In Part One of our Bling Blog, we discussed glitter application and how to use it.
This piece focuses on where to purchase your sparkles as well as other products that will revolutionize the way you work at festivals and other events in the hot, sweaty months of summer. 😜
This trend has been out for a minute, so all of your favorite face painting shops are either carrying the top brands or even creating festival glitter lines of their own.
Festival Glitter Suppliers
These shops will get you well on your way, and if you are already placing an order for paints or brushes, you won’t be out of pocket for additional shipping.
But for an even bigger selection of glittery goodness, we’ve discovered some amazing companies with a ridiculous selection of colors and themes to satisfy your sparkly desires.
From UV reactive spangles to innovative containers that screw into each other for easy use, we’ve got your back… and your front… wherever you want to stick this stuff.
Glitterballs by LG London — London has some gorgeous custom offerings and has some fabulous sales and raffles. London also sells bling, stencils, highlighter drops and so much more glittery goodness. Ask her about custom orders if you need a specific sparkle for an event. She uses only the highest quality cosmetic glitters and is even adding bio glitters into her lineup.
Vivid Glitter — This company has created brilliant packaging. Their glitter pots screw into each other for a convenient stack of sparkles that will take up far less space in your case and make choosing a snap.
Sugar Cosmetic Glitter — Created by renowned artists Shawna Del Real and Ronnie Mena, the reigning king and queen of sugar skull designs.
A Spoonful of Gliterrr
The Gypsy Shrine
Gem’s Snazzy Sparkles
Wild at Heart Glitters
Treasure House of Makeup
We have so much we want to teach you!
👉 For an even more intensive look into glitter types, uses and companies to add into a blossoming career in the face and body art industry, enroll in the International Face Painting School today!
Module 6 in our Curriculum covers even more sparkly information! 😍✨🌈
Biodegradable Glitter Offerings
Biodegradable glitter is infiltrating the market and it is fantastic! Environmentalists are discovering that glitter contamination in our water supplies is getting more and more prevalent. What’s more, it’s beginning to harm plant and animal life.
I LOVE glitter. LOVE IT!
But if I can purchase a gorgeous product that also helps reduce pollution, and doesn’t cause harm to marine life, I’m all for it. What good is being a mermaid if you’re killing the fish? 😢
And now that the trend is catching on, the offerings are getting more diverse and more importantly, less expensive. Supply and demand, peeps.
Biodegradable glitters are made from plant-based cellulose. Most of this material comes from eucalyptus trees, and man if it doesn’t sparkle and shine just as beautifully as it’s vinyl counterparts.
The more we purchase and demand it, the more readily available and affordable it will become. So buy it up, sparkle it up! Love it up!
Larger companies like Silly Farm have even begun stocking a limited supply of bio glitters. You can also check out these amazing bio glitter companies:
Universal Soul Glitter
Mermaid Magic Glitter
All That Glitters
Eco Stardust
BioGlitz
Eco Glitter Fun
Glitter Girl — This company was started by a 10-year-old Aussie girl! Ermagersh… that pink glitter tho 👆💖 I love a strong entrepreneurial spirit!
Want to learn face painting but have no idea where to begin? Check out our Ultimate Face Painting Tutorial for Beginners! 😎
Additional Festival Offerings
While festival glitter is amazing and will surely add some sparkle to your setup, there are several other options to consider when building a festival worthy kit that will entice adults and children alike.
Put a Bling On It
Bling clusters come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes. You can either make them yourself, using flat back gems and such or you can purchase blings premade from companies like Silly Farm or JestPaint.
Most of the companies listed above for festival glitter, also sell bling clusters.
You can also purchase custom-made offerings from many of your fellow artists such as LG London, Acacia Tanner or Anita Lyn.
I also suggest joining the Facebook group started by confirmed jewel junkie and grace painting artist/instructor Lily Schermerhorn, Jewel Junkie Face Painters. The artists in this group are amazing and wonderfully helpful whether you’d like to purchase premade or figure out how to make your own. Lily has also developed some crazy helpful templates for making beautiful bling of your own!
You can adorn everything! From face paint designs and stand-alone bling on the face… or if it’s that kind of festival, you can even get pasties that are completely blinged out!
Bling is a magical and fun addition to any kit and when paired up with festival glitter, it’s the perfect alternative to face paint in the sweaty heat of summer.
Some bling clusters can be purchased with already an attached adhesive material, but if yours does not have this feature you’ll need an adhesive.
You can use a variety of options to adhere your gems, here are a few suggestions:
- Eyelash glue
- Mehron AdGem
- Glimmer Tattoo Glue
- ProsAide — this will provide a strong, all day hold.
(Note, this can be difficult to remove later without the adhesive dissolver and I don’t advise it for children.)
Are you new to face painting? ✅ Do yourself a favor and find top designs, fast and easy face painting, and great video tutorials all in one place on our Ultimate Face Painting Ideas Guide!
Face Paint Powders
We could not write a festival article without discussing powders. Think of these as eyeshadows on steroids.
