Block Party Fun!

Here's a quick post to show you some of the pictures my sister took of me working this weekend. It has now become a yearly thing to work the Avenue F Block Party on the south east side of the city and I have to say, it gets funner and funner every year :) Enjoy!

It never fails that I am asked to paint on unusual places! 

Photo bomber! Hahaha

How to remove face paint stains...what works for me!

The most common question that I get from parents as I am face painting is, "will the paint easily come off?" For the most part, the answer is YES! All of my face paints are water based so they can easily be washed off with soap and water. In some cases, a baby wipe or make up wipe will do the trick BUT there are some colors that really stain the skin and require a deeper cleaning.

It is not uncommon that colors such as purples, pinks, reds, and greens linger a little bit longer and this can be due to a variety of reasons. Firstly, the content of some paints may be different because they provide different effects such as metallic colors. These colors are beautiful and I love to use these because they look gorgeous in the light. However, I do try to avoid these for face and cheek designs - especially if the parent mentions that the child's skin is sensitive. Secondly, it can be a skin issue. If the person has dry skin they will be more susceptible to skin staining. Thirdly, if the child's complexion is very fair, inevitably the colors will really stain.

Please keep in mind that if staining occurs it does not mean that there is an allergic reaction to the paint, of course if the skin breaks out then there is a real issue and you should take your child to the doctor. But I assure you that face paint stains are very common and they just require more than soap and water to remove.

So what is the trick to removing these stubborn colors? OLIVE OIL! You can also use other oils meant for the skin like baby oil. Soaps made out of this will also work wonderfully. Personally, what I like to do for my own skin is mix olive oil and anti-bacterial soap on a cotton pad and wipe off the stains under warm water. It works like a charm! If the stain is really stubborn, then I just continue the process until it is completely gone. Other things you can use are baby shampoo (alone or mixed with olive oil) and body lotion/moisturizer (leave on skin then remove after a few minutes). Essentially, face paint is a form of make up so try using a make up wipe as well.

Below, is a picture of my hand with pink stains after practicing painting petals. Initially, I washed my hand with soap and water but was left with these marks. So I took Dawn Antibacterial Soap and a Garnier Fructis body oil to remove the stains and it worked perfectly. If you dont have this Garnier Fructis product, no worries, just use regular olive oil.

So parents, I completely understand why you would be concerned if you cant remove the paint off your child's skin right away but I assure you that these stains will come off! I hope these tips and tricks put you at ease but please do not hesitate to contact me directly if you have any further concerns.

Thank you so much for reading!

~ Elsa

KevinFest 2013

One of my favorite events to work is the St. Kevin's Fest on the southeast side of the city. Mainly because I get to see so many familiar faces, especially the kids I once used to teach! Actually, they are not kids anymore, many of them are now in high school and talking about college or joining the military. I'm not that old but I definitely felt like it when I saw how much they have grown and changed. It was a beautiful weekend and I am so happy I was part of this event. Unfortunately, I was not able to take too many pictures but I hope you enjoy the ones below :) Until next year KevinFest!!!!

I have Instagram! Follow ME!!!!

Just a quick post to let you know that I have an Instagram account! You've probably noticed because of the SnapWidget on the right hand side of this page but just in case you forgot to follow me, I urge you to do so NOW :) I love LOVE to take pictures and I may not blog about everything that I do so dont miss out on my crazy face painting adventures and follow me on Instagram!!!!

Find me here: gentilesh13

Also, if you post pictures of my face painting work on Instagram make sure to tag me!!!! I'd love to see your beautiful pictures. Here's a sneak peak of mine:

Relay for Life Event with the American Cancer Society 2013

This weekend was perhaps the busiest one this summer! I probably face painted close to 100 people between Friday's and Saturday's events so I was definitely one tired face painter. Keep in mind that when I accept to do face painting gigs, I do these alone because I am a one-woman business :) Actually, I really do this work because I love it and it is sooo much fun, so as much as I'd love to have some help it is completely ok. Yes, I was completely exhausted this weekend but it was totally worth it and here is why:

As I mentioned, the reason why I face paint is because I truly truly enjoy it. I do not make a living out of this so when the event and time seem right, I am open to volunteer work. I've realized that I can actually use my art skills for very good causes and such was the case on Friday. A very special family member requested that I face paint at the Relay for Life event of Southeast Chicago which is an event hosted by the American Cancer Society.

At this event, people who have been affected with this ugly disease came together to honor cancer survivors and remember those they've lost. Families formed relay teams and camped out overnight at Wolfe Lake and took turns walking or running around a track. All types of fun events were also conducted, including some that were meant to raise funds. I had the honor of being part of these fundraising efforts and face painted at the event and I was SO happy that I helped raise a little bit of money. I know that any little bit helps so it was truly a gratifying experience.

The number of families who participated in this event was amazing and I wish I would have taken many more pictures to show you the solidarity and love reflected in each of these individuals. Like many people, my family has also been affected by this disease, I lost my maternal grandmother to pancreatic cancer in 2003 so in a way, I was also there to honor her.

All I can say is that I am so happy that I was able to take part in this wonderful event that although was bittersweet, was life changing. So thank you Bubbles, for inviting me to honor your dear Aunt Susie. Love you always!

I made this special one-stroke "arty" cake to include the colors of the team. 

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!!!!

Face painting at Brookfield Zoo!

Typically I am hired to work at someone's private home but I had the chance to face paint at Brookfield Zoo yesterday! It had been a while since I had visited this beautiful place so it was quite a treat to work here. I face painted for a private event so I was not able to showcase my work to a wider audience but nonetheless, I had an amazing time and I hope to do it it again!

p.s. Sorry for the lack of posts, work and life have kept me extremely busy but I will definitely have a lot to share this summer since this is our peak time! More pictures and great stories to share soon!

FUN, FUN, FUN!

I had such a wonderful time working at one of my best friend's niece's and nephew's birthday party this weekend! I hadn't worked in a while so it was great to get back into the groove of face painting :) I got to try a couple new designs but as you will see Batman and the flower crown were the most popular!

My best friend David! 

Somebody almost fell asleep :)

Such a beautiful baby! 

My set up - looks a lot neater before I start, of course.