OIL VERSUS WATER

I have written a comparison of oil-based paints versus water-based paints, for use by any of you who cannot decide what kind of paints to use. The short answer is, whatever you are more comfortable working with! With any product, regardless of its recommendations or reviews here, please take care with the delicate facial skin. Test the products you use prior to exposing yourself to them. Though these products are generally skin-friendly to many types of skin, you wouldn’t want to discover that you are the exception to the rule the hard way.

Below is an image of a classic Rumpelteazer face. The right side of my face (viewer’s left) was painted using oil-based paints. The left side of my face (viewer’s right) was painted using water-based paints. Click the image for close-up views of the makeup side-by-side.

Oil-based Makeup Water-based Makeup

High-performance, comparable brands include Ben Nye and Mehron High-performance, comparable brands include Snazaroo and Kryolan

Soluble in oil - must be removed with an oil-based agent (mineral/baby oil, cold cream, etc) or makeup remover.
- When set, it should not smear or melt when exposed to moisture
- May break down over continuous wear because of naturally produced oils Soluble in water - can be removed with mild soap and water
- If unset, it will run readily when exposed to friction and mild moisture

Can be purchased in sticks, tubes, or pots of color
- The pots require cosmetic wedges or brushes for application, while sticks and tubes may be applied with cosmetic wedges and brushes or straight from the tube Can be purchased in dry cake or liquid form.
- The liquid may have sparse pigmentation or be too runny for clean results – you cannot control its pigment to moisture ratio. Cake form water-based makeup requires water, much like children’s water colors

Apply with brushes and cosmetic wedges Apply with brushes and soft sponges

Unset - will easily smear when touched. May melt with exposure to moisture or prolonged wear. Will look shiny and will remain sticky. Will readily transfer to other surfaces. Still requires oil for gentle removal. Unset - will easily smear and run when exposed to moisture. Will smudge with friction (this property can be controlled for gradient blending techniques). Easily removed with soap and water.

Set - will be dry to the touch, with a matte finish. Will be extremely moisture-resistant (personal anecdote – After painting and setting a friend, she went swimming underwater in the pool and came up wiping her eyes - with minimal shifting of the paint). Virtually immovable, barring constant friction. Requires an oily agent for removal. Colors may be slightly muted. Set - can withstand brief exposure to moisture and sweating. Will not smudge or transfer to other surfaces. Can still be removed with mild soap and water. Colors remain bright.

Set with powder (baby powder is a cheap and virtually equal alternative to professional setting powder) Set with liquid fixative (can be purchased in a spray bottle or in mix-in form) or Perrier (carbonated mineral water – a cheap alternative to professional fixative – has different properties than liquid fixative, see the section on setting methods for more

Application is heavy. It will flow readily on skin, but it is harder to create fluid strokes on a layer of powder-set paint Application is light and fluid. There is ease in controlling line width

Blend colors prior to setting. The paints can be manipulated at any time prior to being powder set.
- Set between layers to avoid unwanted smudging Blend colors after the paint has begun to dry, using your fingers in a tapping motion or a soft cloth or brush. - Attempting to blend the paint while it is still wet may remove pigment rather than shift it.

Both

Both types of makeup can be used together for the best of both worlds. Use oil-based makeup for a natural-looking, waterproof, virtually indestructible base, coupled with water-based makeup for fluid, crisp, and vibrant details. This hybrid makeup still requires an oily agent for removal. Avoid cheaply priced products and no-name brands. While there may be a rare exception, it is generally true that cheap paints will behave cheaply. In the world of theatrical makeup, the price tends to reflect the quality of the product. The few more dollars you spend on Ben Nye rather than “Be a Vampire for Halloween!” in Wal-mart will be more than worth the increase in quality.

It is possible to apply water-based makeup on top of oil-based makeup, but generally not the other way around. While water-based makeup may be better for oily skin, and oil-based makeup for dry skin, experiment on your own to find what type of paint is best suited for you, your skin type and your skill level.

Oil-based Makeup	Water-based Makeup
High-performance, comparable brands include Ben Nye and Mehron	High-performance, comparable brands include Snazaroo and Kryolan
Soluble in oil - must be removed with an oil-based agent (mineral/baby oil, cold cream, etc) or makeup remover. - When set, it should not smear or melt when exposed to moisture - May break down over continuous wear because of naturally produced oils	Soluble in water - can be removed with mild soap and water - If unset, it will run readily when exposed to friction and mild moisture
Can be purchased in sticks, tubes, or pots of color - The pots require cosmetic wedges or brushes for application, while sticks and tubes may be applied with cosmetic wedges and brushes or straight from the tube	Can be purchased in dry cake or liquid form. - The liquid may have sparse pigmentation or be too runny for clean results – you cannot control its pigment to moisture ratio. Cake form water-based makeup requires water, much like children’s water colors
Apply with brushes and cosmetic wedges	Apply with brushes and soft sponges
Unset - will easily smear when touched. May melt with exposure to moisture or prolonged wear. Will look shiny and will remain sticky. Will readily transfer to other surfaces. Still requires oil for gentle removal.	Unset - will easily smear and run when exposed to moisture. Will smudge with friction (this property can be controlled for gradient blending techniques). Easily removed with soap and water.
Set - will be dry to the touch, with a matte finish. Will be extremely moisture-resistant (personal anecdote – After painting and setting a friend, she went swimming underwater in the pool and came up wiping her eyes - with minimal shifting of the paint). Virtually immovable, barring constant friction. Requires an oily agent for removal. Colors may be slightly muted.	Set - can withstand brief exposure to moisture and sweating. Will not smudge or transfer to other surfaces. Can still be removed with mild soap and water. Colors remain bright.
Set with powder (baby powder is a cheap and virtually equal alternative to professional setting powder)	Set with liquid fixative (can be purchased in a spray bottle or in mix-in form) or Perrier (carbonated mineral water – a cheap alternative to professional fixative – has different properties than liquid fixative, see the section on setting methods for more
Application is heavy. It will flow readily on skin, but it is harder to create fluid strokes on a layer of powder-set paint	Application is light and fluid. There is ease in controlling line width
Blend colors prior to setting. The paints can be manipulated at any time prior to being powder set. - Set between layers to avoid unwanted smudging	Blend colors after the paint has begun to dry, using your fingers in a tapping motion or a soft cloth or brush. - Attempting to blend the paint while it is still wet may remove pigment rather than shift it.

Both types of makeup can be used together for the best of both worlds. Use oil-based makeup for a natural-looking, waterproof, virtually indestructible base, coupled with water-based makeup for fluid, crisp, and vibrant details. This hybrid makeup still requires an oily agent for removal.	Avoid cheaply priced products and no-name brands. While there may be a rare exception, it is generally true that cheap paints will behave cheaply. In the world of theatrical makeup, the price tends to reflect the quality of the product. The few more dollars you spend on Ben Nye rather than “Be a Vampire for Halloween!” in Wal-mart will be more than worth the increase in quality.
It is possible to apply water-based makeup on top of oil-based makeup, but generally not the other way around.	While water-based makeup may be better for oily skin, and oil-based makeup for dry skin, experiment on your own to find what type of paint is best suited for you, your skin type and your skill level.