Before you read on, if you haven’t already read my article Kids Face Painting. Fun Yes! Safe & Healthy? Not So Much, then it is probably the best place to start.

Natural, Safer, Healthier & Cleaner Kids Face Painting

Face painting is lots of fun for kids and adults alike, but you want to ensure that your child’s face is painted in a hygienic manner and that where possible you avoid exposing them to the often toxic ingredients found in face paints.

Here is my professional guide as a cruelty free, all natural hair and makeup artist, to safer, cleaner and toxic chemical free, Kids Face Painting.

Face Painting Should Always Be Cruelty Free

• Firstly I can only ethically recommend accredited cruelty free cosmetics. I  recommend that parents use only ethical vegan brands, approved by Cruelty Free International and their Leaping Bunny Programme.

• Also, as a natural, toxic free makeup artist I advise you to choose 100% natural cosmetics.  Choosing to use loose, mineral cosmetics is a far safer, healthier, alternative to conventional face paints.

• There are a couple brands of  kids face paints from the USA and Europe that claim to be all natural and safe, but I personally cannot recommend them, as they are not accredited cruelty free here in Australia.

How To Make Natural Kids Face Paints From Loose Mineral Cosmetics.

Making face paints to use on your kids is easier than you think thanks to the huge choice of loose mineral cosmetics now available.

• Find colours of loose mineral eye-shadows, blushes, highlighter and bronzers that you like.  Tip a little bit of each colour out onto a palate, dip your brush into water or an organic moisturizer and mix to form a paste and paint away. They dry fast, so you will need to add more liquid when necessary.

• You can turn shimmery mineral powders turn into gorgeous, vibrant and highly metallic pastes when mixed with a wet base.

• Use 100% natural lipsticks, coloured eye-pencils, lip pencils and mascaras as well.

• Scrap a little bit of lipstick or mascara using a spatula onto a palate or clean plate and apply with a cotton bud or brush.

• Break off the point of any pencils you used and resharpen before using on the next child.

Kids Face Painting Safety & Hygiene Tips

• Never let a face painter paint too close to, or around the eyes, nostrils or mouth.

• Never have your child’s face painted if he has any rashes, cuts, open wounds, scratches or scabs.

• Do not get your child’s face painted if he is sick, or has recently been unwell. Even if he just has a runny nose, you will be unfairly sharing the germs with other children.

• As very young children have immature immune systems, they are therefore more susceptible not only to germs, but to skin reactions from the ingredients in face paints. It is advised that children under 3 should not have their face painted.

• You want to see that the face painter either washes her hands or uses a disinfectant hand gel between each client.

• At public events it is best to steer clear of face painting altogether, as  you have no idea about the hygienic practices of the face painter, or who has had their face painted before your child. If you really must have your child painted at a festival or event, it is best to have a design painted on an unbroken patch of skin on the child’s arm, rather the face or back of hand. *Kids are notorious for using the backs of their hands to wipe their eyes, noses and mouths.

• At parties you want to see that the face painter is clean and that all brushes, sponges and applicators used on each child are put aside for cleaning and sanitizing in a separate container. Face painters should come armed with enough clean brushes to do large numbers of children, as they generally will not have time to wash and clean brushes between children.

• The water tub used to wet brushes and sponges should be single use, or set aside for washing with warm soapy water between children.

• The face painter should wipe down each child’s face with a wipe to clean before painting to reduce cross contamination.  I recommend if you are hiring a face painter to have at your own child’s party, then supply her with a tub 100%, safe and natural, antibacterial wipes and ask her to use them on each child.

• A new clean sponge should be used for each child.  Single use applicators and cotton buds are much more hygienic than brushes.

• Unfortunately it not really possible for the face painter to be able to sanitize the actual paints themselves. It is far better that the face painter has washable plastic palates that she can squeeze or scrap out the amount of paint she needs for each child.  A fresh, clean palate should be used for each child.

• Remember that you have a right to first ask a face painter about their hygiene practices. They should tell you that they wash brushes, sponges, containers, face stencils and equipment, thoroughly in warm soapy water and also soak them for a couple minutes in 70% isopropyl alcohol .   Their equipment should be thoroughly dried before use. *Note Drying in sunlight is best as it kills 99% of bacteria.

• What can not be washed should be wiped down with a cruelty free hospital grade disinfectant, or isopropyl or ethanol alcohol.

Happy natural, cleaner face painting everyone!

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Some other personal care articles you may find interesting are;

The Correct Way To Wash & Clean & Disinfect Makeup Brushes & Tools

Mineral Makeup Benefits vs Conventional Makeup

Applying Mineral Makeup Professionally Is Easy

Health Risks Of Using Cosmetic Testers, Old Makeup & Sharing Your Makeup. What You Can Catch!

Animal Testing Of Cosmetics Do Your Part To Stop It