princess sparkle
June 11, 2012 10:30 PM Subscribe
I have been tasked with manning a Princess Makeup Station at a birthday party for four year-old girls. What awesome things can I bring?
Nail polish and lip gloss will be provided; I am looking for ideas for really fun makeup/dress-up ideas that I can use at the party. I don't have children, so would really love to hear any suggestions.
yes, I agree that stereotypical gender roles for young children can be problematic, but this party is not the hill I am going to die on.
Nail polish and lip gloss will be provided; I am looking for ideas for really fun makeup/dress-up ideas that I can use at the party. I don't have children, so would really love to hear any suggestions.
yes, I agree that stereotypical gender roles for young children can be problematic, but this party is not the hill I am going to die on.
Can you buy some cheap brightly colored eyeliner and use it to draw cool designs? (kind of like this random image I found)
posted by MadamM at 10:35 PM on June 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by MadamM at 10:35 PM on June 11, 2012 [1 favorite]
Glitter OMG glitter there should be glitter. You can get cheapish glitter eyeliner and body glitter from Sephora, their house brand. You can also get very expensive body glitter and glitter paints there, but if you stick with Sephora brand your wallet won't cry when the 4-year-old girls destroy the glitter implements.
posted by rhiannonstone at 10:40 PM on June 11, 2012 [9 favorites]
posted by rhiannonstone at 10:40 PM on June 11, 2012 [9 favorites]
See if you can get your hands on edible body powder - it's sort of sparkly and tastes like cake or whatever!
posted by lemoncakeisalie at 10:43 PM on June 11, 2012
posted by lemoncakeisalie at 10:43 PM on June 11, 2012
Look into getting Katy Perry nail polish, I think the girls would love that!
Also there seem to be a lot of great "Makeover Party" ideas on this website from a variety of people.
posted by livinglearning at 10:44 PM on June 11, 2012
Also there seem to be a lot of great "Makeover Party" ideas on this website from a variety of people.
posted by livinglearning at 10:44 PM on June 11, 2012
Alongthe lines of the first two ideas, temporary tattoos of age appropriate, sparkly things might be nice. As a kid, I enjoyed flavored lip gloss and random makeup the most, & it sounds like you have that covered. Also, accessories like tiaras, glasses, gloves, & the like (assuming you can find affordable ways to do this) would rock. Lastly, funky barrettes, headbands, ponytail holders with flowers or streamers attached might also do the trick. OH & glitter! You cannot underestimate the power of body (or hair) glitter when it comes to kids or adults. Have fun! Putting aside the whole stereotypical gender roles for young children thing, this can be great fun for everyone involved. It's about playing dress up and being awesome by whatever means necessary. When I was a kid, that meant Osh Kosh B'Goshes, leg warmers, ribbons in my hair, Avon makeup for kids, & all sorts of random stuff. I think the kids & you will have a fabulous time!
posted by katemcd at 10:46 PM on June 11, 2012
posted by katemcd at 10:46 PM on June 11, 2012
It's 2012, surely someone has gotten on the glitter face paint tip- ah. Here we go. Looks like the kind of thing Party City maybe would have? Or Amazon.
Even if you aren't super-artistic, I'm sure you could do passable hearts, butterflies and flowers, and maybe balloons? I would have gone nutty for that at four.
posted by Snarl Furillo at 11:15 PM on June 11, 2012
Even if you aren't super-artistic, I'm sure you could do passable hearts, butterflies and flowers, and maybe balloons? I would have gone nutty for that at four.
posted by Snarl Furillo at 11:15 PM on June 11, 2012
Foam clown noses. Shake things up a bit.
posted by LarryC at 11:27 PM on June 11, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by LarryC at 11:27 PM on June 11, 2012 [3 favorites]
We had a princes and princesses day at school when I was five. What I thought was the best. thing. ever was where we coloured a piece of cardboard (including adding glitter and stickers), rolled and taped it into a cone, and taped a scarf/crepe paper/ribbon/I don't remember what exactly, to the top, so it trailed down behind. Then we used elastic to hold it on as a hat. Like one of these, but homemade.
