Tag: fixative

How To Seal Water-Based Body Paint

One of the common questions with body paint is: Will it rub off?  

And in general, the answer is: Yes, it will eventually rub off.  BUT, that said, there are some products available to help seal on your paint and make it last longer.

Products to Seal Water-Based Body Paints

Below are some of the products I use. There are other products out there, these are just ones that I have experience with. All are available at SillyFarm.com:

Ben Nye LiquiSet – Use it instead of water to activate the paints and it will help seal on the paint. I’ve found this to be slightly sticky/tacky when it’s dry…which I guess is why it helps “stick” the paint on.

Ben Nye Final Set – Put it in a spritzing bottle and spray yourself when you’re all done painting. Let it dry before you touch it!!

Kryolan Fixer Spray – Looks like a bottle of hairspray and it essentially works the same way. Just spray all over the paint when you’re done.

Some Lessons I’ve Learned…

  1. Once the paint is dry and sealed, you can touch it with dry hands.  It’s not the kind of thing where it will come off as soon as you touch it; it requires some friction.
  2. Don’t sit directly on someone else’s fabric furniture. Sitting on furniture won’t rub off the paint completely, but you’ll likely leave mark. Even though the paints are water-based, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
  3. Use an old sheet to cover things you sit on. I often have to drive while painted, so I cover my seat and seat belt with sheets and towels.
  4. If you sweat a lot (especially on your face) consider using grease paint instead of water-based body paints.
  5. If someone touches you with wet hands, it will smear the paint.  Sometimes at parties, people just can’t resist touching you, so be prepared for your creation to get a little messed up.

Happy Painting!