A 3-Step guide to help you choose your face painter

Hong Kong lacks no talented face painters, but individual's skill level, style and rates vary substantially. Before you commit to the service of any face painter (not just in Hong Kong but anywhere in the world), these are what you should be considering:

1. ASK FOR A PHOTO OF THEIR SET-UP

Professional face painters use imported water-based paints. If you see paints in pen form (likely for hobbyists) or bottle forms (can be acrylic arts & craft paint), those can be red flag signals.

Responsible face painters will keep their kits clean and organized. They will also reinvest their income into enriching their kits with more colors, more stencils and more glitters. Although a well-maintained and elaborate set-up does not always guarantee quality, at least it goes to show the passion and (hopefully) product knowledge from the face painter.

Ask questions such as "are your glues skin-safe?", "are your glitters cosmetic-grade", "what are the face paint brands you use".... although you may not have the answers, you will be able to judge if the face painter knows their game simply by asking.

[Above pictures show my set up. I re-pot my face paints into plastic containers for easy storage, and I am always expanding my collection of rainbow cakes and glitters.]

2. KNOW THEIR STYLE

Browse their Website, Facebook and Instagram accounts. Of course, that's a no-brainer, but what should you be focusing on?

For one, their signature strength- some face painters are better at girls' designs, some are good at animals, some are good at detailed cheek art. I know artists who are brilliant at drawing butterflies and flowers but who completely flops at boys' designs. So you need to seek a balance.

Secondly, look closely at the line work- are the lines fine and crisp? Are they detailed and clean? If so, these are excellent face painters.

3. QUOTED RATE vs. REAL RATE

After obtaining the initial quote, clarify a few things:

Is transportation cost included?

Do you charge extra for blings and gems?

How fast do you paint on average? (This is important, because it will determine if you need to book for 2 or 3 or 4 hours to get through all guests)

In case you go overtime, how will you be charging?

Different face painters have different price schemes. Do not make assumptions and be as upfront as possible to avoid misunderstanding.

Hope the above helps you choose your perfect face painter for your next birthday party of company event!