Over the past few weeks I have seen lots of posts on local social media sites asking for recommendations for 'cheap face painters'. Yes, we do like to shop around to get the best prices for many things, choosing a face painter is one thing I do not agree with shopping around for the cheapest price. Shop around for the quality of the service maybe.

How can you compare the services of a 'cheap painter' to one who seems way more expensive for the same outcome - face paint on  a child's face?

I think you need to query why these painters can offer prices that are so low.
 - Do they have the right insurance?
- Do they declare all of their income and pay income tax?
-  Are they using the best quality paints?
- Are their designs pieces of art or just paint slapped on?
- Look at their kit, is it just a few sponges, a few brushes and one palette of high street bought paint? This may indicate that the painter may not work in the most hygienic of manners. I use strictly one sponge per child and regularly change water. I make an assessment of each child's face before painting, are there any open sores on their face? Any weeping eyes, runny noses, cold sores? Does their skin look a bit too sensitive to be painted? I work around these and will offer a design not too close to their eyes, nose or mouth, or maybe use a cheek or arm design instead.
Kits can cost into the thousands, I know that I wince at the price of my ever expanding kit. For example just one pot of top quality paint can cost around £10, and that is just one colour!
- I see on these posts that the face painters who are being recommended are ones who paint at the local school fete, nothing wrong with that, but can they really paint 30 children in a two hour party, without huge queues of upset and bored children and offer pretty much any design that a child asks for? I have been asked for some quite random requests in my time. I do like a challenge!!!

So what is included in my price? What factors are considered?
- the cost of my huge kit ( including many colours, lots and lots of different brushes and many sponges to allow me to work hygienically)
- the cost of all the training courses I have attended, allowing me to be taught by some of the most highly acclaimed face painters in the industry
-The cost of my insurance and website
- My time, a 2 hour party is often 6 hours of work. Travelling time, setting up and setting down time, administration ( responding to phone calls, emails, sending booking forms,  checking payments, paying in cheques), cleaning my kit after an event and time spent researching and practising designs.

So please do think about whether a 'cheap painter' is really worth it.