Rainbow Cakes - Self Made - Would you buy it commercially?

Hi everyone! I'm new to the forum but will admit that I've been reading some of your topics and replies and I've found them quite helpful so thought I'd ask one.
I have a question re split cakes. I've only ever used Snazaroo as a main medium to the degree now that I sell Snazaroo in Australia. They don't do split cakes as they have a policy no-one touches the paint until the face painter does. As a result I make my own, however more and more of my face painters are asking me to make some up for them. I've been hesitant to this point and have only done some for a few close friends but what would your thoughts be if someone sold a split cake? Would any of you be concerned re the hygiene? Thanks for your time. Melissa.

Take a look at Metina's store.

Thanks Ladies. I really appreciate your feedback. I looked at Metina's shop - Metina - how do you go with your customers with the whole hygiene senario or any comments from Snazaroo?

Hi Melissa,
Where in Australia are you? Always helps to know other Aussie artists!
As far as snazaroo goes I had been led to believe it was the only brand that had antibacterial properties - so if you were going to do it with any paint that would be the most hygienic, that said I use Paradise and make my own cakes out of those.... I use plastic gloves and cling wrap so my hands don't come into contact with the paint - that's more about transferred mess then about hygiene though, but it might help you.
I should also say that I bought a couple of Arty Cakes from Silly Farm - and they mix their paints..... snaz, kryolan and wolfe... I think, anyway I found the cakes don't wear evenly, any snaz melts down faster then the other colours - so theres a good reason not to mix brands.
Metina's is a good way to go - she uses DFX only - I think..... could be wrong about this..... and she will make up whatever combo you want.
I have to ask... If your 'friends' are painters couldn't they make their own rainbowcakes? Just curious.
If you need info about snazaroo you should be asking Gary on the Snaz forum - he's the King of Snaz.... but if your a retailer you probably already know this!

Oh and Perry - How do yu live without rainbow cakes?
No rainbow butterflies, rainbow tigers or rainbow spidermen?
Sometimes If I'm doing ppf the rainbow cake is all I use for the last couple of people just to push them through really fast.
If someone asks you for a rainbow - you paint every color seperately?
Or are you just scared of rainbow cakes too?

I'm in Brisbane. Three months ago I became the authorised Australian Supplier of Snazaroo as we decided to take that next step. We've just had our launch at the Eumundi Face and Body Art Carnival and had an absolute ball. I definitely wouldn't be mixing brands so I'm ok there.
I have quite a number of face painters/entertainers that I do contract work with as you would for events or gigs you can't get to yourself so it's more a case of I've got them all here and doing it for myself, there's always that other half

Awesome, I'm so Jelous I wish I could of made it to Eumundi!!
At the moment my work is what is keeping our heads above water - Sydney is so damned expensive, hopefull one day I will be able to travel for these events. I'm still hopeing to make it to Dalesford for next years MBAA.
I know Christina Davidson is doing classes in Nov? or Dec? in Queensland and my sister lives in Brisbane so I was hoping to make it up there for her classes - I just love her work!
Make sense if your a retailer people asking you to make them cakes as you would have the reserves for it... hadn't really thought about it like that.
Can I ask you do you find Snaz melts in our summer heat - especialy up there? Do you use a cooling method in Summer? I had stayed away from snaz mainly for this reason. Even my Paradise get misty and eventually gluggy in the heat.

I find my classic black is the only one I have an issue with for getting gluggy in summer. I don't find any problem with it on the skin, more an environmental issue with strong winds etc and the necessity to keep spraying the paint. For large events and small kids parties it's not a problem as you're either not in the weather long enough or for large events you go through most of it. Snazaroo pigments won't change so even though it get's gluggy over lots of small usage, just add water. I do go through mine quite quick.

Since I've put the 18ml pots into palettes rather than having them all separate, I've found that problem no longer exists for me as if I separate the main 8, then the sparkle,metallic, then greens and blues and pinks oranges and yellows etc, I put the lid on between faces when I'm not using that section of colours (hope that makes sense).

I don't use a cooling method except for a huggies baby wipe prior to painting if the kids are sweaty

Even in our Canadian summers the snaz black gets goopy, I swapped it out of the jumbo palette for another colour and keep it under the table in the shade, the rest of the colours seem to handle the sun really well. I've used the snaz to make rainbow cakes and find they go on and blend so smoothly. They also feel lighter than the DFX rainbow when on my face. It would be cool if snaz made rainbows, extra cool if they were square.

That's pretty much why I have used it and now have taken on selling it. It's the only face paint in 11 years that I can confidently use on kids in hospitals and under treatment. Burns victims and kids with cancer. That's how Funtopia started (my daughter 10 yrs old spent her first 6 in and out of hospital) and we will always keep that up. I'm not taking just faces but really creating that smile. I know some other brands might have more vibrant colours or UV etc but from my business focus Snazaroo has 57 colours and sparkles etc and that works for us.

I just made three rainbow cakes! Of course they are just a combination of three colors, but it's so pretty! I only have the 16 color snazzaroo pallet so I used pink, light blue and dark purple. It was a little messy, but now I have three rainbow "cakes" (even though they are small) and I TOTALLY know now I have to get more. So awesome!!!!

Yes I would and have bought homemade rainbow cakes and splits. I have been thinking of putting some together myself and selling them via etsy. Though, I'd hate to spend a small fortune and not be able to sell them but I know I'd buy them and so might others! I had no idea Metina was selling split cakes! Awesome!

i use gloves and clean my exacto knife and razor blades in between with alcohol. i do the very best i can, but one can only do so much.

i have heard that heather at sf went to great lengths to have a sterile room set us for just making these, but unless folks don't mind paying 30 dollars each, i will just stick with my method.

what you need to understand is that while it is pretty easy to cut up our cakes and throw them into another pallette or container for our own use, it is a whole nother ballgame, when they have to look neat and tidy for a customer. it is extremely labor intensive to make splits.

i am not trying to discourage you, but be prepared. though i have found, that snaz is the easiest paint to work with becuase they freeze and go soft so quickly.

-metina

ps sorry, the computer i am on has a faulty shift key.