Unicorn face painting — horns, rainbows, sparkle.
From the classic forehead-horn-and-mane unicorn to the galaxy variant with deep-blue base and star clusters. Plus the pastel option for kids who prefer subtle to sparkly.
Unicorn went from being a princess sub-genre to a category in its own right around 2018, and it has only grown. Where princess is about being "the princess", unicorn is about being magical — a slightly different fantasy, with a different colour palette and different design vocabulary.
What unicorn designs look like in practice
The signature element is the horn on the forehead — a triangular twist of paint, usually with gold or silver shimmer, often with a small flower at its base. Around it the painter adds a "mane" sweep on the sides, rainbow eye-shadow on the lids, and white-glitter cloud accents.
Variants pull the palette in different directions:
- Classic — bright pink, purple, white, gold. Heavy glitter. Most-booked.
- Pastel — soft pink, lavender, mint, peach. Light glitter. Better for sensitive-skin kids.
- Galaxy — deep blue, indigo, purple base with star clusters. Reads as cool and slightly older.
- Magical — adds sparkle dots across the cheeks and forehead. Very photogenic.
Unicorn + glitter tattoos
Unicorn designs pair extremely well with a glitter-tattoo station running in parallel. Many themed unicorn parties end up with each child getting a full unicorn face plus a small unicorn-silhouette glitter tattoo on the arm — the tattoo lasts about 3 days and acts as a take-home reminder.
Designs in this category
- Classic unicorn horn on the forehead with mane sweep
- Rainbow eye-shadow with white-glitter clouds
- Pastel unicorn (soft pink/lavender/mint, less glitter)
- Bright unicorn (electric pink, neon purple, gold, heavy glitter)
- Unicorn cheek (small horn + rainbow on one cheek)
- Magical unicorn (stars + sparkle dots across the forehead)
- Galaxy unicorn (deep blue / purple base with star clusters)
- Tween glitter-unicorn (more festival-styled glitter, less character)
Who books Unicorn designs
- Age sweet spot: 3–9 years (classic), 10+ (galaxy / festival variants)
- Time per design: 6–8 minutes for the full horn-plus-mane look; 3–4 minutes for cheek-art unicorns
- Throughput: a painter completes about 12 full-face designs per hour.
Pricing
Unicorn designs carry no theme premium — they're priced as part of standard face painting. Most South African face painters price by the hour; see the cost guide for typical figures, and each painter's profile for their own rates.
Recent designs.
Frequently asked questions
How is a unicorn design different from a princess design?
A unicorn is character-driven (the horn, the mane, the rainbow) while a princess is jewellery-driven (the tiara, the gems). They overlap — many girls pick a "princess unicorn" which combines a tiara with a horn. The painter will offer both options.
Are unicorn designs only for girls?
No — increasingly unicorn requests come from boys and from all genders for adult festivals. The "galaxy unicorn" variant (deep blues with stars) is especially popular with older kids and adults who want something less overtly girly.
Can painters do a unicorn design with less glitter?
Yes — the pastel-unicorn variant uses soft colours and minimal glitter. Good for children with sensitive skin or for parents who do not want glitter coming off on bedding.
Do painters offer unicorn-themed balloons?
Often — unicorn balloon hats (with a small horn) and rainbow-coloured balloon swords can be part of a themed package. Ask the painter and mention the theme when booking.
What ages love unicorn designs?
Strongest demand from 3–9 girls; growing popularity with 10+ as a tween-festival look. Boys 4–8 pick galaxy-unicorn surprisingly often.