....
I wouldnt ever work for a company who didnt take health concerns seriously...

here's some great images you could forward to the company your working for... you know so they can see what all the fuss is about...

Pink eye
http://www.thirdeyehealth.com/images/pink-eye-viral.jpg
skin yeast infection
http://archive.student.bmj.com/issues/0 … view_5.jpg
impeigo
http://indiahealthtour.com/images/inner … petigo.jpg
cold sores
http://www.dentistry.leeds.ac.uk/oralpa … %20lip.jpg

anyhoo good luck to you I hope your covered by the companies insurance..


Edit : wait hold on one second.. you work for a company as a clown but your asking about buying product thats not cheap crap... but the company doesn't care if your sanitary or not and they dont care if you use the same brush on 100+ kids... so then why are you asking about buying good products, dont they supply you with the basic crap you need?? sounds like all they would give you is a pallet and one brush and maybe a roll of paper towels and a bottle of water any way... So why spend the money on good products if your just going to mess them up and contaminate them...  Im confused. maybe its because its late and Im pregnant but maybe its not.....

I'm not going to out my company.
As far as I know they DO use good products they just don't understand hygiene. It's not intentional, it's just them being uneducated.

I'd like good products because if I paint NOT for my company, i'd like to use good products and follow better cleanliness standards.


I'm looking to improve my skills at work, and make money at the same time, by going out solo and facepainting on my own time.

Nemi wrote:

I'm not content to follow the pack but I've been here for months and I know my comments fall on deaf ears, or worse I'm reprimanded for being a time waster.

I'm lucky and grateful to have found such a good job in this economy, and no, I'm not willing to quit because my bosses don't see things my way.

I'm simply not in the financial position to do that to myself....in fact I need more income, which is why I'm considering branching very small out onto my own. When I work for me, I make the rules, when you work for a company, they make the rules, and I bend them to the best of my ability.

I can understand the money issue. I really can. But seriously... what if you knew you were responsible for giving another child a skin infection? Or anything else that was previously linked? Do you at least care about that? Would you care as a model if a makeup artist came at you with a contaminated brush? Just because the parents seem not to care, this doesn't mean they know the dangers.
You/the company could be sued for passing on a serious infection. Maybe mention that to them if nothing else works.

Nemi wrote:
Well that was an outright fucking disaster.

Sorry folks, but I won't be questioning the forces that be again anytime soon.


I ended up doing hours of face painting training today and being told I have to go back to the basics

so what exactly does that mean your skills are not up to par with the other clowns???
or are you being punished for asking about proper hygiene ?? if thats the case.. I wouldnt work for this company, I know the economy is tight but there are always other jobs..

Deadly Design Make-up wrote:
so what exactly does that mean your skills are not up to par with the other clowns???
or are you being punished for asking about proper hygiene ?? if thats the case.. I wouldnt work for this company, I know the economy is tight but there are always other jobs..

Yes, I'm being punished for being too good, and too clean.

I wash my brushes too much, I rinse my cup too much, my art is FAR too detailed, and my creativity is outshining others.

I had to train with clowns that haven't started yet today, and relearn the very basic boring paint they do. It was insulting at best.
I got told for now I have to go back to the basics, small flowers and princess crowns.


....then my flowers were called sloppy.

No, they're not sloppy they're just not the same as yours.

Apparently if I do a REALLY stellar facepaint and a mom sees it, and hires the company again, and a different clown goes out and does the party the Mom might be disappointed and complain.

So I have to suck, just like everyone else


I should have bought the fucking pallet and kept my mouth shut, sorry guys, but this one was a majorly bad call. I just delayed my raise by a month, at least


Is there someplace I can buy this pallet in person so I can have it like....tomorrow?

I don't want to wait forever for shipping. Now I'm mad and I want this kit immediately.

Nemi wrote:
I should have bought the fucking pallet and kept my mouth shut, sorry guys, but this one was a majorly bad call. I just delayed my raise by a month, at least

Don't blame us, blame your dodgy company.

Nemi wrote:

Yes, I'm being punished for being too good, and too clean.

I wash my brushes too much, I rinse my cup too much, my art is FAR too detailed, and my creativity is outshining others.

I had to train with clowns that haven't started yet today, and relearn the very basic boring paint they do. It was insulting at best.
I got told for now I have to go back to the basics, small flowers and princess crowns.


....then my flowers were called sloppy.

No, they're not sloppy they're just not the same as yours.

Apparently if I do a REALLY stellar facepaint and a mom sees it, and hires the company again, and a different clown goes out and does the party the Mom might be disappointed and complain.

So I have to suck, just like everyone else


I should have bought the fucking pallet and kept my mouth shut, sorry guys, but this one was a majorly bad call. I just delayed my raise by a month, at least


Is there someplace I can buy this pallet in person so I can have it like....tomorrow?

I don't want to wait forever for shipping. Now I'm mad and I want this kit immediately.

wow this company sounds like a super one to work for, Im sorry they dont want you to be unique and sanitary...
You can order from Silly farm and have it rush shipped to you, and it would be there in a day or two, Im not exactly sure how much extra it would cost but it sounds like it would be worth it as your itching you get your hands on it...
there are so many ways to get your name out there as a face painter, you can contact Party supply stores, some of them get inundated with calls asking if they know of or have face painters, lots dont have them on staff but might be willing to let you put up flier or have some cards on the counter... Contacting day cares, preschools, mommy groups, ect its all about being creative when looking for work, heck you can even advertise on craigs list, its free and can lead to work.. 
Rich has offered you a helping Hand and I'd take him up on it..

