Is anyone using the powders (any brand) that are available? I know one clown in my area who does beautiful work with powders but I've only seen the end result. I will have the chance to work with her this month and I will see the powders in action. I think they go on the skin like eye shadow, then she uses paint to make detailed designs over the powder. Very impressive.

Same here, I've seen some and heard about how much brighter they were, but there is one down fall, since it's a powder you can't use it outside if there's any wind [it will blow away, not on the person but out of your cup]. Which is one reason I haven't tried any but let us know what you think. I'd like to sample some myself.

Oh no, I mean the ones that look like an eyeshadow cake. Solid powders - they say you can use wet or dry. Like these:

http://www.sillyfarm.com/beneyeLumier.html

The Mehron face paints I use are like that. I only use water with them. The "powder" doesn't show up well. LOVE them.
Jitterbug

Like pancake makeup! It usually works better wet though.

If you are using it wet, does it go on like paint? or is it more sheer? or ?

It depends on how much you wet it. If you use minimal water (say, a wet brush) it'll be quite thick and richly coloured. However, if you wet the makeup itself, you can get a watercolour effect.
Pancake makeup is quite fun because you can do so much with it!

I spent two week scovered in kelly green pancake makeup (face, arms, and neck) to play a witch.....never again! I had green eyebrows for a month! :cry:

I love Ben Nye Lumieres. I only use them dry- Starblends are great to except I haven't quite mastered getting the right amount on a smoothie blender applicator. I usually use the ben nye powders over regular face-paint to give it shimmer and a nice finish. Star blends are used to do regular faces. Once you use starblend powders wet you can never again use them dry.
Loose powders work well in sunset scenes or to give a butterfly some shimmer. I don't get to use them at large vents so much but if I am doing a birthday party it gives that extra special ummph to the designs- especially the birthday child.