Face painting is a great way to get into the festive, party, and game mood. It gives you the chance to augment costumes and transport yourself into a fantasy world full of fun and joy.
That is why it is a mainstay at events like birthday parties, sports events, kid’s day outs, Halloween, Disneyland, and other fun places.
While you might forget all that paint once the fun is on, there’s one big question you have to consider at one point: for how long will the paint stay on my face.
How Long Does Face Paint Stay On?
Facepaint can stay on for a whole day – unless you wash it off. Since it is water-based, it comes off very quickly when you wash it with soapy water.
This makes it easy to keep facepaint on and party hard without worrying about some bit of sweat or splashes of water but still have the comfort of knowing you can get rid of it when you want.
Can I Wear Facepaint to Waterslides of the Pool?
Yes, if it is the right kind of paint. Constant research in this field has yielded a couple of clever solutions that are partially or fully water and sweatproof.
Water-based paints like ProAiir Hybrid and Endura face paints will resist a fair amount of water and sweat. However, you can still use soapy water to lift them off the skin at the end of the day.
More resilient alcohol-based skin paints could yield better water resistance but last on the skin longer. These are best left for special occasion performers like clowns or cosplayers.
Ensure that your kids or party attenders stick to water-soluble face paints as they tend to have the most negligible impact on the skin.
Best Way to Remove Waterbased Facepaint
Removing water-based paints you get at the local theme park is easy. However, you will need warm water, soap, and a clean towel.
What to Do.
- Wet your hands with some water
- Apply soap to the hands and rub to create a lot of foam
- Apply the foam to the face-covering every spot that has the paint
- Wait for around 15 seconds
- As you wait, apply soap to a clean washcloth dipped in the warm water
- Use the soapy washcloth to scrub your face paying attention to painted spots gently
- Rinse down your face with the warm water and repeat to get any tough stain spots
Note: Don’t try washing the facepaint off with cold water alone. Coldwater will set the paint onto the skin, making it harder to remove.
How to Get Rid of Facepaint Staining
Sometimes, facepaint might not go away after the traditional warm soapy water treatment. While this is rare after public facepaint events since artists use easy-to-wash products, you should be ready for it if you go for a more potent blend to last all day in the water.
Here are a couple of different products you can use to spot treat tough staining before finalizing with warm soapy water.
Micellar Water
Micellar water is a great way to treat face paint staining. A few drops onto some cotton wool will lift it with some gentle scrubbing.
Makeup Remover Wipes
This is an easy-to-access product that does a great job at removing face paint stains. You will need a couple of swipes before the paint clears off, though.
Shampoo
Lastly, if you don’t have any of the above products, you can supplement soap with shampoo during the warm water wash. Just be warned, shampoo lathers more than soap and can be more irritating to open or slightly open eyes.
Have the Face Painter Remove the Paint Before Leaving
A more straightforward and wiser way to get rid of face paint is to go back to the face painting booth at the end of the day and have the painters get rid of it.
Most theme parks and face painters will offer this service. All you have to do is ask. Chances are they have the proper technique and the right tools to treat any staining. You and your kids will hit the streets clean with just the photos and the memories, no paint to worry about.
How to Avoid Face Paint Staining
The first step to preventing face paint stains is using the correct high-quality paint that’s easy to wash off. This is the painter’s responsibility if they know it’s a one-day event for kids or adults.
In cases where a performer needs stronger paint with complex patterns, staining can be inevitable.
However, you can protect your skin from stains by applying a barrier. Facepaint manufacturers have specific barrier sprays.
If you didn’t buy a specific product, you could use some hairspray to create a barrier between the paint and your skin.
Does Face Paint Stain Clothes?
Yes. Facepaint will stain clothes. The strong pigmentation will inevitably take root on soft fabric that is inherently very easy to dye.
Luckily, water-soluble face paint is very easy to clean. However, due to the intense pigmentation in face paint, you might need a couple of passes to completely remove the stains.
Just as with all stains, you will have better luck getting rid of them if you start cleaning as soon as possible.
Spot cleaning is the best way to get rid of the stain. It avoids spreading pigment to the rest of the garment while giving you time to focus on it thoroughly.
- If it is colored cloth, use a stain removing piece of laundry soap or nonbleaching stain remover and warm water.
- You can use some bleach if it is white unless the garment’s care label advises against this.
- Soak the garment in the suitable cleaning solution depending on the above two conditions for around 10 minutes
- Gently handwash the stained spots by rubbing them together until the pigment is gone. Repeat if necessary
- Don’t put the garment in a dryer as this could permanently set the paint. Instead, hang dry it and inspect to confirm the stain is entirely gone, or you need a second washing.
Is Face Paint Bad For the Skin
Face paint partially or wholly covers the skin, blocking pores for as long as it is on. While this isn’t a problem for a few hours, it could be problematic after prolonged use.
Constantly blocking your skin’s pores could result in rashes, blemishes, and even acne.
Can I Sleep In Face Paint?
While you could, sleeping with face paint on is terrible for your skin. You are just unnecessarily extending the time you have your skin pores clogged.
This will increase the chances of acne and rashes.
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Moreover, as you sweat in bed, the paint will start to smudge, staining everything it comes in contact with. So you will end up with a messy, cracked, and smeared color that’s indiscernible on top of stained clothes and beddings.