I hope it all works out for you ....good luck..

Heather J M wrote:
Hi Nemi,

I bought a pack of 10 full size 18ml colours of Snazaroo from an Ebay seller - they let me pick the 10 colours I wanted and they were very reasonable, £23.00 with 10 free sponges. I also contacted Snazaroo HQ for sponsorship recently for a feature film I was working on (fancy dress party scene! Product placement!) and they were really friendly and generous with product sponsorship. No idea if that information is useful to you?

I had a quick look on ebay just now and found this 28 colour starter kit for $35.99 which could get you going and fund purchase of the full size cakes. All the colours are 2ml and it claims to be good for up to 150 faces. It seems that America is a more expensive place to buy the full size pans, but you could contact the seller I did and see if they will ship internationally? They are still offering 10 for £23 (currently $36.44).

Hope this helps!

Thank you!

BodyPainter Rich wrote:
Nemi, feel free to contact me. I can give you information on how to market yourself and get jobs as an independent face painter where you can likely make much more money than you can working for a company. Then you will be free to work in a way that you choose and can feel good about it.

Folks, let's cut her just a tiny bit of slack. She is willing to learn and trying to do the right thing. Instead of calling her ethics into question and slamming her, let's help her to learn and possibly teach others.

Hell, when I started 20 years ago I was using craft acrylics and changed my water maybe once a day. I had no idea but I've learned a thing or two since then... mostly through people who KINDLY let me know what I was doing wrong. (People who were not kind were often ignored...which meant I had to learn THOSE lessons the hard way)

~Rich

+1000 for being kind

we do not live in an ideal world. If the world was fair, companies like this would be bankrupt and gone. As it stands, the economy sucks right now, jobs are scarce, and sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to pay the rent.

It's not always a question of ethics. If put in a situation where I can either deal with it for the time being or get evicted and put in debt, I would put up with it. It may not be the right thing to do, but in this situation, you have to help yourself.

She is trying to be sanitary and with a few tips from Rich, she will know how to do this better and keep kids safe. She's not going to do any good out on the street without any means of income. hell maybe if she takes the incentive and talks to the other artists and clowns she works with about the different conditions and infections children can get from not being sanitary, it may inspire them to take the same route she is.

As for you Nemi, I know how hard this kind of situation can be. Look for another job whilst putting up with this one for the time being. Anonymously report their sanitation practices to the Health Board. They might start an investigation and the company will either have to start practicing and enforcing proper sanitation, or they will be closed down due to health violations. It's their choice which they would rather be. Best of luck girl!

Deadly Design Make-up wrote:
4 and 8 bucks seems ok, but i have no idea what the average price is for your area.. the tip jar is well.. Tacky... if some one wants to tip you they will hand you a $5 dollar bill and say keep the change ... I'm not a fan of suggested tipping, but thats just me.. if I get great service I tip, if I think the price they charge is enough then i pay the charge and happily go on my way.. but if you'd like to put out a cute fun little tip jar then fly at it...

I highly suggest having pictures of what you can paint on an actual face at your "booth" you'll have faster turn over with kids, because when you ask.. what do you want... 90% of the time you get the blank stare down or some CRAZY request that you might not be able to duplicate... the pictures help kids and mom's too, they can just point and say.. that one...

good luck to you... what products did you end up buying???

Both linked Snazaroo kits. The full one, and the tiny one.

I also have my own brushes that I bought a ton of when Pearl Paint went out of business.

I just need to buy make up glitter now and I'm all set.

Nemi wrote:

Both linked Snazaroo kits. The full one, and the tiny one.

I also have my own brushes that I bought a ton of when Pearl Paint went out of business.

I just need to buy make up glitter now and I'm all set.

Ben Nye makes the best glitter... I swear by it... I bit the bullet years ago and bought all the colours I just couldnt help my self...  I still have a wack of it, its the most beautiful sparkle , when I do face painting , once the image is done and if its still a bit wet I'll just bang out a bit on a tissues and using my brush or a Q-tip tap the glitter into the design... if the design is dry i take a little touch of baby oil gel on a q-tip to the design and then again tap the glitter into the design. you can use the glitter glue adhesive but i find its  a bit over kill for face painting kids...

here's a link ... http://www.ec-securehost.com/WouldYouBe … akeup.html
just scroll down to the "sparklers"
the colours I'd start with (unless you want to go crazy like me and buy them all)
opal ice
Fire Red
royal blue
Emerald Green            I mostly use the Opal Ice it works with everything..
Fuchsia
Galactic Purple   

The large bottles ( I have these they will last for ever) are only $10 bucks each on this site and they have smaller sizes for $5 bucks each, might not be a bad idea to buy the bigger size of the ones you think you'll use the most and smaller ones of the other colours mostly because they are so cool

These glitters are non metallic so if they do find their way into eyes, they wont scratch and cause damage like craft store glitter... Craft store glitters contain metals and can irritate the skin, they as can cut the delicate surface of the eye if the glitter gets into a persons eye...