Rainbow Face Paint: Designs, Techniques and Which Cake to Use
Rainbow face paint is the single fastest way to turn a plain sponge base into something a child will remember from the party — a butterfly wing, a princess crown, a cheek arc, or a full rainbow tiger, all from one loaded brush or sponge. The trick isn't skill, it's the product: a rainbow cake does the colour-blending for you, so the same stroke that would take five separate colours to build by hand comes out in a single pass. This guide covers which of Fusion's Rainbow Cakes suits which design — from Leanne Courtney's bold classic arc to Lodie UP's softer pastel alternative — how to load and apply one without muddying the colours, and the rainbow face paint designs people ask for most.
The Fusion Rainbow Cakes Range — Which One to Use
A rainbow cake — also called a one-stroke or split cake — is a single face paint cake with several colours arranged side by side. Load a flat brush or petal sponge across the whole surface and every colour transfers at once, in a clean gradient, with no mixing on a palette required. Every cake below is from Fusion's dedicated Rainbow Cakes collection, plus Leanne Courtney's own Rainbow Bliss — so the right pick depends on what you're painting.
Leanne's Rainbow Bliss
Blue-through-yellow spring spectrum
Bright Rainbow
Six vivid Prime colours
Lodie UP Pastel Rainbow
Soft pastel pink-to-turquoise blend
| Cake | Colour Range | Best Used For |
|---|---|---|
| Leanne's Rainbow Bliss | Blue through to yellow, spring-toned spectrum | Classic rainbow arcs, butterfly wings, Easter and spring designs |
| Bright Rainbow | Six of Fusion's most vivid Prime colours | High-volume events where you want maximum colour pop from a distance |
| Mermaid Splash | Purple, teal, two greens, yellow, white | Rainbow butterfly wings, mermaid tails, bold cheek art |
| Unicorn Sparks | Five Prime shades with a Pearl Blue finish | Unicorn manes, princess crowns, shimmer-forward designs |
| Rainbow Joy | Four bold Prime shades plus a Pearl Blue edge | An alternative bold rainbow arc with a shimmer accent at one end |
| Glowing Tiger | White blended with three warm yellows and oranges | Rainbow tiger stripes and any warm-toned animal design |
| Frozen Shimmer | Three pearly blues with Prime White | Ice queen, snowflake and winter-themed designs |
| Power Princess | Deep purple, magenta and pink tones | Princess and pink-and-purple themed designs |
| Lodie UP Pastel Rainbow | Pink, pastel orange, pastel yellow, pastel teal, turquoise | Fairy, flower, butterfly and cat designs needing a softer palette |
Watch: Leanne Courtney's One-Stroke Rainbow Technique
This beginner-friendly video from Leanne Courtney covers the one-stroke technique end to end — including a rainbow tiger and a princess crown built from the same loading method used throughout this guide.
Rainbow Cake Colour Swatches
Seeing each cake swatched on skin makes it much easier to picture the finished result before you buy. Here are four of Fusion's Rainbow Cakes side by side.
Bright Rainbow
Frozen Shimmer
Power Princess
Glowing Tiger
How to Load and Apply a Rainbow Cake
Every rainbow face paint design in this guide starts with the same loading technique. Get this right and the rest is just placement.
- Dampen your brush or sponge — not soak it. The tool should feel damp, not wet enough to drip.
- Spritz the cake lightly — one or two sprays from a distance, not a direct soak.
- Load in one direction — straight up-and-down passes with a flat brush, or a single press-and-lift motion with a sponge. Circular or scrubbing motions blend the colour bands together before they reach the skin.
- Check the load before applying — the colour on the brush or sponge face should show every band distinctly, the same as the cake itself. If it's blended to one muddy tone, blot and reload with less water.
For the complete brush-loading walkthrough — including the three-pot water system and troubleshooting muddy colours — see our full split cake guide.
Rainbow Face Paint Designs
Rainbow Forehead Arc
The classic rainbow arc is the fastest rainbow design in any kit. Load a flat brush across the full width of Leanne's Rainbow Bliss, then sweep from one temple, up over the brow line, and down to the other temple in a single push-and-lift motion rather than one continuous drag — this keeps the colour bands separated instead of smearing them together.
Load the brush fully before starting. Hold it against the forehead to check the arc will fit temple to temple before committing to the stroke.
Push the brush up from one temple, over the brow, and down to the other side. One clean pass reads better than several overlapping ones.
Finish with a few white cloud puffs at each end using a round brush, or a double-dip flower where the rainbow ends — see the flower section below.
Rainbow Crown
A rainbow crown uses the same arc technique but sits closer to the hairline and gets a bit more decoration. Unicorn Sparks works particularly well here for its shimmer finish, or Power Princess for a pink-and-purple version — sweep the loaded flat brush across the upper forehead in a slightly higher, tighter arc than the standard rainbow, then add a few small white or gold star shapes and a scattering of dots along the top edge with a round brush to finish the crown effect.
Rainbow Cheek Design
For a faster cheek-only version, scale the same arc down to fit the cheekbone — start at the outer corner near the ear and curve up toward the eye. This is the version most painters use for long event queues, since it takes well under a minute once the loading technique is automatic.
Rainbow Flower
Rainbow flowers use the double-dip technique — load a brush with white, dip just the tip into the end colour of a rainbow cake, and stamp five petals returning to the same centre point each time. This works well placed where a rainbow arc meets the cheek, covering the join naturally. For the complete technique including leaves and troubleshooting, see our double-dip flower guide.
