Face Painting Safety and Hygiene Guidance

Your kids’ birthday coming up, you have ordered the cake, arranged the decorations, bought the toy he has been nagging for the past 2 months as a birthday gift, and invited his friends of course.

Wait, aren’t you forgetting something? 

Yes, you haven’t hired a face painter yet to make this party really going! So you hire up local talent, supposedly good with paint jobs.

Now, let’s observe a scene from the perspective of the face painter.

You got the gig, went to do your job, painted on demand colours on a bunch of kids all day. Just as you are finished and packing up, one of the parents comes running at you, yelling that you caused her son an allergic reaction.

In your mind, “no way!” Then you check out the kid to find out, he might be allergic to the paint you used. What a disastrous way to end a cheerful day, right? 

Only if you were a little more professional and had a better idea about face painting safety guidelines, this whole disaster could have been avoided!

Why is face painting so popular and demanding?

Face painting and body painting can be traced back to the indigenous people of Australia and Africa. Since then, it has been considered to serve many purposes. From part of religious or cultural practices to as functional paint like camouflaging military personnel or sports paint. It has also served as a form of art or artistic expression.

But in the recent decade, the face painting activity has grown to be popular as a form of entertainment, be it for Birthdays, Halloween parties, or in a Fundraising Event. Not only children, but the grown-ups enjoy this fun activity too. 

With its increasing popularity,  the concern for face painting safety and hygiene grows too. 

In this article, we will discuss the hazards you may face as a professional and the face painting safety guidelines you must follow to make this entertaining activity safe and fun as it should be.

Is face painting safe for your kids?

According to a report on Heavy Metals in Face Paints by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, upon lab testing 10 face painting products, they found all of them are contaminated with lead to various degrees, and some products contained metals like nickel, cobalt, and chromium. 

These metals can be especially lethal for your children if non-cosmetic grade paint products are used. The lead can hamper the development of your child’s brain, while the other metals found can cause serious skin damage.

Apart from these, the following health hazards can occur if appropriate measures and precautions regarding face painting safety guidelines are not practised.

• Allergic reactions and rashes owing to chemical compounds from non-cosmetic grade products.
• Bacterial infection due to the lack of hygiene measures.
• Skin and eye damage by paint-brush, paint materials, or unsuitable glitters.
• Cross-contamination and spread of contagious diseases from one child to another. 
• Damage to sensitive or already injured skin due to exposure to unhygienic and unregulated paint materials. 

10 Professional Safety and Hygiene Tips for Face Painting

1. Learn the “Face Painting Regulations” in the UK

First things first, you must know the existing legal rules and regulations of face painting safety guidelines, just so you don’t end up somewhere you don’t belong unintentionally.

Make sure you understand and abide by the Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009 implemented by trading standards in the UK by Cosmetic Products Enforcement Regulations 2013. 

What happens when you don’t comply with the Face Painting Regulations?

If found of foul play, you can be convicted with a fine up to £20,000 and/or up-to 12 months of imprisonment!

2. Use the right paints

You can often be misconstrued by the “non-toxic”, “washable” labels on the paint. While non-toxic doesn’t necessarily mean they are suitable for skin, the washable label is most likely meant for fabrics. They can do serious damage, especially to sensitive children’s skin.

• Use only cosmetic grade paints compliant with EU regulations. 
• Do not apply Acrylic craft paints, watercolours, or markers on the face.
• Use water-based paints only, so the children can remove them easily afterwards.
• Consider hypoallergenic paints for sensitive skin.
• For glitters, use polyester made ones with a cosmetic size of .008 microns or smaller.
• Always check for the expiration date on your paints before you head to your gig.

While you can buy the most child-safe face paint products from Amazon or eBay, you can also check out the following shops based in the UK for authentic cosmetic grade paints and other materials.

Face paint UK | Face Paint Supplies | Paintopia | Glitter and Pop | Webster’s Face Paint | Face Paints Direct | Illusion Face Painting Store | The Face Painting Shop | Magic Box Face Paints. 

3. It’s crucial that you pick appropriate tools

For those who are just starting out in face-painting, it is important to understand that just as the paints you would be using, the brush, sponge and other materials also should be skin sensitive. Rough or edgy materials can ruin this fun activity for the kids and hamper your reputation as a growing professional.

• Pick skin appropriate brush made with materials considering the sensitiveness of children’s skin. 
• Only use fresh sponges, you don’t want to give a child rash or scratch with your sponge.
• Bring enough towel, drinking and cleaning water,  baby wipes, sanitizers with you to go through the session.
• Bring a mini bin to put your used sponges, Q-tips and wipes.

4. How to clean your face painting kits

Different painters use different methods in cleaning and sanitizing their tools. Some painters feel hot water is adequate, while vinegar dip or cleaning with isopropyl alcohol is also a popular practice among the professionals. However, the following standards should always be maintained.

• Upon every use, clean the brushes, sterilize them, and rinse them properly. Always disinfect them after the event.
• Never use the same sponge twice. Since the sponge material is porous and has a larger contact area, it is not safe to use multiple times.
• Use fresh and clear water. Change the water you use for cleaning tools frequently.
• Use multiple bowls or cups to clean your tools, so it is easier for you to change them.

Check out how Stacy Parzik, a professional face painter goes over her cleaning process around concerned parents in a birthday party.

5. Personal hygiene practices for the painter

The first rule of basic hygiene is good personal hygiene. As a painter, you must be aware of this and incorporate basic hygiene practices. While on a gig, you should take the following cautionary measures.

• Wear appropriate, clean clothing to the gig. You don’t want to risk cross-contaminating the kids or scare them away with your sleazy look.
• Wash your hands properly before and after every paint-job. Bring hand sanitizers and alcohol-based wipes to the job. 
• If you are sick with a cold fever or any contagious disease, do not perform in any event.
• Clean yourself up properly after completing the job to make sure you don’t carry any contagious diseases with you to your home.
• Ask the parents or the client about any health concerns you might need to know about.

6. Health consideration of client

Paint products are basically chemicals, some of them could cause excruciating pains to children if in contact with eyes or an open wound. Some children could be allergic to paints and often be troubled with serious anguishes. Make sure you check the following boxes on your face painting safety guidelines list before and during the paint-job. 

• Check with the parents if the child has any kind of allergy.
• Check if there is an open wound, acne, or cold sores on the face. Do not paint if these exist.
• Check if the client is suffering from any sickness or contagious disease.
• Take consent from both the parent and the child before doing the paint. 
• Avoid painting kids below 3 years old.