What is the difference between water-based and cream face paint?

The biggest difference is in the base and in how you use the paint.

Water-based face paint is activated with a little water and applied with a sponge or brush. It dries on the skin and barely transfers afterwards, as long as it stays dry. When you're done, it washes off easily with water and a mild soap, such as the Diamond FX skin soap, or a mild baby shampoo. Do you have sensitive skin? Then a special remover towel is a great solution.

I almost always recommend water-based face paint for children, birthday parties and Halloween. Not just because it's easy to apply and remove, but also because it lets you work with real precision. By adding a little extra water you make the paint thinner, so you can create crisp lines and fine details with a brush. That also makes water-based face paint the best choice if you're just starting out with face painting.

Cream face paint has a cream base and doesn't dry by itself. You set it with a translucent powder, after which it stays put for hours and holds up better against heat and sweat. Cream face paint is mainly intended for stage, theatre and character makeup. Because it stays soft, it's less suitable for fine lines and detailed brushwork. To remove it, use a cleansing oil or special remover; water and soap alone won't get it off properly.

In short: painting children's faces or creating colourful designs with lots of detail? Go for water-based face paint. Need makeup that has to stay on for a long time? Then cream face paint is usually the better choice. Neither of them is waterproof. For face paint that stays on while swimming or in heavy rain, you'll need alcohol-activated makeup.

Want to learn face painting yourself? Join my free four-day mini course (in Dutch), where I show you step by step which materials you need, which techniques to use and how to create your first face painting designs.