My Illusion Article - The Director's Cut!

Illusions - Spring 2014

     Earlier this year I submitted an article about Starblend makeup to Claire Guest at Illusion magazine. She loved the article and thought that her readers would too so she agreed to publish it in the Spring issue coming out right now. (Yay!)

     I did have to shorten the article quite a bit for publication so I thought you might like to read the full version here on Teardrops & Tiger Stripes. I also have a bonus EXCLUSIVELY for those that will sign up to receive T&TS by email (fill out that little white box to the left...yeah, that one.) I will send you the step-by-step images of the two designs featured in the article...THAT'S RIGHT! I did step-by-steps for both the flaming skull and the cute leopard, that didn't make it into the issue and I will send them to your email address if you subscribe to my blog. You lucky subscribers you. :)

     You do have to enter your "verified" email address so I'll know where to send them. And don't cheat by asking me on Facebook or by email! I want you to subscribe to the blog because the more subscribers I have, the more fun we can have in the future like contests and drawings, so there is a method to my MADNESS!

     So, here it is, the "Director's Cut" original article written for submission to Illusions Magazine:

The Star of the Show!

Denise Cold
PaintedParty.com

Mehron’s Starblend Makeup is making its way to the top of many painter’s kits. Why? Denise Cold writes this informative article helping to shed light on the mystery surrounding this useful face painting product.

     You may have heard other painters talking about Starblends and been curious about this new type of face paint. Starblend is actually pressed foundation powder produced by Mehron. They come in about 56 colors, 14 of which are brightly colored and can be used as a base for face painting designs.

     Starblends work by adhering to the oils (sebum) in your skin. Because sebum is a natural waterproofing for your epidermis, when the Starblend adheres to those, they become very water resistant and aren’t easily washed away with sweat either. This is one of the big advantages of the product because they can extend your ability to work in extreme conditions such as heat and cold.

Colors in my kit - light green is a blend
of Green & Yellow

     For me, however, the biggest advantage is the ability to use them without water. This makes them easier to use on male clients, particularly young boys. You don’t have to be a face painter long before you realize that boys hate to be sponged and brushed with wet paint. At my first fair, I had a burly young man with tattoos come into my tent. He was being based in white for a skull and was flinching and was very uncomfortable. He proclaimed “this is worse than being tattooed!” After I adopted the use of Starblends for full faces, I had another boy thank me for using them because he didn’t feel anything as I applied the design.

     I started using the product as an alternative to paint but as I got more colors I realized how much I loved their powder properties that made it much easier to shade and highlight designs. I started blending on the face and in the applicator to get different shades and effects. It is almost an airbrushed look with no streaking or lapping.

Cute Leopard - Model, Emma Cold

     I’m often asked if I’ve completely replaced my regular paints with Starblend powders. The simple answer is “no, ” I still have a whole small palette of paints, rainbows and one-strokes. Most of my full-face painting designs are completed using Starblends as a base. It has increased my speed with these faces and has also given me the added benefit of saving me money.

     One 56 gm Starblend cake can paint hundreds of faces. A whole skull design can be based with one load of a powder puff. There is also very little waste because there is nothing left behind on the applicator. The applicator is tapped off back into the cake to remove the excess before applying.

     Ah, the excess! One of the biggest complaints I hear from face painters is about the fall out. This is a makeup term for the powder that falls on the surface below where you are applying, usually the cheeks or even clothing. Just as for face paints, there is a learning curve to using them. I have learned how to let gravity be my friend, rather than my enemy. When I am applying a section of color, I start at the top (the forehead, above the eyebrow, on the cheekbone) and the powder will come off the applicator a bit. I then use that deposit to feed the application of color in the rest of that section.

     Another complaint is the coverage. They’ll show their practically pink Spiderman designs and ask “what happened?” Starblend isn’t applied like paints. Many times you can get away with just swiping a filled sponge over the face. These are powders and need to be applied in a circular motion as if you are putting foundation powder on. Most of the colors are very vibrant and photograph well because of the matte finish. There are a few of the colors that aren’t as opaque and may need a primer to adhere to normal skin.

Glycerin can be found in most drug stores
and even craft stores in the baking section.

    Normally there are enough oils in the skin that there is no problem with getting an opaque finish; however, I prefer to use a primer for the blue, green, and purple colors. Makeup primers are quite expensive but I stumbled upon a perfect primer that is also very inexpensive, glycerin. It’s labeled as a “skin protectant” and is often stocked near the bandages in drug stores or can be purchased online. It’s an ingredient in most face paints and I use it to soften paints that have hardened. Only a drop is needed, in the hands or rubbed into a foam makeup sponge, to prime an entire face. Painters worry that having to apply a primer is going to nullify the positive attributes of Starblend use; but, I find that few seconds is soon made up by removing water-loading from the equation.

     You may have heard, from fans of the product, that their speed has really improved with use. This can be explained by simple mathematics. They may be applied immediately without water management or activation. There is minimal time spent reloading the applicator, sometimes just a press back on the cake to pick up product is enough. Switching from one color to the next is not a problem and colors can be mixed right in the applicator without dirtying the cake. A stick sponge can be loaded with two colors, fill different areas and be blended without returning to the pots or colors drying on the applicator. Six colors can be applied to a design that would take twice as long with regular paints and best yet, you can immediately start your line work without literally watching paint dry.

   

Flaming Skull - Model, Taylor Cold

 Painters have been known to like the positives but give up on using Starblends because they dropped a container and it shattered and they felt they’d wasted their money. Because there is a pressing medium added to the powders, they can be repressed and restored. I discovered that this attribute also means that a small amount of the product can be put into a small sturdy pot and pressed. This has helped with the frustration of many painters who can now carry many colors in a quarter section of a laptop case rather than using a separate container.

     There are three incidental benefits to repotting Starblend in addition to the space saving. Many have found that the powders are now more opaque when applied and I’ve found that new shades can be created or finicky colors improved by mixing with hardier colors. I’ve replaced my regular green with “new green” by mixing green and yellow equally. It’s more opaque and bright and covers much better than green alone.

     You can also create pots of custom colors with just a little knowledge of color theory and a blender. After watching a class on zombies from Nick & Brian Wolfe, I made myself little pots of ivory and “brownple” that are fantastic too for vampires or bruising effects. Other painters have tried raspberry, teal, light blue, peach and even adding Mehron precious gem powders before repressing to get different effects. We fans of the product are hoping that Mehron will expand the color offerings to similar colors to the ones in the Intense eye shadow palettes.

Stick "Lollipop" Sponge Applicators

     Before buying an entire set of Starblends it is a good idea to start with the most useful colors of white, black and red. White can be used for tiger eyes and muzzles, kitty designs, skulls, sugar skulls, cows, lambs, clowns, etc. Black can be used for evil eyes on boy designs, shading, drop shadows, badgers, dogs, and mixed with white you open the door to all the gray designs like rotten zombies, gorillas and elephants. Red is very helpful for pirates, dragons, zombie mouths, and the two of the most intense line work designs: Spiderman and Darth Maul.

You may not consider Starblend powders as a replacement for your regular paints and there is a learning curve in their application; but, they may allow you to perform in extreme conditions when using face paints may be nearly impossible. They can keep you productive and making a profit during the stickiest of situations when regular paints won’t work. They may pay for themselves in one job that you would have normally declined in the past.