How to Make Your Own (Plant-Based) Facepaint

Facepaint is hands down one of the most fun parts of Halloween. It has the magical ability to transform what you see in the mirror every day into something else– something spooky, something wild, something fantastic. But in the past few years, store-bought facepaints have been found to contain a number of alarming chemicals, and when paint is left on for several hours, these can beget real health concerns.

Not wanting to shun such a revered Halloween tradition, we decided to make our own plant-based face paints using different fruits and vegetables (akin to our bespoke Easter egg dyes). The colors tend to come out a little paler when you use food-based dyes, which can make for a beautiful fairy-tale look for Lil’ Sprouts. But if you need something more vivid, [easyazon_link identifier=”B000FNM5PU” locale=”US” nw=”y” tag=”gardcoll03-20″]natural food dyes[/easyazon_link] work in a pinch. This DIY utilizes ingredients you’re likely to already have lying around the house, which will make you a hero if you’re in pinch and don’t have time to wait out the long lines at a Halloween store.

Materials

• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp flour
• dye
• 1/2 tsp coconut oil
• water

Directions

1. Combine cornstarch and flour in a shallow bowl.
2. Add dye. If you’re using DIY plant-based dyes, separately boil the beets, blueberries, and spinach, let cool, and strain thoroughly. Add 1 Tbsp of the dye and skip the following step. If you’re using food coloring, add a few drops at time until desired color is achieved.
3. Slowly add water (use an eye dropper if you have one) until desired consistency is achieved. The mixture should be close to a paste but with all the flour dissolved. (If you’re using plant dyes, slowly add the dye mixture until consistency is achieved.)
4. Transform yourself!