Use a brush dipped in water to apply a face painting design with water based face paints. These paints dry on the skin quickly and have a very sharp, bright color. Because they are applied with a brush, they look more like a painting than a tattoo. Water based face paints wash off easily with water and can even start to smear when you sweat.
Draw on skin with washable, non-toxic inks to create tattoo designs. These designs can look very realistic if applied with a steady hand. Washable markers are available in a variety of colors that can be used to draw a temporary tattoo. This type of washable tattoo is made to come off of skin quickly using water.
Temporary transfer tattoos are applied by pressing the front of the tattoo to a dry part of the skin and then wetting the back. The tattoo will slip off and cling to the skin as it dries. These temporary tattoos do not look realistic up close, as their colors are brighter and shinier than an average tattoo. Temporary transfer tattoos crinkle when the skin wrinkles and can feel tight and uncomfortable on your body. Temporary transfer tattoos cannot be used to create your own design. You have to choose from the designs provided. They usually wear off over time, lasting a couple of days to a week, but will wash off with water if you scrub or soak them.
Face painting pencils are applied by directly drawing on the skin. Some brands must first be dipped in water before being applied. Tattoos can be drawn on the skin in different colors. You can draw a design that will resemble an actual tattoo, as long as the pencil is kept sharp. They wash off with water when you are ready to remove them.
There are two types of glitter tattoos. One washes off easily with water and one does not. If you use face painting glitter glue to apply loose sprinkles over a stencil, than this glitter tattoo will stay on for several days and will require intense scrubbing to remove. If you apply face painting gel glitter thickly in a shape with a face painting brush onto the body, it can be removed quickly with water. Gel glitter shapes are more difficult to apply, take a little time to dry and fall off easily. You can form them into basic shapes like hearts or triangles, but you cannot use them to draw or paint intricate designs.