Face Painting Guidelines

If you're thinking of booking a Face Painter for a forthcoming event, then take a look at the following guidelines prior to making the booking:

Numbers: How many children are you expecting at the party?
On average, a professional face painter takes approximately 5 minutes per child, so will be able to paint about 10 to 12 children per hour. Think about the number of children expected. Will one face painter be sufficient?

Age: What is the minimum age?
It is not advisable to paint a child’s face if they are younger than three years old. However many face painters will paint a small motif on an arm or a leg, perhaps a butterfly or a small country flag.

Allergies: Do any of the children have allergies, reactions to creams etc?
A good face painter will only use professional hypoallergenic, fully tested painting products that are perfectly safe. For a small private group, you can use the party invitation to seek permission from a parent for their child to have their face painted. At the same time it would be useful to find out if the child has any allergies. If in any doubt, ask the face painter to carry out a small patch test first.

Supervision: Who is in charge?
Please remember that face painters are NOT child minders! It is important that a parent or a responsible adult supervises the children whilst they wait to have their faces painted.

Cold Sores, Open Cuts: When is it not safe?
It is unlikely that a child will be at a party if they have open cuts. However a Face Painter is quite within their rights to refuse to paint a child’s face if they can see open cuts, cold sores, conjunctivitis, any other skin condition or even head lice.

Cleanliness:
Common sense really! If a child has been eating then make sure they have a clean face before presenting them to the Face Painter. Likewise, you would expect the painter to have professional face paints and clean equipment.

Reluctant or Shy Child?
A Face Painter will not put any pressure on a child to have their face painted. They might use a little gentle coercion or suggest a small motif on an arm or a leg.

Removal: Does the Face Paint come off easily?
Professional face paints should come off easily with soap and water or with make-up removal wipes.

Clothing: Does it stain clothes?
As with any stain, the quicker it is treated, the easier it will be to remove it. Most stains should wash out quite easily.

Stains: Can the children play on a Bouncy Castle?
This a bit of a tricky one! Some bouncy castle hirers will not allow children with painted faces on their equipment. However other hirers will allow children on their equipment on the basis that face paints do not usually stain the material, provided the marks are cleaned off quite quickly. And certainly for hygiene reasons, the equipment needs cleaning on a regular basis. A bouncy castle hirer should provide a full list of terms and conditions but it is advisable to check with them about face paints before you make the reservation.

Safeguards: What checks should I make prior to making a booking?
You may want to check the following:

Public Liability Insurance (PLI) – All professional face painters should be able to provide evidence that they hold PLI. This protects you and your guests.

Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) – Some face painters are CRB checked, especially if they've worked in schools or playgroups. A CRB check simply confirms that the individual has no past criminal convictions that would make them unsuitable to work with children. There are no manatory requirements to be CRB checked.

Accreditation: Is there a professional body?
Many Face Painters belong to FACE which stands for Fast Accredited Creative Experts. Members have to pass a certification test in order to join. You can check their website for a list of members at www.facepaint.co.uk/members. All FACE members have reached a set standard of speed and competence. It is not compulsory for Face Painters to join this organisation

Face Painting: Is it worth it?
The children will look fabulous with their painted faces. If you have a digital camera, you (or perhaps another adult who is less busy) could take an individual photo of the children. If there is time, print off the photo and include it in the party bag. Alternatively you could make an inexpensive thank you card using the photo. The children will love having a special keepsake from the party.

And finally.....
If you are unsure about anything, seek advice from the Face Painter. The above information provides a guide about what you need to ask but a good Face Painter will be able to offer lots of useful advice, including tips about hosting a party and possibly a list other reliable suppliers.

If you're ready to find a face painter in your area, check-out the UK Face Painting directory. We have face painters available all over the UK.