Getting clean one-stroke results

Hold the brush at roughly 45 degrees to the skin — flat against it loses colour separation, upright uses only the tip and wastes the loaded width. At 45 degrees the full flat face of the bristles contacts the skin evenly, transferring every loaded colour at once. Lift cleanly and decisively at the end of the stroke rather than slowing down, which drags the trailing colours back through the leading ones.

Caring for your brushes

Rinse brushes in clean water immediately after use and reshape the flat face before it dries. A gentle brush soap helps lift dried paint from the ferrule without damaging the bristles. Store brushes flat or bristle-up to keep their edge sharp between events.

Want the complete step-by-step split cake loading technique? Read our guide How to Use Split Cakes for Face Painting.