Starting out as a professional face painter doesn't have to cost a fortune. With a little planning and some smart choices, you can build a high-quality kit that will serve you well from your very first booking — without breaking the bank.
This advice is for those who want to paint the way I do. Sally-Ann Lynch style. Onestroke all the way. Onestroke face paints and also brushes being your main tools.
Start With the Essentials
Before you spend money on anything else, make sure you have the basics covered. You'll need a good set of brushes, — most importantly — a couple of quality face paint palettes. These hopefully will include a few basic colours for line work and also some shimmers for blending. These are the tools you'll use on every single job, so it's worth investing in them from the start. Also a couple of micro cloth towels. A water tight water container, collapsible water pot. Iridescent cosmetic glitter and poofer bottle. Also a nice add on would be some chunkier glitter gel. Always have some hand sanitiser too.
Also for practice, add some practice boards. So many to choose from on Sally's site. You could even take some of the A4 boards out with you. You can use certain ones for creating signage — doubling up as practice boards — such as the A4 Clear Practice Board, A4 Skintone Test Board and A4 Blackboard Practice Board. Lots of A4 face practice boards too, including the A4 Child Face Practice Board, A4 Full Ladies Face Practice Board, A4 Harry Child Practice Board, A4 Aidan Face Painting Practice Board and the A4 Orfee Realistic Practice Board.
These will truly help with improving your skills. Also low carbon footprint products. Sally was the first to create these back in 2015.
Choose a Bespoke Palette Over Individual Pots
One of the biggest mistakes new face painters make is buying lots of individual paint pots. It seems like a flexible approach, but it quickly becomes expensive, disorganised and impractical at events. A bespoke palette gives you a carefully curated range of colours in one compact, professional-looking package — and it works out much better value than buying individual pots. Still weighing up bespoke vs off-the-shelf? Read our honest comparison: Bespoke vs Off-the-Shelf Face Paint Palettes — Which is Better?
The Beginners Bespoke Face Paint Palette is the perfect starting point — it's been specifically designed for new face painters, with a versatile colour range that covers all the most popular designs. As you grow in confidence, you can add more specialist palettes to your kit.
Invest in Good Brushes
You don't need dozens of brushes to start with — a small selection of quality brushes will serve you far better than a large collection of cheap ones. Sally's personal preference would be a couple of one stroke angle brushes, a couple of fine liners. A number 2 and 0 round brush for detailing. This will cover the vast majority of designs you'll be asked for at parties and events. The 9 Brush Set — Sally's go-to brushes for on the job perfection is a great place to start.
Build Gradually
Once you've got your core kit sorted, you can start adding to it gradually as your bookings grow. A few more palettes are often the next investment — perhaps something more specialised like the Whimsical Onestroke Palette for floral and fantasy designs, or the Double Dip Alternative Palette for busy events where hygiene is a priority. Also maybe a few more brushes. Do not get carried away.
Don't Skimp on Paint Quality
This is one area where it really does pay to invest. Cheap face paints can be difficult to work with, fade quickly and — most importantly — may not meet safety standards. Sally-Ann's bespoke palettes use only professional-grade paints from trusted brands including Partyxplosion, Superstar, Face Paints Australia and Diamond FX, so you can be confident in both the performance and the safety of your products.
Keep Your Kit Organised
A well-organised kit makes you look professional and helps you work faster. A couple of bespoke palettes are a great foundation — everything in one place, easy to access, and compact enough to fit in any bag. Add a small brush roll, a water pot and a pack of wipes, and you're ready to go. Or better still, purchase one of the kit bags available on Sally's site — a place for lots of brushes when you grow your kit, with everything at your fingertips. Choose the plain black kit bag to get started, or go all out with the hand painted kit by Sally on request for something truly special.
Ready to start building your kit? Browse the full range of bespoke palettes here and find the perfect starting point.