Glitter tattoos that last all weekend.
Skin-safe cosmetic glitter applied through a stencil with hypo-allergenic adhesive. Bright, sparkly, kid-approved — and 3× faster than face painting.
What's involved
Glitter tattoos use a three-step process: a re-usable stencil is placed on the skin, the artist brushes cosmetic-grade skin-safe adhesive through the stencil opening, and loose polyester glitter is pressed onto the wet adhesive. The adhesive sets quickly and the glitter holds firm. The result is a vivid, sparkly tattoo that lasts about 3 days.
Why it works so well at events
- Low-fuss. The stencil-and-glitter process is simple and mess-free — about 12 per artist per hour, similar to face painting.
- No mess on the day. Glitter is contained in small pots and applied through the stencil — far less stray glitter than people imagine.
- Lasts to school on Monday. Kids love showing off the tattoo at school the next week, which turns into free word-of-mouth advertising.
- Works for all ages. We do glitter tattoos from age 4 up to adult bachelorettes and corporate brand activations.
Popular designs
Our standard stencil book has 80+ designs in these categories:
- Cute — butterflies, hearts, stars, unicorns, flowers, mermaids
- Cool — dragons, skulls, scorpions, snakes, soccer balls, sharks
- Themed — princess crowns, superhero logos, Halloween motifs, Christmas designs
- Words — names, "Best Day Ever", team names
- Custom — supply a vector and we cut a one-off stencil for you
Pairing with face painting
Big parties have a queue problem: face painting is detailed and slow, so a 30-child party with one face painter takes the full two hours and frustrates kids waiting at the back. A dual station helps — one face painter doing the big designs, plus a second artist offering glitter tattoos (or quick cheek art) so there's a shorter option. Younger kids and the impatient get something quick that lasts about 3 days; older kids who want a full Spider-Man face wait for the paint. More kids are served in the booked window.
Pricing
Glitter tattoos are usually included in a painter's hourly rate alongside face painting, so the same rates apply — roughly R1 100 for the first hour and R600 for each additional hour. Custom-cut stencils for branded events are sometimes offered at an extra fee. Each painter sets their own rates — check their profile. See the cost guide for examples by event size.
Brand activations
Corporate clients use glitter tattoos to put a logo or mascot on every guest at an activation — moving brand exposure that lasts for days. Painters who do activation work can usually arrange design proofs in advance and brand-matched colour glitter (any standard cosmetic colour is available).
Recent designs.
Photos below show our cosmetic-paint work — full glitter-tattoo gallery available on WhatsApp request.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a glitter tattoo last?
On normal skin and with light care, about 3 days. The adhesive is water-resistant but not waterproof — swimming pool chlorine and aggressive scrubbing will shorten the lifespan. To make a tattoo last longer, keep it away from oily lotions for the first 12 hours.
How is it different from a regular tattoo?
Glitter tattoos are temporary surface art. A stencil is placed on the skin, hypo-allergenic cosmetic adhesive is brushed over it, then loose cosmetic glitter is pressed on. The result looks vivid like a tattoo but contains no ink and never penetrates the skin.
How many glitter tattoos can one artist do per hour?
A single artist completes around 12 glitter tattoos an hour — similar to face painting. They suit shopping-centre activations, large school events, and older kids and adults, and each one lasts about 3 days.
Are the glitter and adhesive safe for kids?
Yes. We use cosmetic-grade polyester glitter rated safe for skin contact and a hypo-allergenic skin-safe adhesive (the same family used for false-lash and theatrical applications). All products carry SABS or international cosmetic compliance. Tell us if a child has known adhesive allergies and we will skip them or do a patch test.
How do you remove a glitter tattoo?
Baby oil or coconut oil rubbed in for 30 seconds and wiped away. Soap and water alone will fade it over a few washes but oil takes it off cleanly in one go. Do not scrub with a nail brush — it can irritate the skin.
Can you do custom designs?
Yes. Send a reference image at least 48 hours before the event. We can have a custom stencil cut for branded events (logos, mascots, slogans).