Top 10 Best Camo Face Paint for Hunting & Military Camouflage

Best camo face paint for hunting & military use

Apart from looking awesome, face paint is essential for both hunting and the military.

No matter your hunter skills, if your face stands out in the forest while hunting, animals will easily notice you and bolt.

But camo face paint is also super useful for activities like fishing and bowhunting—for example, a bowstring can catch on a camo mask, so consider paint instead.

Even if you’re just going to enjoy some paintball or airsoft with your friends, camo face paint will be an excellent addition to enhance your experience. But as a soldier, a choice of good face paint is even more important because your survival may depend on it.

But where do you start?

If you don’t know which face paint to choose, don’t worry. Here’s the review of the best camouflage face paints on the market along with their distinguishing perks.

Best camouflage face paint comparison chart

What is the best type of camo face paint for me?

When choosing the best type of camouflage you should consider several factors:

Scent

The difference between the best military face paint and the best face paint for hunting is usually scent.

Sight may be the most important sense for humans, but most mammals use smell to avoid danger. If your face paint has an unnatural scent, animals will get scared by it and run away.

This means that when on a lookout for hunting face paint, you should choose a face paint that’s odorless or has a scent that’s natural for the area where you’ll be hunting.

Colors

When you’re on the hunt for the best hunting face paint, check if the colors that come in your camo face paint kit are natural at the place where you are hunting.

For example, if you go hunting in snow, leaf-colored face paint will stand out and be easily noticeable.

In addition to applying the correct-colored camouflage, you should also vary between blotches and slashes to simulate the texture of the environment.

Check out this handy table to help you decide what style to apply and in which environment:

AreaMethod
Grass or open areaSlash
ArcticBlotches
DesertSlash
JungleBroad slash
Coniferous forestBroad slash
Temperate deciduous forestBlotches

Durability

Let’s be honest, you’re unlikely to go out hunting for only an hour. And if you’re in the military, you’re going to need something that can withstand hours of use from sweat and rubbing on your gear. You should also check if water easily removes the face paint. If it does, your face paint will be ineffective in the rain.

Nobody wants to be reapplying their face paint every few hours. The best camo face paints will last for a whole day.

Is it skin-friendly?

Not all camo face paints are good for your skin, so choose face paint that will let your skin breathe.

Also, don’t forget to check the face paint for ingredients you might be allergic to. Hypo-allergenic paints are good here, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check the ingredients.

Before slapping on the camo face paint, try a skin patch test first to be extra safe.

Top 10 best camo face paints for hunting and military use

1. Carbomask 1 oz three Pack (best camo facepaint for hunting)

The Carbomask 1-oz. Three-Pack comes in black, brown, and green, which are standard colors for face paints.

Although, a couple of things stand out with this camo paint…

One is that it’s completely oil-free, so it doesn’t shine. The other is that it contains activated charcoal, which helps remove the odor of the paint.

Although this face paint is easily removed, this is a bit of a double-edged sword. You won’t have trouble cleaning it after you’re done hunting, but it will come off if you wipe the sweat away. If you can ignore this drawback, it’s the best face paint for deer hunting and the best duck hunting face paint.

Pros

  • Skin-friendly
  • Clay-based
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Easily removed

2. Arcturus camo face paint (best army facepaint)

The Arcturus camo face paint comes in three double-sided sticks with one color on each side. This amounts to six colors in total:

  • Brown
  • Black
  • Light green
  • Moss green
  • Olive
  • Forest

Note that this Arcturus camo face paint doesn’t wipe as easily as the CarboMask, but the biggest downside of this face paint is that it has a slight unnatural scent, so can give you away when out hunting.

This is the best army facepaint because the faint scent won’t be picked up by humans. It’s also an excellent choice for all airsoft enthusiasts.

Pros

  • Six colors
  • Lasts for a whole day
  • Doesn’t wash off from sweating

Cons

  • Has an unnatural scent

3. Hunters Specialties creme tube makeup kit (best hunting face paint for ease of application)

This tube makeup set comes in mud brown, leaf green, and flat black and it really easy to apply either with your fingers or an applicator (although a little messier).