These ultra-pigmented colors are a total necessity when creating looks for adult clientele, or if you simply work in a hot climate and you are sick and tired of hearing parents tell their kids “We are not getting your face painted, my money will melt right off your face!” Take that, heatwave! 👊🔥
But wait, what the heck are you supposed to do with powders? Oh, friend… lemme tell ya!
You can actually create full face paint designs with these things! No, really! Using a primer, such as the Elisa Griffith brand primer will allow your powders to be vastly more pigmented as well as keeping them bonded to the skin even through sweat and some water!
It’s amazing! Create full face butterflies, pirates, even superheroes with your powders.
You can even use the powders with stencils to create a layered, professional look in your designs.
Many artists also suggest wetting your smoothie blender with a few spritzes from your spray bottle and using Starblend powders from Mehron for an intensely pigmented and highly water resistant hold.
I personally found that using a dampened dense face paint sponge works best in this application. I enjoy using the white Starblend with a damp sponge for designs like Harley Quinn, the Joker, and even skulls.
I’m told if you can get the consistency right, you can even use these Starblends with a damp brush for linework. Play around with it and see what works best for you.
But I do recommend having a wet side and dry side to your Starblends. Once you wet them, they tend to be less more difficult to use in a dry application.
For adult clients or just a different look all-together, these gorgeous powders will allow you to create ethereal makeup looks that will even further accentuate your festival offerings and bring your portfolio to a whole new level.
Simply use your smoothie blenders and fluffy brushes to create a variety of gorgeous looks. Think gorgeous mermaid inspired makeups and fairy-like designs.
Many face painters are licensed cosmetologists and makeup artists. Don’t be afraid to delve into this area. A solid knowledge of makeup application and products can take your career further than you’d ever imagined.
Take a look at this fabulous, quick step-by-step by Nancy Wu using Elisa Griffith’s Color Me Pro Palette.
Airbrush Paint / ProAiir DIPS or Solids
ProAiir DIPS and the newer Solids are a special line of face paints (available at your favorite shop!) made from similar ingredients to that of airbrush paints, but are intended for brush and sponge work.
You can find them in both liquid and cake form (including new solid color pallets).
These paints are alcohol-based, so we don’t recommend them around the eyes, but you can create a full face design with them!
Lovely Aubrie Jean Goodnoe has developed some fabulous techniques using these innovative products, often along with powders.
Using 99% isopropyl alcohol or ProLong to dilute and activate these paints, your options are only limited by your imagination.
I interviewed Aubrie about her technique and this is what she had to say:
I would definitely suggest using ProLong by ProAiir to prep the skin before using DIPS, Solids or airbrush makeup. This will really help to prevent it from sweating/rubbing off. These products really go a long way.
If you prefer not to use DIPS on the entire face, you can use powders first, then simply use the black for outlining and white for teardrops and highlights. This will give you a water resistant look, rather than completely waterproof.
I really think the black and white are awesome to use, even with regular cake makeups.
I absolutely love using Shimmer GLAM Powders and my Aurora GLAM festival-style Glitter Blings to finish off any waterproof makeup, to add extra sparkle and shimmer.
❗️When using these products, be sure to advise your clients (and their parents) on how to remove them. While these are waterproof, they are NOT soap proof.
Clients should remove by applying soap first and massaging into the design.
Then, using a wipey or a damp washcloth, wipe away the paint. Repeat until the product is gone.
As for cleaning your brushes, use 99% isopropyl alcohol, NOT WATER to clean your brushes after using these products. If using often, you may consider purchasing a separate set of brushes for these.
Want to make face painting your profession? 😍 Check out our How to Become a Professional Face Painter and Get Paid and learn how to transform your passion into your living!
Glitter Tattoos
Last but not least, these babies are a fun and easy alternative to face paint in the hot summer months.
They are fairly simple and can be done in conjunction with face painting at gigs if you so choose.
The body glue used can make the tattoos last several days and they are quite water resistant.
Whether you choose to use stencils or do freehand glitter tattoos… these can be a great lifesaver when you’re in the middle of a heatwave and parents are deterring their children from face painting.
These are also a great option for pool parties and jumpers!
For typical glitter tattoos you simply use a stencil to help you apply your body glue and cosmetic glitter in the design of your choice, peel off and voila! Magic!
These are perfect for your summer kit and with a little practice, you can be a pro in no time. Basic tattoos are so easy, a child could literally do them.
Painting at festivals and in the dead heat of summer definitely poses its challenges, but with the right knowledge and products, you can still kick butt and be the biggest hit at your event!
We want to see your gorgeous festival designs!
Did you create something gloriously glittery, or were your powder-based designs a big hit?!
Show us your designs in the comments below! 👇👇👇
NOTE: Are you thinking about enrolling as an official student of the International Face Painting School? We’d love to have you!
👉 Be sure to enroll in our “Improve Your Linework in 3 Days” FREE Online Workshop!, you’ll get expert tips and training and it will give you a glimpse of what’s in store for you as a student. 😉