(I also liked the bit where we made swords out of sticks and whacked each other with them, but maybe that's not what the mother has in mind as princess-appropriate behaviour.)
posted by lollusc at 12:01 AM on June 12, 2012 [2 favorites]
(I also liked the bit where we made swords out of sticks and whacked each other with them, but maybe that's not what the mother has in mind as princess-appropriate behaviour.)
posted by lollusc at 12:01 AM on June 12, 2012 [2 favorites]
Don't forget the makeup removing/moisturising wipes, because sure as eggs someone is going to have a melt-down and need a re-do.
posted by ninazer0 at 12:19 AM on June 12, 2012 [5 favorites]
posted by ninazer0 at 12:19 AM on June 12, 2012 [5 favorites]
I'd take some full on face paint, because there will some child who wants to be Frog Tiana or Nala or a dinosaur or something, not to mention the inevitable little brother who's been dragged along against his will. It's cheap enough at party supply stores, and you can use them to do pretty spirals and fairy makeup on the kids who want it.
A basic pancake white will be incredibly useful.
Mica powders can be brushed on, and is less pernicious than craft glitter. I don't know what the equivalent is in the states, but you can usually pick up a few tubs for a few bucks a pop at cheapie makeup places.
Big bags of disposable applicators will be handy too for preventing all your colours becoming a big freaking smear. Even a jumbo box of q tips will make a big difference. Baby wipes and cotton balls paired with a sorbolene cream will be useful for cleanup on kids delicate skin.
posted by Jilder at 1:53 AM on June 12, 2012
A basic pancake white will be incredibly useful.
Mica powders can be brushed on, and is less pernicious than craft glitter. I don't know what the equivalent is in the states, but you can usually pick up a few tubs for a few bucks a pop at cheapie makeup places.
Big bags of disposable applicators will be handy too for preventing all your colours becoming a big freaking smear. Even a jumbo box of q tips will make a big difference. Baby wipes and cotton balls paired with a sorbolene cream will be useful for cleanup on kids delicate skin.
posted by Jilder at 1:53 AM on June 12, 2012
One equipment tip:
My (3yo) daughter and I got our fingernalis painted the other day at another toddler's birthday party. Mrs Kandinski and I were pleasantly surprised that we didn't have to break out the acetone; the nail polish was water-soluble! In retrospect, it may have been just some water-cleanable children's paint in a nail-polish-like container. The nail coverage was terrible, and our nails were al streaky.
posted by kandinski at 2:57 AM on June 12, 2012
My (3yo) daughter and I got our fingernalis painted the other day at another toddler's birthday party. Mrs Kandinski and I were pleasantly surprised that we didn't have to break out the acetone; the nail polish was water-soluble! In retrospect, it may have been just some water-cleanable children's paint in a nail-polish-like container. The nail coverage was terrible, and our nails were al streaky.
posted by kandinski at 2:57 AM on June 12, 2012
Stick-on earrings! (aka stick-on gems) Ok, not technically makeup, but these were one of my favorite "grown-up" dress up accessories as a kid.
posted by clerestory at 3:31 AM on June 12, 2012 [9 favorites]
posted by clerestory at 3:31 AM on June 12, 2012 [9 favorites]
Just another vote, as a former tomboy, for a few non-sparkly things too in case someone doesn't want to be a Princess.
posted by penguin pie at 3:44 AM on June 12, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by penguin pie at 3:44 AM on June 12, 2012 [3 favorites]
Go to a dollar store or 5 and under store. They always have princess type packages that include fake earrings, hair things and we've even seen fake high heels shoes. Might be cool to have these accessoroies laying around. You could probabaly get a nicer higher priced one at a regular toy store too. My wife gets these for our nieces and they love them to the point that they shun their "real" gifts.
posted by Busmick at 6:12 AM on June 12, 2012
posted by Busmick at 6:12 AM on June 12, 2012
Color changing lipstick! Or any color changing/ mood make up.
posted by MadMadam at 6:12 AM on June 12, 2012
posted by MadMadam at 6:12 AM on June 12, 2012
You can get an inkpad which stamps 'tattoos' onto skin. Something like a butterfly stamp could be pretty cute, and they wash off.
