Have Fun with Liquid Latex!

If you’re looking for a unique and different way to have some fun and be creative, have you thought about achieving this with the use of liquid latex?

You’re no doubt heard of body painting but this is a new twist to this by using liquid latex instead of paints. Liquid latex is a rubber compound that can be painted on the body and then allowing it to dry. This medium is perfectly safe as the skin can still breathe underneath and contains no toxic compounds that could be absorbed into the body via the skin.

However, allergies to liquid latex are possible so it is advisable to do a small skin test prior to eliminate this possibility.

Before use and after the skin test apply liberal amounts of skin lotion e.g. Nivea but if you are likely to wear the latex for long periods of time of if there is a chance that you may perspire then this may not be necessary. It’s probably best to get used to applying and wearing liquid latex before any mammoth events to see how your skin reacts.

Apply the latex liberally over the body and don’t be afraid to layer it to improve the durability and coverage. Apply the latex using a foam brush or roller to achieve a smooth application. Be sure to have more than one roller on hand as the latex dries very quickly! Using this technique, whole body outfits can be painted onto the body and this makes it perfectly safe to wear out in public.

Depending on the temperature of the room or area and the overall conditions in which it is applied, latex takes approximately 5 to 10 minutes for each coat to dry. Make sure that you let one coat to dry before adding the next.

Do not allow two parts of the body that has latex applied to touch one another as this will cause it to tear. Once the outfit has been applied then the surface needs to be sealed which will prevent the surface from sticking or tearing whilst wearing. Use a water/silicone-based polish or use a complete kit like the Liquid Latex Starter Kit which contains everything you need to start painting.

Removal of the latex is easy though one disadvantage to it is that you will be unable to save any of your unique creations! To remove it, it is necessary to destroy it so try not to be too inventive! It is easier to remove latex from a smooth or hairless body as the latex will not then pull on the hairs as it comes off. To avoid this problem, apply lotion or vegetable oil to the offending areas before pulling it off slowly.

To get the most out of your experience with Liquid latex don’t be afraid to experiment:

·        Combine different colours to achieve stunning effects.

·        Use Stardust or a silicone based finishing product to alter the final look.

·        Once you’re more confident in the use of latex, try some of the more adventurous liquid latex kits available e.g. Halloween, School girl or Nightclub Kits.

·        Try painting it on some old clothes to add to your unique wardrobe. Unlike painting it on the body, covering clothes like this extends the life of the latex thereby enabling it to be used more than once. Painted on denim, for instance, latex will stay on wash after wash. Why not jazz up a pair of old jeans that you were intending to throw out?

·        The different colours of latex are ideal for special effects. For example, red can be used for blood, white can be used for ghosts or vampires, black can be used for a cat.

·        Ideas for costumes: Nurse, Maid, School girl or Teacher, Cheerleader, Vampire or Cat. The list is endless!