Rainbow Butterfly, Tiger and Unicorn
Rainbow cakes are the base for three of the most requested designs in any kit, and each has its own dedicated guide with the full step-by-step:
- Rainbow butterfly — a petal sponge loaded across Mermaid Splash or Rainbow Bliss stamps both wings in one press, with the colour gradient built in automatically. See our butterfly tutorial or the beginner version.
- Rainbow tiger — Glowing Tiger gives natural warm-toned stripe shading with no extra blending required. See our tiger tutorial.
- Rainbow unicorn — Unicorn Sparks gives a shimmer mane paired with a simple white horn and forelock. See our unicorn tutorial.
Lodie UP Pastel Rainbow — A Softer Alternative
Not every rainbow design calls for bold, saturated colour. Lodie UP Pastel Rainbow, designed by makeup artist Elodie Ternois, blends Prime Pink, Pastel Orange, Pastel Yellow, Pastel Teal and Turquoise Paradise into a soft full-spectrum gradient. It's a natural fit for fairy, flower and butterfly designs, and works especially well for cat face paint and other looks where a gentler palette suits the mood better than a bold rainbow arc.
Load technique is the same as any rainbow cake — dampen your sponge or a 1" flat brush, swipe across the colours evenly, and apply in one smooth motion. For flowers, petals or butterfly wings, load just a few of the colours at a time onto a smaller flat brush rather than sweeping the whole cake, then paint in a single confident stroke.
How to Remove Rainbow Face Paint
Rainbow face paint is water-activated and removes easily with soap and water, the same as any other Fusion Body Art colour.
- Wet a soft cloth or sponge with warm water.
- Apply a small amount of gentle soap or face wash.
- Wipe gently over the painted area rather than scrubbing hard.
- Rinse with clean water and repeat if any colour remains.
- Highly pigmented reds and greens can leave a faint tint immediately after washing — this fades quickly and is not a sign anything went wrong.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do rainbow face painting?
Load a flat brush or petal sponge across a rainbow cake such as Leanne's Rainbow Bliss, keeping the strokes in one direction so the colour bands stay separated. Sweep the loaded brush from one temple, over the brow, to the other temple in a single pass to form the arc, then finish with white clouds, dots or a double-dip flower.
What is rainbow face paint?
Rainbow face paint refers to a multi-colour face paint cake — also called a one-stroke or split cake — with several colours arranged side by side in one container. Loading a brush or sponge across the whole cake picks up every colour at once, producing a blended rainbow effect in a single stroke rather than requiring separate colours mixed by hand.
What is the best rainbow face paint cake?
Leanne's Rainbow Bliss is the classic choice for a true rainbow arc and is the cake Leanne Courtney demonstrates it with. For a bolder, more saturated look at high-volume events, Bright Rainbow reads better from a distance, while Lodie UP Pastel Rainbow suits a softer, more delicate look.
How do you apply rainbow face paint?
Dampen a flat brush or petal sponge, spritz the cake lightly, and load in one direction — straight passes with a brush, or a single press-and-lift with a sponge. Check that the colour bands stay distinct on the brush before applying to skin; if they've blended into one tone, there was too much water.
What is the easiest rainbow face paint design?
A single rainbow arc across the forehead is the fastest design in any kit — one loaded flat brush and one sweeping stroke from temple to temple. A cheek-sized version scaled down to the cheekbone is even quicker for long event queues.
What rainbow cake should I use for a butterfly?
Mermaid Splash or Leanne's Rainbow Bliss both work well loaded onto a petal sponge for butterfly wings. See our full butterfly tutorial for the step-by-step.
What rainbow cake should I use for a tiger or unicorn?
Glowing Tiger is built specifically for warm-toned tiger stripes, while Unicorn Sparks gives a shimmer finish suited to unicorn manes and princess crowns.
What rainbow cake gives a softer, pastel look?
Lodie UP Pastel Rainbow, designed by Elodie Ternois, blends pink, pastel orange, pastel yellow, pastel teal and turquoise for a gentler alternative to a bold rainbow arc — a strong pick for fairy, flower and cat designs.
Can beginners do rainbow face paint?
Yes. A single rainbow arc requires no freehand drawing — the cake does the colour blending and a flat brush does the shaping. It's one of the most beginner-accessible designs precisely because the technique is entirely in the loading, not the brushwork.
How do you remove rainbow face paint?
Warm water and gentle soap removes rainbow face paint the same as any other water-activated Fusion Body Art colour. Wipe rather than scrub, and rinse until no colour remains. Highly pigmented reds and greens may leave a brief tint that fades quickly.
Shop Rainbow Face Paint
All Fusion Body Art face paints are water-activated, vegan, cruelty-free, and safe for ages 3+. Available with worldwide shipping:
Spring spectrum · classic arcs, butterfly wings
Vivid Prime colours · high-volume events
Bold purple-teal-green · butterfly wings
Pearl shimmer finish · manes, crowns
Bold shades with a shimmer edge
Warm yellows and oranges · tiger stripes
Pearly blues · ice queen, snowflakes
Purple, magenta, pink · princess crowns
Soft pastel spectrum · fairies, flowers, cats
Related guides: How to Use Split Cakes for Face Painting · How to Do the Double Dip Flower · Unicorn Face Paint Tutorial
