Acrylic paint is popular with many artists as it can be used to create great masterpieces as well as other art and crafts. It is highly versatile making it a got to paint when you have a project that you need to finish excellently. Moreover, Acrylic paint is water-based and therefore can be easily removed using water.
But is it safe to use acrylic paint as face paint?
The answer to this question is not a straightforward yes or no. But technically you can be able to use acrylic paint as face paint. However, because some acrylic paints contain toxic chemicals that can cause harm to your skin, it is not a recommended choice when it comes to long-term face painting.
Nonetheless, most acrylic paints are non-toxic and some artists have devised ways of making acrylic paint into face paint for use.
Is Acrylic Paint Bad for Your Skin?
The properties that make acrylic paint an ideal choice for most surfaces in some instances make it unsuitable or use as face paint. Generally, acrylic paint is easy to apply but dries up quickly which causes it to crack on the face.
If you are looking to have a cute face painting, or just want something quick for game night with the kids, many acrylic paint brands are non-toxic and safe to use on the skin that you can use on your face to bring out the desired effect without suffering any negative consequences.
Removing Acrylic Paint From Your Face
Regular acrylic paint contains toxic compounds such as ammonia, lead, and formaldehyde which may cause harm to kin if applied as face paint. That is why we don’t recommend using regular acrylic paint as face paint. In addition, these paints harden quite easily when they come in contact with the skin making them hard to remove. You don’t want a situation whereby you are forced to peel off paint from your skin exposing yourself to unknown dangers or having to go to work with a face painting for a whole week because it was hard to wash off.
Luckily, you can create face paint using non-toxic acrylic paint and you won’t be exposed to the many dangers as to when you would use regular acrylic paint. We are providing you a step-by-step guide in this article on how you can use non-toxic acrylic paint as face paint.
How can Turn Acrylic Paint Into Face Paint?
As we mentioned earlier, acrylic paint is highly versatile. Therefore, it is quite easy if you use it correctly to incorporate it as face paint. If used correctly, acrylic paint will not cause any skin irritation or redness once it comes in contact with the skin and thus making it safe.
To use acrylic paint as face paint you need:
- Non-toxic acrylic paint
- Body Lotion or moisturizer of your choosing
- A palette for holding your acrylic paint.
- Egg cartons: These are necessary when you need to create various shades and colors.
Step 1: Prep your face paint
Once all the materials you need are ready, it is now time to turn your acrylic paint into face paint. Begin by squeezing the non-toxic acrylic paint onto the palette. Then add your body lotion or moisturizer.
Using a mixing brush or ice cream stick blend the paint and moisturizer or lotion to the color of your choice until it is well blended.
Step 2: Prep the face
Once your paint is well blended, it is time to prepare the faces that you will be painting on. Begin by washing to remove any dead skin or hairs from the face and dry using a face towel. Then apply moisturizing cream to act as a primer before applying the face paint. The moisturizer will also create a barrier between the face paint and the skin potentially protecting it from any adverse effects.
Step 3: Paint
You are now ready to start painting on the face. Using a small round brush, dip it on the pain and apply it to the face. You can choose to create a particular design or even paint in different shades and colors. Apply a few coats to your desired consistency.
Keep in mind that acrylic paint dries up quickly and may crack after some time once exposed to your sin. If you needed to use the face paint for longer, you may need to do a touch once in a while until you are ready to remove the face painting.
It is important to have soap and warm water at hand to wash off the acrylic face paint if you experience adverse reactions on application. For example, the skin may feel hot or the paint burns on application. This is an indicator that the acrylic paint you used is non-toxic or that your skin is not tolerant and therefore must be removed immediately. Otherwise, you may end up with a red face or even worse if you don’t act immediately.
How do you Remove Acrylic Face Paint?
The first thing you will have to do when you are ready to remove the face painting is to wash the face with warm soapy water. Acrylic paint is water-based and therefore will easily wash off. However, in some instances, you may find it difficult to remove the face paint using water and soap only. This is especially so when the paint has dried on the skin. In this case, you may have to use a wet towel to get the job done. Dip the towel in warm soapy water and gently rub the face in circular motions until all the paint is gone. Then rinse the face using fresh clean water and you will be good to go.
What makes acrylic paint an attractive choice as face paint is its excellent properties and the fact that it is inexpensive and easily available. Moreover, the availability of non-toxic brands comes in quite handy when you have an urgent face painting project and the other alternatives are not available.
In addition, the vibrant colors that come with acrylic paint not only work on arts and crafts but are also great as face painting. You only have to follow the precautions and the paint will be harmless even when used as face paint.
We hope you enjoyed our article even as you plan to use acrylic paint as face paint in your next DIY project.