Mehron StarBlends, my new best friends!

I love LOVE face painting in the summer, somewhere in a beautiful park with good music in the background can definitely lift my spirit when working...BUT... something that can really ruin the experience is HEAT! As a native Chicagoan, I know what a hot summer day is like, humid days in Chicago can be brutal and I have to say, I hate it!!! And guess who else doesnt like it?! My face paints!

All of the face paints that I use are water-based which means that they activate when spritzed with water - this is why they are so easy to apply and remove. But there is something else that affects their consistency and form and not in a pretty way: humidity and moisture! Depending on the pigment content, some colors may be more affected than others, but nonetheless as a painter, you can definitely tell when your water-based paints are suffering in the heat. The last thing you want is to work with a set of gooey paints that is not only creating a bigger mess but is also lessening the quality of your work. 

And because we cannot avoid working on hot/humid days, the make-up experts at Mehron have created these wonderful little things called StarBlends. Face painters, performers, entertainers, and people alike are all raving about this cake make-up that is resistant to the heat and perspiration. The "paint" is in powder form, very much like eye-shadow, so it does not need to be activated with water. Although it can be used as such, face painters prefer it in its natural form. Based on some reviews, some may activate the color by applying glycerin to the face first but in my case, where I am always working so fast, this is not an option. 

So, of course, I had to also hop on the starblends train and this is my general review:

The powder alone goes on very smooth and just like other paints, some colors appear to be better than others. Regardless, their quality (and purpose) is great! One drawback, however, is that they do not come in a great variety of colors, I find that their color selection is mainly nudes and browns (Mehron StarBlend Color Chart) which I dont really care for. So I just ordered the basics: white, orange, red, blue, pink, and yellow which are sufficient to create the most common masks like spider-man and tigers. 

The colors are also quite vibrant, at least more than I expected, but they may need to be applied a few times to create a much more opaque effect.

As you can see in the picture below, there are some blotchy areas but overall, I am happy with the final results. It is a given that the quality is great and that they are easy to work with but my next test will actually be to see how well it  holds up in the heat. I'll definitely have to report next time!

This picture shows the paint in its true color...no filters were used. 

Overall, I am happy with my investment. I know that these will go a long way and that the kids will love them. Now it is just a matter of playing with them some more and finding the best way to apply them.

Thanks for reading! Please make sure to stop by soon for more updates, reviews, and stories!!!!