Watery eyes

Just wondering if any of you guys ever get watery eyes on children when you paint them. I have either just started noticing more often or something has changed but reccently I have been noticing kids tearing up a bit with paint around their eyes. I stay away from usually brushing near the eyes and my own kid I sponge the whole eye and she is fine. No paint going in the eyes just them looking like they are going to cry. I of course stop and ask if they want to continue and they all say yes and say they are fine but why are they tearing up I wonder.... was it something I said? LOL Any ideas as to why this is happening? I have switched from snazaroo white to mehron just because of availability at the store I went to but I dont think it is limited to just white as it happened on my skeleton face too... any info helpful I tried searching this topic and couldnt find anything if there is a link please let me know.

I'd guess it depends on the kid. My niece waters up like that, but the 6 other nieces and nephews do just fine. She said it didn't burn, but they kept watering until she washed it off. I'm wondering if it's the stimulation of the brush/sponge around the eyes, and she's just sensitive to it.

They seem okay with it on their faces once it is dried a bit. When i start my spiderman face I do the eyes and notice it right away on a few kids. But by the time I lay the red base down they seem fine again. Then I outline and it happens again. At least that happened reccently. It was a stranger so I have no idea how it was after the fact. Parents kept saying continue he's okay so i did. they spoke another language and spoke to the child... at that point should I refuse to finish painting them? Or do as the parents ask thinking they knwo best? What would you do??

Sounds to me like it might be the stimulation around the eye causing that.

You could rule out the Mehron, by trying Snaz again. If it keeps happening, then you know it's not the paint.

I find it's the amount of paint/make-up sometimes.
If you think about your paint- especialy Mehron like your foundation as really that's what it is fancy coloured makeup... would you paint foundation around your eyes? sure you may sponge some lightly over the top but only a very small amount... I always sponge eyes when possible as you get less paint... and make the sponge as dry as possible....
I have weak eyes.. they are light green and very sensitive to the light and even the thought of eye drops causes me to start tearing up. The thought of anyone going near my eyes makes me anxious... so I keep this in mind when painting others.
I painted an awesome skull the other day when the kid I was putting the white on starting getting upset saying it was in his eye... I got the mirror to show him I hadn't gone anywhere near his eyes as I had to leave big holes for the black.. he was surprised and let me finish... but I was not allowed to go near his eyes.... I was surprise how well it turned out in the end.
I have had my eyes get a bit red and itchy if I have been wearing paradise all day over my eyes - but I get that with EVERY eyeliner and mascara on the market... so I figure it's just me. It's not enough to stop me wearing it though... just a bit of an annoyance.

Happens. I work with one actor that I just don't put eye make-up on as he tears up immediately.

I get kids that tear up pretty often. I think it is the stimulation of the tear ducts when applying the paint that triggers it but not sure. It isn't the paint.

I just grab a q-tip and blot the tear to stop it running. Then, if it messed up, fix it gently so as to not start the tearing again.

I often find it happens with boys.
The moment the paint touches the face they eyes seem to start, I don't even need to go that close, even keeping at least a cm from the eyes and using the finest amount snazaroo they run.
They say it doesn't hurt them at all and are happy for me to keep painting, it does make it quite tricky though when you have tears dripping down the paint.

I like your explanation Shannon.
I'm going to keep that in mind and try it out...
the only thing I can't work out is why my eyes will water at the thought of something coming near them?
Psychosomatic much?

I didn't notice it that often with snaz, but I have much more with the paradise, and I am considering moving back to snaz around he eyes

Unfortunatley I have eyes that do this. It does not matter which make it is, the minute I put face paint around my eyes they start to water. I don't have this reaction to normal eye make up but then again I don't ware it that often. I don't know what causes it but I have to sponge carefully around my eyes and then have a little tissue handy to stop the design smudging.

Brian Wolfe said that he presses center-back on the base of his model's skull and that this makes the tearing stop. We heard him say this in Philadelphia last year. I haven't had the occasion to try it though.

I was doing a child's eye recently and he suddenly opened his eye (wide). It didn't hurt him but his mom FREAKED OUT. I left her to it, feeling badly myself. The paint floated, obscuring the eye like a cataract. I handed her a wipe and offered to help but she was beside herself.

I, myself, tear like mad sometimes.

I am glad to be back in the forum. My mom was diagnosed with cancer and I have been traveling back and forth to Minnesota. Glad to read you all.

Im glad to hear its just not my skills doing it... I have been told i am very gentle but you never know what it is like to be on the otherside right?

Thanks for all the tips and comments

It's most likely sensitive tear ducts. One of my daughters has this problem. She tears up immediately when I sponge or paint near her eyes. This happens with about 7% of the kids I paint. I just act very natural about it. If I notice their eyes are getting a bit wet, I say, "Are your eyes tearing up? Don't worry, you just have sensitive tear ducts. They will stop in a bit." I always try to say it loud enough for the parent to hear too, lol. I take a tissue if it's bad enough, and press it into the inside corner of each eye for a moment, which seems to stop the flow and collect any moisture. Then I continue as usual. If a tear has escaped before I can get to it, I'll dab back over that area and fix it as well as I can.

Kids can have all sorts of reactions to this, as well. Most are embarrassed about it and hope you won't notice. This is where acting natural and no-nonsense really helps. They don't want you to think they are weeping. One child told me I had gotten paint in her eye. I explained that it wasn't paint, it was her own tears. LOL.

That tip about pressing the base of the head is interesting. I will have to try that and see if it works. So far, pressing the inside corner of the eye with a tissue works for me to stop the flow.

Sparkling Lady is right!! It works--and so impresses the hovering parent!

Cool tip!

welcome back sparklinglady, I'm sorry to hear about your mother.