# Homemade Face and Body Paint
> Mix cornstarch, lotion, water and food color into a creamy paint that kids can brush or finger-paint onto their hands, arms and faces, or onto paper. One small batch makes one color.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/2-ingredient-homemade-facepaint/
- Ages: 2–6 yrs · Difficulty: easy · Mess: high
- Time: prep 15 min, activity 30 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group
- Skills: sensory-exploration, creativity, pretend-play, fine-motor, colors
- Cautions: corn, food-dye, ingestion-risk

## Materials (one batch)
- 2 tsp Cornstarch (household)
- 1 tsp Body lotion or cream (household)
- 1 tsp Water (household)
- Food coloring
- 1 piece Small containers or a paint palette
- 1 piece Small spoons for mixing (household)
- Paintbrushes
- Paper (optional) (household)

## Substitutions
- Instead of food color: Store-brand liquid food color (instead of gel) (The author says liquid store-brand color gives no or much less staining than gel.)
- Instead of lotion: Lotions with different fragrances (The author's idea for added sensory input next time. Patch test scented lotions first.)

## Safety
- Do a patch test on a small area of skin before painting bigger areas.
- Food color can stain skin. Gel colors stained a bit for the author, and one reader says the stain stayed on for days. Store-brand liquid food color stains less.
- The paint contains lotion, so it is not for licking or eating. Watch mouthing toddlers closely and keep the paint out of mouths.
- Use a hypo-allergenic, baby-safe lotion, as the author did.
- Keep the paint away from eyes, and supervise at all times.
- Food color can stain clothes and surfaces too, so dress kids in play clothes.

## Before you start
- Do a small skin patch test with the paint and the lotion you plan to use.
- Set up in an easy-to-clean spot and dress kids in clothes that can get stained.

## Steps
1. Put 2 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp lotion and 1 tsp water in a small container.
2. Mix until creamy with no lumps. Add a little more water if needed.
3. Add the food color and stir it in.
4. Repeat in a new container for each color you want.
5. Test a small spot of skin first.
6. Paint hands, arms and faces with brushes or fingers. Take turns being the body paint designer and the customer.
7. Paint on paper too, if you like.
8. Give kids a bath and a scrub right after play to wash off the paint and most of any stain.

## Tips
- If you DON'T want any staining whatsoever, use store brand liquid food color.
- High quality gel food color stains the skin a bit. A bath and a scrub right after play takes care of most of it, and the very mild stain left was gone the very next day.
- We used baby lotion just to play it safe. Next time I'd use lotions of different fragrances. Vibrant, soft paint that smells great too is triple sensory play for the kiddos.
- We took turns playing the body paint "designer" and the customer. My preschooler loved creating designs on my forearm and legs.
- Ironically, when I set out this new paint, quite a bit of the art ended up on the paper.
- One reader warns that food coloring stained and stayed on for days. Patch test first and pick your food color carefully. (from readers)

## FAQ
**Can I use it with babies under 1 year old?** The author advises caution. Babies under 1 tend to mouth things, and the paint contains lotion, so a lick is not ok. With careful supervision that keeps it out of the mouth, there's no harm trying. Use a hypo-allergenic, baby-safe lotion.
**Does it stain?** It depends on the food color. Gel color stained the author's kids a bit, but most came off in the bath and the rest was gone the next day. Liquid store-brand colors stain less. Do a skin test on a small area first.

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2013)

Any painting activitywith the kids become a full body experience right? Kids paint their faces, arms and legs and what not? So when I came across this homemade face paint recipe from a family friend I HAD to try it. We enjoy creating our own play recipes for [**sensory activities**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/messy-play-2/) and [**art activities**](https://www.funlittles.com/category/art-projects/). Today's post falls in both categories! Here is the homemade face paint recipe

- 2 TSP corn starch
- 1 tsp body lotion/cream
- 1 tsp water.
- Food color

The above measurements will be good for 1 face paint color. Mix all the ingredients except the food color and put them in separate containers. Add more water if need be and make sure to mix until a creamy mixture forms without any lumps. Then add the desired food color. **Note**: If you DON'T want any amount of staining whatsoever please use store brand liquid food color. Then there will be no staining. Just to be sure, test a small portion of the skin before proceeding to paint. I used high quality gel food color and it does stain the skin a bit. However a bath and a scrub right after play takes care of most of the stain leaving a very mild stain which was gone the very next day. We made six colors of this simple face paint and used baby lotion just to play it safe. But next time I’d use lotions of different fragrances for that added sensory input. Imagine vibrant, soft homemade face paint which smells great too? That’s triple sensory play for the kiddos. Here is our homemade face paint line up!





This was a wonderful open ended play for both the kids which encouraged them to be as creative as possible.

The toddler explored the paint with her fingers, arms and would just slather all over her body. We took turns playing the body paint "designer" and the customer.



A blue "monster" hand.



My preschooler wanted to paint on me and she loved to play designer and created many designs on my forearm and legs.



After a few minutes, the clothes came off and the kids were covered in paint all over. So the pictures are not suitable for public viewing. Now it is your turn to try this fun face paint . Whenever we have a painting session, the kids end up painting themselves. Ironically, when I set out this new homemade face paint, there was quite a bit of art which ended up on the paper.



Thanks for reading

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