I believe you can also paint glitter tattoos, but I'm not sure how much in terms of skill and supplies you need - I've just seen it done at parties.
Also: wigs. In candy colours.
posted by mippy at 6:39 AM on June 12, 2012
I believe you can also paint glitter tattoos, but I'm not sure how much in terms of skill and supplies you need - I've just seen it done at parties.
Also: wigs. In candy colours.
posted by mippy at 6:39 AM on June 12, 2012
You can steal lots of ideas by visiting a Club Tabby store, if you have one near you.
For ambiance, make sure you have the One Direction CD playing.
posted by jbickers at 6:40 AM on June 12, 2012
For ambiance, make sure you have the One Direction CD playing.
posted by jbickers at 6:40 AM on June 12, 2012
Nth-ing the glittery stuff. Perhaps you could find little fake butterflies at a craft store that could be hot-glued onto barrettes to go in girls' hair? Lip Smackers flavored lip gloss is cheap, and little girls love the flavors. Those nail decals might go over big too, depending on how much time you want to spend doing tiny manicures; maybe just one gemstone-y decal per hand might not be too onerous.
posted by vytae at 6:46 AM on June 12, 2012
posted by vytae at 6:46 AM on June 12, 2012
When I was a scout, we used those 99c eyeliner/lipliner pencils as facepaints because you get so much more control with it. They usually come off easily at the end of the day with a good facewash, but yes yes yes bring wipes for re-dos.
Also, dollar store scarves, or remnant bin pieces of shimmery or gauzy veil or scarf fabric, and wide ribbon in yard/meter lengths. Because playing with that stuff is pretty much the best and it's utterly convertable to capes, skirts, flags or whatever they can think of. Throw it all in a bin and let them go through it. (Try to have duplicates because it is inevitable someone will want the same one as someone else - this applies to tattoos/stickers, dress-up, etc.)
posted by cobaltnine at 7:52 AM on June 12, 2012
Also, dollar store scarves, or remnant bin pieces of shimmery or gauzy veil or scarf fabric, and wide ribbon in yard/meter lengths. Because playing with that stuff is pretty much the best and it's utterly convertable to capes, skirts, flags or whatever they can think of. Throw it all in a bin and let them go through it. (Try to have duplicates because it is inevitable someone will want the same one as someone else - this applies to tattoos/stickers, dress-up, etc.)
posted by cobaltnine at 7:52 AM on June 12, 2012
Make the makeup fun and wacky, not like Toddlers and Tiaras, and you will be both fulfilling your responsibilities and encouraging little girls to do fun things rather than to be miniature gender-conforming adults. Glittery face paint is a fantastic idea! Cat whiskers for those who want cat whiskers (princess cat!) Fish scales for mermaid princesses!
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:30 AM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:30 AM on June 12, 2012 [1 favorite]
A water spritzer bottle, to help "set" the make-up (a la evian spray). It's fun to squirt kids in the face with water! They love it!
posted by thinkpiece at 9:48 AM on June 12, 2012
posted by thinkpiece at 9:48 AM on June 12, 2012
tiaras for sure.
Hair extensions in fun colors?
definitely lots of little glittery stickers. stick-on bindis.
posted by fingersandtoes at 10:04 AM on June 12, 2012
Hair extensions in fun colors?
definitely lots of little glittery stickers. stick-on bindis.
posted by fingersandtoes at 10:04 AM on June 12, 2012
Glitter hairspray or pink/purple hairspray.
Wands to go with tiaras?
posted by freezer cake at 1:53 PM on June 12, 2012
Wands to go with tiaras?
posted by freezer cake at 1:53 PM on June 12, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by abitha! at 10:34 PM on June 11, 2012