Though I cannot compare the effectiveness of specialized face painting brushes versus regular paint brushes, as I have not had access to face paint brushes, I will say that I am not inclined to spend the extra money on a new set of brushes when I have found some that work very well for a much smaller cost. My personal preference is to use nylon/taklon brushes, which are made with synthetic fibers. They hold their form well and are quite resilient, which is important for detail work especially. They can be found in any craft store. Look for packaged sets with several different shapes and sizes of brush.
Avoid the cheap brushes that you find in children’s water color sets. These tend to have harsh, plastic bristles that will not offer good control and may scrape the delicate skin on your face.
Below is a list of the brushes I find myself using most often
Sponges are great tools when applying very large areas of color. The type of sponge you should use depends on the type of paint you are applying.
Synthetic porous and stipple sponges (both synthetic and natural*) are used with water-based paints. The porous texture allows the sponge to absorb the paint, and with a tapping and pressing motion, the paint can be redistributed on your skin. Gentle dabbing is often required to produce an even coat.
*If you opt for natural sponges, be sure to get the round discs, rather than the rough, extremely textured surface.
Cosmetic wedges, most commonly made out of latex or imitation latex, are used with oil-based paints. The sticky, slightly porous surface effectively picks up the oil-based paint, which can be deposited on your skin using a tapping or dressing motion, as with sponges for water-based paints.
Setting is essential for oil-based paints, and for water-based paints if you are concerned about moisture melting them (performance, rain, etc).
Oil-based paints need powder to be “dry.” Because they are oil-based, the moisture will not evaporate on its own, so an agent (powder) is necessary to finalize paint application and keep the paint from shifting and transferring to other skin and clothing. It is possible to purchase specially designed theatrical setting powder, though I find from experience that regular baby powder works just as effectively and is much more cost effective. I have used both baby powder and Ben Nye’s neutral set powder. Both hold the makeup in place remarkably well, and both cause a bit of unavoidable color fade.
To apply the powder, use a powder puff or a large powder brush to liberally apply the powder to all painted areas. There is virtually no such thing as excess powder. Before excess is dusted off, the colors should be barely recognizable. I prefer to use a smaller powder brush to dust off excess powder. This should be followed by sprits of water and a towelette or pressing into the paint with a moistened wash cloth, to soak up any more excess powder. It can help bring color to the top of the set if you press into the set paint with your fingers. If the paint is set properly, it should not transfer any color to your hands.
Water-based paints do not need powder to dry. Since they are water-based, the moisture will evaporate on its own. To add a degree of fixation to the paints and to help prevent smudging and melting upon contact with moisture, you should use a fixative spray (made specially for face paints and application on facial skin). You can also purchase setting liquids, which are made to be directly mixed with the water-based paints. Be aware that it is not advisable to mix the fixative into the pot itself, as this will contaminate all of the paint and may diminish the optimal quality of the paint.
You may be interested in purchasing no-sweat liquids and barrier sprays to help minimize shifting of the paint from sweat, especially if you will be performing. Barrier creams can also be purchased to minimize staining of the skin from strongly pigmented paints. I myself have never found these to be necessary, but you may have other needs.
Eyebrow blocker (or sometimes even simply a bar of soap) can be used to help disguise facial hair beneath makeup.
Wig tape, spirit gum, and bobby pins are great tools when securing a wig to your head. For spirit gum, apply the liquid to the edge of the wig where it will touch your face and to the skin where it will touch. Wait until the liquid becomes tacky to the touch (approximately 30 seconds) and then press and hold the two surfaces together until they have been successfully joined. Once dry, the spirit gum should hold until you pull the two surfaces apart intentionally. Spirit gum remover is necessary to gently remove traces of spirit gum from your face, as simple soap and water or baby oil will not be sufficient without damaging scrubbing.
Water-based makeup often needs no more than water for removal, and should not require more than gentle facial soap. Oil-based makeup will not yield to water, and should be removed with an agent, such as makeup remover, cold crème, or baby oil. I personally avoid cold crème like the plague, as I find it to be much too messy and not effective enough for makeup removal. I prefer baby oil to makeup remover because it feels gentler on my skin, and once it is rubbing to the face paint, it can be removed with facial soap and water.
In removing any kind of makeup, take care not to scrub vigorously on your delicate facial skin. Before using any product on your face, test it to make sure you will not react with rash or chemical burning. What works well for your friend may not be the best or safest product for you.
Once everything is removed, be sure to use a light-weight facial moisturizer, to prevent over-drying of the skin. Also take the time to clean your brushes and sponges (cosmetic wedges can be thrown out). If you used oil-based makeup, your brushes will not come clean with plain water. You can invest in a special cleaner for makeup brushes, or run the bristles over a moist bar of soap (my preferred option). Rub the brush on the soap, letting the lather run through the bristles, which will lift the paint residue from the brush. Run the soaped up brush under the tap to wash out the soap and paint.
If there are any other tools for makeup application and removal that you feel I should cover, please do email me your request.