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Halloween may be one of the funniest holidays for kids, but it also provides an amazing excuse for parents to unleash their creative sides. While you're deciding which costumes to purchase or put together at home, this list of best Halloween face paint kits for kids is going to come in handy. Each of the Halloween makeup kits on this list comes with lots of fun colors and contains non-toxic paints that are free from harmful chemicals.
You’ll have a few different formats and features to choose from when it comes to face paint makeup. Depending on your child's costume — and your level of artistic ability — you may decide that a paint kit is needed, or opt for an easier-to-apply crayon kit. A kit that comes with stencils can make things even easier. In terms of colors, you can opt for a range of bright shades that includes basic options like white face paint, too. Metallic or glittery face paints can add some extra pizzaz, and UV neon paint options will make your child’s makeup glow under a black light.
And because paint removal is just as much a concern for parents as getting a costume to look just right, the majority of these kits are made with water-based paint. This type of paint generally comes off easily with soap and water (though you may need to re-apply it after a few hours, especially if your child sweats or comes into contact with water). However, if you need a longer-lasting solution, don't worry: a top-notch oil-based face painting kit has also been included.
Finally, while most non-toxic face paints should be fine for most faces, if your child tends to experience sensitivity, you may want to look for a set of face paints that are comfortable for sensitive skin. These face paints should be free of fragrances, alcohol, and metals like nickel, lead, cobalt, and chromium, and may be labeled as FDA-compliant, hypoallergenic, and/or sensitive skin-safe.
Whether you're pulling together an adorable DIY baby Halloween costume or a cheap Halloween costume for kids that could benefit from a few creative touches, these face painting kits are safe and will make getting ready for the holiday a blast.
1
The Overall Best Face Painting Kit
This award-winning face paint set earned the TillyWig Sterling Fun Award in 2017 for "Best Creative Fun." It comes with 16 highly-pigmented and diverse colors, all of which were tested in labs and meet FDA safety requirements. And there’s plenty of paint to go around — according to the manufacturer, there’s enough to paint 150 faces. The colors can be blended together and last for hours. Plus, since this is a water-based paint kit, it washes off with warm water and soap.
The kit comes with 30 stencils and three types of brushes: one for applying wide lines and filling in your work, a fine brush for outlining shapes, and a brush to create details.
One promising review: “Bought this mainly Halloween but the kids loved experimenting with getting their faces painted, the colours mix really well and is easy to put on and wash off.”
2
The Kit That Comes With Face Paint, Hair Chalk, And Stencils
Not only is this face paint kit excellent for beginners, but it also comes with everything you need to create fun Halloween looks. Each set includes 15 water-based paints, two glitter powders in silver and gold, and two chalk hair colors in orange and green. The paints are nontoxic, hypoallergenic, and fragrance-free. The kit also includes 60 stencils and a book with step-by-step instructions for creating different kid-approved looks, like butterflies and tigers. You’ll also get three brushes and two sponges for easy application. The paints are quick-drying, easy to apply, and just as easy to remove with soap and water.
One promising review: “We love this face paint kit! I'm just a Mom who wanted to paint my kids faces and love how easy this kit is to use. It has every color you need to get started and the booklet with pictures showing how to do more complex faces is soo helpful! My kids love to look at the book and decide what I should paint next, and friends and neighbors are asking where we went to get their faces painted! Plus, the paint comes off of their faces so easy with a wet wipe, but I also don't worry about it smudging on their clothes. I definitely recommend this kit and will be looking for refills when the colors start to run out!”
3
Best Glow-In-The-Dark Face Painting Kit
This UV fluorescent face paint kit includes eight tubes of glow-in-the-dark paint and a small UV light so you can witness your face or body artwork in all of its glowing glory. The paints react to UV light, so you will need a black light or ultraviolet light to enjoy the cool effect, but even when no light is present, the colors are eye-popping, vivid, and last a long time.
