Simple Homemade Body Paint

Homemade body paints are cheap and easy to make.

People apply body paint to themselves for artistic reasons and to simulate clothing. Besides liquid latex and commercial body paints, there are several ways to create your own paints. Body painters can’t apply just any paint to their body, since some paints are toxic when exposed to skin for long periods of time. The paint must be non-toxic and non-allergenic. It must wash away, and any stains left behind from the paint must be temporary.

Things You'll Need

• Body cream
• Food coloring tablets
• Cornstarch
• Shortening
• Liquid food dye

Instructions

Body Cream Recipe

1. Obtain body cream, which is a combination of oil and water. Body cream is similar to lotion but it is thicker. It washes off easier than other body paints and are more gentle on the skin.

2. Add food coloring tablets to the body cream. Crush them with a mortar and pestle. Mix different colors together to create the color that you want.

3. Add more food dye, using only one tablet at a time to control the color you create. If the color gets too vivid, add more cream to lighten it.

Cornstarch and Shortening Recipe

1. Combine 1 tablespoon of shortening with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Both are commonly used in face painting recipes.

2. Add water to the mixture to make it thinner. The paint should still be relatively thick so that it stays on the body easily. Heating the mixture makes the cornstarch dissolve, making the paint thicker. This type of body paint will harden if it is exposed to too much air, so it should be applied immediately or the cornstarch will harden.

3. Add small amounts of liquid food coloring to the mixture. Since the food coloring is concentrated, only use a small amount initially and gradually increase the concentration.

Tips & Warnings

• Baby shampoo can be gradually turned into the desired color by adding powdered tempera paints. If the color becomes too rich, add more baby shampoo to lighten the color.

• Other ingredients used to make body and face paint include flour, dish detergent, Vaseline and milk. Using organic ingredients will reduce the chances that the ingredients cause a reaction.

• Liquid latex can be used to make body paint. However, some people are allergic to the latex, and long-term exposure to liquid latex can lead to heat stroke because it prevents the body from perspiring. Latex removal can be painful if it is attached to an area with a lot of hair.

• Do not apply body paint to irritated or damaged skin. Also, if the body paint causes any irritation, immediately stop applying it.

• Some people have an intolerance to food dyes. Food dyes are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and every dye must be proven safe before it is sold. There were once about 200 food dyes, but only 35 are now approved by the FDA.

References

• Easy Home Recipes: You Can Make Your Own Face Paint Which These Easy Homemade Recipes
• Mama's Health: Body Cream vs. Lotion
• Allergic Child: Food Dye Allergy