How to make your own natural face paints

I have a love-hate relationship with face paint. I LOVE volunteering at local fetes and children's parties to help paint faces (Spiderman is my favourite request), but as I have super sensitive skin, I've always resented the harsh, store-bought paints that would leave me red and blotchy as a kid getting a dinosaur painted on my cheek.

It's good news, therefore, to hear that the clever people over at PopSugar have come up with an easy recipe for homemade face paint that's inexpensive and devoid of any itch-inducing ingredients.

We've adapted this recipe to include a planet-strong twist: homemade natural dyes. You can find these instructions for extracting natural dyes here and here.

Alternatively, you could use natural washable paints, or natural food colouring. Just be warned that using food colouring may stain skin and clothing!

You can find packs of colourful washable paints at your local craft store for only a few dollars. The benefits of using washable paints instead of food colouring is that they create solid colours that won't stain clothes or skin. Most are nontoxic and, when diluted, are safe to use on your body, but avoid using around the eye and mouth areas (as with normal face paints). Read more about different combinations here.

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Let us know in the comments below which combination you try, and the results that you get!

Ingredients:

• Corn starch
• Face lotion
• 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil
• Washable paints, natural food colouring, or homemade dyes
• Small containers
• Small bowl

What to do:

Create the base by mixing together equal parts cornstarch and face lotion until it forms a thick mixture. Add the vegetable oil, which helps the paint from caking. The mixture should be smooth without being too watery.

Next, add a spoonful of the mixture to a small container and add a pea-sized amount of colouring.

Make as many batches as you need to create a pallet of colours.

Apply using face sponges or lip brushes for creating details. For a smoother application, add a few drops of water to the paints.

As with any new makeup, rub a bit of the face paint on skin (the soft part of your arm is a good tester spot) to check for reaction before applying.

READ THIS NEXT: How to make you own natural play-dough

Images: Shutterstock

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