If you’re looking for the best Christmas face painting designs, you’ll love these festive ideas!
Show your holiday spirit with these face painting ideas for Christmas! There are so many fun options to choose from.
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Whether you’re looking for Christmas face painting ideas for beginners or you want something a little more in depth, there are so many ideas out there.
Painting face designs for Christmas is not only fun, it’s a work of art. These ideas are great for a Christmas party, holiday festival, family gathering, school program, and more.
You will love ALL of these face painting ideas for Christmas!

Helpful Supplies for Creating Your Christmas Face Paint Designs
While professional face painters do a fantastic job, you don’t have to be a makeup artist to create an awesome look for the holidays.
However, having the right supplies and tools will make it even easier to execute these easy Christmas makeup designs, especially if you’re a beginner with limited makeup application skills!
You don’t need prior art experience, but these tools are useful:
- If you need an easy-to-use paint, these water-based face paint sticks make it easy! It’s almost like using crayons, which is perfect for drawing on these designs.
- For a good quality, basic palette of face paints that you can use for multiple designs, this Snazaroo party pack set is a great face painting kit that’s perfect for getting started.
- If you want a shimmery look, add this gold makeup glitter!
- Not sure about your artistic talent? Try these Christmas face painting stencils!
Be sure to check out our tips for how to remove face paint afterward!
Best Christmas Face Painting Design Ideas
The holidays are such a fun time to do face painting! There are so many holiday designs that you can bring to life!
If you aren’t sure which one you want to choose, this list is a great place to start. We’re sharing popular face paint designs, along with some more unique options you won’t see everywhere.
1. Christmas Tree Face Painting
This adorable Christmas tree is a great idea for face painting.
The tree is painted right on the cheek, so it’s small, easy, and super fun! You can skip the black outline if you want to keep it simple, but it adds a nice effect.
2. Fun Holly Face Design
A cute face painting idea for Christmas is just a click away. This face design is focused on a holly leaf. Using three bright colors, stars, and sparkles, this design is sure to wow everyone.
If you need to keep things simple, omit the rainbow and stars on the forehead, focusing instead on the holly leaves and berries on the side of the face.
3. Candy Cane Face Painting Idea
Christmas is going to be sweet this year with this Candy Cane face painting idea.
Using red and white face paint, this idea will come to life in no time. If you have the time, adding the holly is a nice touch, but it can certainly be omitted if needed.
4. Christmas Snowflake Face Design
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! These easy snowflakes are perfect for painting on cheeks!
They’ll warm your spirit even if the weather outside is frightful. 🙂
5. Frosty the Snowman Face Paint
When you want an easy holiday face paint idea, this Frosty the Snowman idea is great!
It’s easy to pull off, thanks to the design of the snowman. You can also just do white dots in the background instead of stars, to keep it simple.
6. Elf Hat Face Painting
Elves bring a lot of fun to the holiday season, and all of Santa’s little helpers deserve a fun look!
This Elf Hat face painting goes on the forehead and around the eyes. It’s sure to capture anyone’s attention.
To glam it up a bit, add some shimmery green eye shadow on your eyelids and some bright red lipstick!
7. Kids Santa Hat Design
If you’re looking for a Santa hat face paint design that will make any kid happy, then this design is for you!
The hat design goes right on the forehead. You can keep it simple with red face paint, or add some red glitter for a sparkly look!
8. Full Santa Face Look
With Christmas approaching, sometimes you need the full face Santa look!
Choose this face paint idea to bring the jolly holidays to life! You’ll need some white face paint for the beard and hat, plus some red face paint for the hat and cheeks.
Use black face paint for the outline, and you’re set!
9. Reindeer Glam
You are just a few minutes away from creating a face painting idea that will make memories for a lifetime.
This Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer face paint idea is pure glam!
You’ll need light brown paint as the base color, plus some white and black for accents. Don’t forget the red face paint for the tip of the nose!
10. Easy Stylized Christmas Tree Face PAint
Be the star of any holiday show with this fabulous stylized Christmas tree.
It’s super simple, yet is sure to get attention for its uninque style! Plus, the design is quite forgiving, making it ideal for those who may be doubting their artistic skills.
11. Gingerbread Cookie Face PAint
If you like all things sweet, this face paint design features a Gingerbread man.
He stretches from the forehead down to the cheeks, making a simple yet impactful design. Feel free to embellish him however you wish!
12. Christmas Lights Makeup
One of the most festive aspects of the holidays are Christmas lights!
This easy design includes a strand of lights that drapes across the face. You can add some glitter to give it some sparkle!
13. Jack Skellington Face Paint
Everyone’s favorite character from The Nightmare Before Christmas takes center stage in this face paint design.
You’ll need red, white, and black face paint to pull off this option. This design doubles as an easy Halloween face paint idea, too, that you can wear to a Halloween party.
14. Toddler Christmas Face PAint
This toddler face paint is adorable, featuring the Grinch’s hand stealing an ornament painted on the tot’s nose.
So cute, and such a cool face paint idea that makes for fun photo ops!
15. Grinch Face Paint for Christmas
You’re a mean one, Mister Grinch! This cute design is a non-traditional approach to Christmas, but one that everyone will recognize nonetheless!
16. Christmas Ornament Makeup Design
Another super simple face paint design for cheeks, this Christmas bulb features a red ornament with some sparkles.
It’s a really easy design that’s perfect for beginners, and you can take it to the next level by adding multiple Christmas ornaments to the design.
17. Christmas Nativity Face Painting
This nativity scene face paint is stunning, with the blue paint in the background and black outline of the stable.
It’s a simple idea, but it takes up half the face, making for an impressive design.
18. Poinsettia Face PAint for the Holidays
The poinsettia, a traditional flower of Christmas, takes center stage with this beautiful design.
Adding sparkles really gives it some flair, but the real beauty is in the flower itself! Any little girl will feel like a princess with this design.
19. Christmas Bells Face Paint
Christmas bells are ringing with this cute face painting!
The simple design focuses on bells held together with festive ribbon, making it an easy option everyone will love!
You’ll need some yellow face paint for the bells, along with some green face paint, and some red and black paint for accents.
20. Christmas Penguin Face PAinting
This sweet and silly penguin is adorned with a Santa hat, making him a cute addition for the holidays!
Easy Face Painting Ideas for Christmas
If you’re looking for that perfect face painting idea for Christmas, this list will help.
From Santa hats to snowflakes, to reindeer – there are a ton of options. Go ahead and check out these simple face paint ideas for Christmas.
More Easy Face Painting Ideas:
Be sure to pin this to your Christmas board on Pinterest!