These water-based vegan paints are hypoallergenic and free of parabens and toxins, so they’re safe for children who have sensitive skin, though it's always recommended that you perform a patch test first to be sure. A little water and soap get rid of the color completely.
One promising review: “Great products… my 6 years old son and his friends were having a blast doing their own face painting. I didn’t have to worry about the paints because they are non toxic. Glow in the dark effect was the best part of the party.”
4
Best Face Painting Crayons
These body and face crayons make it even easier for anyone not confident in their paintbrush skills to draw shapes and color them in. This nontoxic water-based crayon set comes with 24 colors, including six metallic shades. They have a creamy consistency that makes them a little harder to blend than traditional paints — but they’ll stay on your child’s skin for a long time.
The major benefit of using these crayons is that they're less likely to leave a mess behind. And older children can use them on their own faces without much help. Many reviewers say the downside to these crayons is that the color is more difficult to remove — so save yourself time and frustration by stocking up on baby wipes to help remove the color.
One promising review: “My two and three year old's love this face paint set. They use it on themselves, us and their little dolls. They are the perfect size for their little hands. The color shows up well on our darker skin (we're black) and my nieces fairer skin. The colors are vibrant on both. They are well made and easy to clean off. We just popped the kiddos in the shower and the face paint came right off. No adverse reactions or anything like that. I am thoroughly happy with this purchase. Packaging is nice! Awesome product!”
5
Best Oil-Based Paint Kit That Lasts For Hours
Oil-based paints like the ones in this face painting kit will last longer on the face and body, so you won’t have to worry about reapplying color after a few hours or your child sweating paint away. This paint is nontoxic and hypoallergenic, though you may want to do a patch test if your little one has sensitive skin. Each kit includes 13 vibrant shades, as well as two glitter paints in silver and gold.
Though the paints are made to last, reviewers recommend using a setting powder or eyeshadow in a similar hue so the colors won’t budge through hours of trick-or-treating. When it’s time to remove this face paint, you’ll need to apply an oil-based cleanser that can handle thicker pigment. Just let it sit for five to 10 seconds before gently wiping off.
One promising review: “I was floored by this face paint! I didn’t expect such vibrant colors and amazing coverage. [...] I painted a large pink cat-nose with a dab of paint the size of a pin head, and had full coverage. I sponged the top half of my daughters face with dark yellow and gold for Halloween and it barely looks like I used any paint from the pallet, yet her skin was fully covered. It never itches - in fact I forgot I had it on multiple times and my daughter never complained. Be aware, you’ll want make-up wipes to take it off, but I used one generic wipe on my whole face and it came off with ease. Yet it didn’t run or come off when my cheek got splashed with water. This stuff is amazing! I would buy again in a heartbeat, but I likely won’t have to anytime soon.”
6
Best Metallic Face Painting Kit
Create shimmery, out-of-this-world looks with these metallic face paints, which are hypoallergenic and nontoxic. The kit includes 12 highly-pigmented paints and two brushes for easy application: one for larger areas and one for fine details. The water-based paints glide on smoothly and come off easily with soap and water. You can also opt for neon paints and other color palettes within the same listing.
One promising review: “This face paint is wonderful. It is very easy to use and looks great on. The colors are nice and bright. It also washes right off with minimal effort.”
7
Best Kit For Applying Multiple Colors At Once
With this split cake paint set, you can create gradient swipes of color with one brush stroke, making you look like a professional artist even if you’ve never held a brush before. The set comes with 10 split cakes that contain four colors each, and black and white paints are also included. You’ll also get four brushes and five patterned stencils so you can create cool textures, like reptile skin. The water-based paints are nontoxic, hypoallergenic, and easy to wipe off with water and soap.
One promising review: “Colors applied well, and only one coat was needed, even for lighter colors. Great consistency for painting both solid areas and intricate designs. Cleaned up and washed off easily with soap and water. Definitely will would buy again/ other products.”
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