I have only ever worked with the Becoming Moonlight Gilding Paste cone one time before. It is a great product for beginners like me, as well as those experienced with body art. The paste stays white and raised which I really like because it makes it easy to see where you are working. Getting used to the feel of the cone is different than working with a paintbrush or pencils. You have to hold it so that you have firm pressure, but not so tight that the paste flows unevenly. This can take some time to get used to. I have learned a lot when working with the Becoming Moonlight Gilding cone.
For my design, I practiced freehand on paper before drawing on my hand. This was to get used to the feel of the cone, and how much pressure you need to allow the paste to come out evenly. Once I was happy with my design on paper, I mimicked the design on my left hand.
My first few lines were a little shaky and not very symmetrical. Having clean and even lines come with the experience of using a cone for body art. Your art does not have to be perfect to look good. Becoming Moonlight® Gilding paste is not permanent and can be easily taken off.
I was able to add a little more paste to the middle to allow the paste to touch in the center.
Parts of my design were not touching when I finished, however, I was able to fix this by adding a little more paste, then powder and glitter to touch it up.
Once the paste is on the skin, it has to sit for 5 to 10 minutes for the paste to become tacky before it can be sealed with mica powder or glitter. I made the mistake of not waiting long enough and had to redo a small part of my design.
The small flat brush I used for the mica powder was perfect because the mica clumped together on the tip of the bristles. I cleaned the brush in between colors so that the powders did not mix. I used the same brush for applying glitter, which did not work as well. I learned that I need a wider flat brush for applying the glitter to the design.
I chose teal glitter and purple mica powder for my design because I like the way that those colors complement each other. Lighter colors would not look as good on my fair skin as they would on someone else. By contrast, the colors I chose may not look good on everyone either.
In conclusion, I like working with the Becoming Moonlight Gilding Paste cone. The freedom to draw and express ones-self in body art feels awesome! You can trace a design or make up your own. If you mess up, you can wash it off and start over. This is not easily done with other types of body art mediums. The paste can also be peeled off for work or school. It is great for a day or weekend event.
Tips:
- If there is an air bubble in the cone, the paste sputters when coming out. This can be wiped off with an alcohol covered cotton swab. The area should be dry before reapplying the paste.
- If the paste is not tacky, the adhesive will stick to the brush being used to apply the glitter or mica powder and lift from the skin.
- To use multiple colors or glitters in your design, I found it easier to complete the part of the design for one color, then go back and add additional paste for other colors.
- The mica and glitter colors should complement each other. The colors you or the client chooses should also look good with the skin tone they are being put on.
Read Patty’s experience with white henna here: http://www.becomingmoonlight.blog/2020/01/31/new-to-white-henna-part-2/
Liz • Ancient Sunrise® Specialist
You can become an artist, too! Order cones, powders, and glitter here: https://www.mehandi.com/Becoming-Moonlight-Gilding-Paste-p/3979.htm
https://www.mehandi.com/Becoming-Moonlight-Glitter-p/glitter_01.htm
https://www.mehandi.com/Becoming-Moonlight-Gilding-Powder-p/gild-pwdr_01.htm