Also, a big bonus is that it’s sweat and rain-resistant due to its thickness. This means you won’t have to worry while hunting in wet or humid conditions. I mean, it’s no Navy SEAL face paint, but it’ll do the trick.

Pros

  • Sweat-resistant
  • Rain-resistant
  • Thick and long lasting

Cons

  • Harder to remove than some other options

4. HME 3-Color Camo Face Paint

Practicality is the selling point of the HME 3-color face paint—it comes in a stick that resembles deodorant. Just don’t use the wrong product after showering!

We like how you simply apply it directly from the stick, so your hands won’t get messy during application

Pros

  • Doesn’t stain clothes
  • Super easy to apply

Cons

  • Hard to apply only one color

5. Hunters Specialties 5-Color Military Forest Digital Makeup Kit (2nd best military face paint)

Hunters Specialties’ digital makeup kit comes in five colors. Most face paints come in just three, so the two additional colors can help you blend in with the environment even better.
The colors included are:

  • Black
  • Brown
  • Caramel
  • Tan
  • Green

The problem with this product is that it has a strong smell, so is better-suited for military use rather than for hunting.

Pros

  • Compact case with mirror
  • High-temperature stability

Cons

  • Strong smell

6. Bobbie Weiner’s 4-Color Multi-Cam (best camo face paint compact)

Bobbie Weiner’s 4-Color Multi-Cam comes in a small case that easily fits in your pocket, so is ideal for reapplication while hunting. There’s also a small mirror on the lid, so the application result is spot-on.

For this, we deem it the best camo compact option for hunting.

Pros

  • Fits even in the smallest pockets
  • Mirror on the lid

Cons

  • Mirror is a bit small

7. Allen Company black, brown, olive and gray camo face paint set

This is another face paint that comes with a built-in mirror. It’s compact and easy to use, but some think it’s a little too greasy.

Pros

  • Compact and easy to use
  • Cosmetic quality

Cons

  • Some think it is a little too greasy

8. Dead Down Wind Face Paint

This Dead Down Wind option is a double-sided stick face paint, making it instantly practical.

Something else I really like about this product is that it’s refillable, but a downside is that the colors are a bit too similar, preventing a lack of variety.

Pros

  • Practical
  • Refillable
  • Double-sided

Cons

  • Colors are too similar

9. Allen Company 3-Color Face Paint Stick

Since this face paint has an included mirror, it’s ideal for easy application while hunting.

Unfortunately, this paint tends to dry out over time. So, if you don’t use it often, this isn’t the best choice for you.

Pros

  • Easy to apply

Cons

  • Dries out over time

10. Bobbie Weiner 3 Woodland Face Paint Sticks Kit

Although cheaper than some products on this list, these Bobbie Weiner paint sticks are a bit expensive considering what you get. Since they aren’t sweatproof, they feel more like face paint for Halloween costumes than ones you’d use while hunting.

Pros

  • Easy to apply

Cons

  • Not sweatproof

Choosing the best camouflage face paint: key takeaways

When choosing the best camo face paint for hunting, you should keep these things in mind:

  • Try to get a face paint that’s odorless
  • Check if there are any ingredients that might cause skin problems
  • Choose a sweatproof face paint
  • Go for a durable face paint

FAQ

Why do hunters wear camo and orange?

Hunters wear camo to blend in with the pattern of the forest. On the other hand, hunters wear orange because of other hunters. While deer can’t distinguish orange, it’s easily noticeable by humans, so they wear it to stick out and prevent being accidentally shot by other hunters.

Why doesn’t the military use hunting camo?

Hunters and soldiers have to move differently in the forest. Hunters are mostly stationary while waiting for their prey. Soldiers, on the other hand, have to move quickly. The Military uses camouflage that makes them less noticeable while they run.

Does camo face paint work?

Face paint works if you apply it correctly. The main purpose of camouflage is to reduce shine and break up outlines. When you combine correctly applied camo face paint with the rest of your camouflage gear, you should easily avoid being noticed by both humans and animals.

References

  1. Table on camouflage for different areas & climates: Info courtesy of Army Study Guide