Community-Safe Face Painting with Vivid Imaginations

Vivid Imaginations Face Painting, created by Dee Pridemore, is so much more than just painting faces. They’re also leading the way setting high standards for health and safety in the face painting industry by advocating for education, certification, and regulation around face painting.

As someone who works with small children, Dee is committed to keeping them and their families safe by using non-toxic makeup and following sanitization protocols that prevent spread of infection and reduce the risk of skin irritation.

The hypoallergenic makeup (not paint!) is lightweight, lead-free, carcinogen-free, paraben-free and is non-toxic.

They even have a Skin Series and Best Practices Certification that all their artists need to complete before they get to work on any clients, which teaches sanitization and contamination prevention.

With more than twenty years of education and experience in working with small children, including children who may be on the spectrum, Dee is passionate about encouraging other businesses to consider the same level of care and hiring people with the right certifications.

“All businesses have a duty of care to the community, and if they are not thinking about that, I need them to start thinking about it. It is money well spent to know that you hired a professional who is thinking about how, and taking every precaution to, prevent transmitted illnesses and cross-contamination, such as Covid.”

Dee recently recruited Alicia Michaliszyn as her Director of Operations, who shared her philosophy of face painting, and is also an airbrush artist, balloon twister, glitter tattoo artist, henna artist, and graphic designer. Dee believes that the skills Alicia possesses will be key factors in the future success and expansion of the business.

Dee credits the new partnership with allowing her the opportunity to develop a state-wide exam for face painting certification; she also petitions and lobbies for big box stores to stop selling the dangerous and toxic face painting kits that can cause irritation and chemical burns.

With all of the difficulties that Covid brought upon local businesses, it’s also created an opportunity for her to work with local dermatologists to ensure that they’re continually learning and improving their practices.

“It’s skin. We don’t want to get people sick, and we don’t want the reputation of face painting or the industry itself to be de-valued,” says Dee.

In addition to insurance and proper licensing, Dee would like to see a state-wide face painting certification requirement take effect. When that time comes, she is prepared not only to get the certification herself, she’ll have a course ready and waiting so that she can help others to get certified as well.

If you are a local business, or if you run a local event, consider Vivid Imaginations (but they do need 3-6 months’ notice, so book early). Not only do they create joy and lasting memories in three minutes or less, your faces are safe with them!

This article was adapted from the Fall 2021 issue of Taylored Living Magazine.