On average, a face painter can paint approx. 10-12 full faces per hour, however, most established face painters could speed paint, which means they can paint up to 20 faces per hour by offering small designs with less detail.

An important part of the daily life in many of the indigenous tribes of the world is the use of body and face painting. It can denote status within the tribe, celebrate certain rituals or special events, or prove that someone has passed their rite of passage.

Body painting that is limited to the face is known as face painting. Body painting is also referred to as (a form of) "temporary tattoo". Large scale or full-body painting is more commonly referred to as body painting, while smaller or more detailed work can sometimes be referred to as temporary tattoos.

Professional face painters love to use glycerin-based face paints to create beautiful backgrounds that will not crack or flake off with movement. Brands like Superstar, Paradise from Mehron, Graftobian, and FAB, are all glycerin-based face paint brands.