How to Wear Body Paint
The Right Way to Apply Body Paint For Halloween
As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. If you buy a product we have recommended, we may receive affiliate commission, which in turn supports our work.
Halloween is a holiday for makeup-lovers, and true cosmetic fans will not be restricted to just the face. Oh no, we want costumes that require head-to-toe creativity. With a canvas as large as the human body, regular foundation and eyeshadow won't do — you need body paint. Once you know where to look, there are a plethora of body-paint ideas to choose from. But before you pull out the paint, douse yourself in pigment, and start creating body-paint art, there are a few things you need to know.
Lijha Stewart, Make Up For Ever director of artistry and education for North America, broke down all the body-makeup basics for us, from what kind of body-paint kit to look for and how to prep the skin before application to how to remove body paint at the end of the night. Armed with these Halloween makeup hacks, you're ready to really lean into your theme for the spook-filled holiday. You can go a couple of different ways with this: some costumes allow for sexy body paint, while others utilize very simple body paint — it all depends on your level of experience and commitment.
This is the year you finally go for the full body-paint look and dress up as green Gamora from "Guardians of the Galaxy" — or blow everyone away with glow-in-the-dark body paint — and dominate the local costume contest.
How to Apply Body Paint: Remove All Lotion and Oil
Before you go layering on the body paint, you want to properly prep the skin. "You want as little product on the skin as possible," Stewart says. "If there's a lot of moisture on the skin, the paint can sometimes break up on you. So I really like it to be completely clean." The best way to ensure the skin is clean is to wipe it down with a little bit of alcohol or a baby wipe — or apply the paint right out of the shower.
How to Apply Body Paint: Use the Best Brush
You'll want to use a brush to apply your body paint. Stewart prefers a foundation brush for this. "You really want a brush that's flat and firm, and of course, a slightly larger size," she says. "And then you can wash your foundation brush out with some shampoo and some water, and it will be totally clean and ready for your everyday skin again."
To get started, try the Make Up For Ever #109 HD Skin Foundation Brush ($44) for a brush and the Ucanbe Oil Based Face Body Painting Palette ($14) for a body-paint kit. The Neon Nights UV Body Paint Set ($19) is also a great option for glow-in-the-dark body paint.
How to Apply Body Paint: Start With Your Face
"Start at the face, always," Stewart says. "Your face and your torso should be the most detailed, because those are at the center of your body, and that's where people look first. Your arms and legs can have one basic color, and it's still going to be impeccable."
How to Apply Body Paint: Leave Your Hands For Last
Once you apply body paint to your face and torso followed by your arms and legs, then it's time to move on to your hands. "You use your feet and your hands so much — you might need to go to the bathroom, you might want to eat something — [that] it's actually better to leave that for last," Stewart says. Additionally, if your costume involves fake nails, you should put those on first, followed by body paint.
How to Apply Body Paint: Tips For Knees and Elbows
Your joints, like your knees and elbows, can be tricky to cover with body paint. "Try not to go too thick," Stewart says. "Just like with nail polish, thin coats are a little bit better to avoid it cracking or showing any extra texture." So try to resist that voice inside your head telling you to layer on the pigment to make it look perfect.
How to Apply Body Paint: Creating Body-Paint Art
If you want to create body-paint art for Halloween and not just cover your entire body with one color, it's going to take a little extra planning. "To do an actual picture on your body or a design, you can project an image onto your body and then have someone trace it out for you," Stewart says. "Once you turn the projector off, you have that design on your chest, and it's just like a coloring book. It's a really easy way to seem like you're a badass artist."
How to Apply Body Paint: Use Strokes, Don't Buff
For seamless application, Stewart says to use strokes, don't buff. "You really want to go up and down in a vertical motion and use a light touch," she says. "Your first inclination might be to take the brush and grind it into the skin, but the lighter the touch, the better — mostly use just the tip of the brush."
How to Remove Body Paint
Once you've had your fun and it's time to remove your body paint at the end of the night, be prepared for things to get a little messy. "Start by oiling everything down," she says. "Rinse off, then get your body wash and a loofah and scrub." Keep in mind that certain colors may leave behind a residue, like hot pink and dark blue, but for the most part, they should wash away.
