Do you say something?

Pinky Shortcakes · #1 (**permalink**) 06-20-2009, 03:02 PM

Today I was at a yard sale at businesses in downtown New Bern, and out of curiousity, I stopped by an antique store that had advertised they would have "face painting" for kids. There was a lady out front with a TV tray table and a sign that said "Face Paint $2", and on her tray I spied about a dozen bottles of arcylic paint. I wanted to say something so bad (she had no customers, so I wouldn't have been impeding her business)...but I chickened out. Didn't want to start a big thing. Do you all say something when you see that going on? Or do you just bite your tongue like I did? Just wondering how you would have handled it (if at all)....

stuffy · #2 (**permalink**) 06-20-2009, 04:31 PM

are you kidding? was she really planning on painting kids faces with acrylics? that is so weird I would have had to say something!

Pinky Shortcakes · #3 (**permalink**) 06-20-2009, 04:42 PM

I'm not kidding. It wasn't the kind you see people use on canvas, but the craft type paints. Not that I know of a difference between the two...

Alex · #4 (**permalink**) 06-20-2009, 05:11 PM

I said something to someone one time. . .I organized a "Clown Carnival" with this lady in a town nearby. . .she said I could do balloons and she would handle face painting. I was setting up my "workshop" area and she was setting up her face paints. I was astonished to see her with the acrylic paints. I asked her if she always used acrylics and she said she did. . .I asked her if anyone ever had any problems with allergies, etc., and she said she takes care of it by putting up a sign that says, "NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY INJURIES"

I handed her a tray of face paints and said leave the acrylics for the sign painting.

Pinky Shortcakes · #5 (**permalink**) 06-20-2009, 05:48 PM

Good point...If I were "working" with her, I would have definitely said something. But just being a bystander, I felt odd.

Perry Noia · #6 (**permalink**) 06-20-2009, 06:03 PM

I did a balloon twisting event for Sears employees at a xmas party and there was someone there painting the kids with that stuff... just cheek art, but still. I didn't say anything at the time, but I told my mentor clown (who I was hired by to do the gig) and suggested that the next time they call her to do a party that she let them know that we have people who use FDA certified face paints that are meant to be used on the skin and try to up sell getting a professional to do it for them.

As for walking by... I might have chickened out too. I'd like to say that I would have told her right there and then, but I probably would have just walked by too since there wasn't anyone being immediately harmed by her. Maybe we all need a shot of courage to do what is right for the kids so their parents don't have to scrub their face for 1/2 an hour to get that crap off of them later.

Daisy Ray · #7 (**permalink**) 06-20-2009, 09:34 PM

I would probably say something just because I have little ones, and would hate for any little pumpkins to be harmed by that stuff!

Jodie · #8 (**permalink**) 06-20-2009, 09:36 PM

This is a hard question.
I would not say anything unless I was getting my face painted or working with her.
Ok maybe I would ask her if she had ever tried the pro face paints?
So she would have the chance to ask what the difference is. If she did not ask, I would just say they work much better for me when I am face painting, and there are safety reason also.

SuitcaseSam · #9 (**permalink**) 06-20-2009, 09:41 PM

I don't face paint and I can see your not wanting to create a scene but I reckon you could have ventured in and expressed your concern to the management of the store and let them know the liabiliies at stake and the seriousness of the situation. I too would not have wanted to start a big thing but most likely would have atleast warned a cashier inside or something.

~Sam

Smacky · #10 (**permalink**) 06-21-2009, 02:01 AM

I see this constantly and it never fails to annoy me -- and enough that at one recent event I expressed my concerns to the event coordinators so that they were aware of the issues involved. In this case I waited until the event was OVER before saying anything.

It's a tough thing to do but this is an issue that we are going to need to address. It's very simple -- we can either police ourselves or the government and media will do it for us, and we damn sure don't want that.

I understand the position of the typical "face painter." They've had no training. They don't KNOW anything. Most have never even bought a single book. They saw someone at an event painting little hearts and footballs on kids cheeks and they thought, "I can do that!" and off they went. But for us, this is our JOB. If we don't deliver quality work we don't eat, so for us this is a serious issue.