From Seaside Faces to Broadway: The Snazaroo Love Story Unveiled

Snazaroo is a well-known face paint brand that began in the late 1980s in the seaside town of Minehead, Somerset. The story behind Snazaroo is one of love, loss, and determination. Lauren and Paul Staton, the founders, started the company while working at Butlins holiday park. Lauren had moved from North London to Minehead in 1987 to work at a fancy dress concession at Butlins, where she provided party costumes and makeup. Since there were not many costumes for children, Lauren and her team began painting the kids' faces instead. The idea quickly became popular, and soon, everyone wanted their faces painted. Lauren and Paul were new to face painting, but they learned as they went along. Paul made a big decision to leave his well-paying job to join Lauren in Minehead. Many people thought he was taking a huge risk, but he believed in Lauren and their new business. By 1989, Lauren and her team had taught around 8,500 people how to paint children's faces. As more people wanted to buy their face paint, Paul suggested they start making their own. This led to the creation of a small factory in Minehead, where they began producing Snazaroo face paint. Lauren later wrote a book called A Snazzy Tale, which tells the story of how the brand was created. She wrote the book to help her process the loss of her husband Paul, who passed away when their son Joe was just two years old. The book also helped her remember the good times they shared.

In 1991, Snazaroo published a book called Five-Minute Faces, which was a guide for creating simple face paint designs. This book made face painting more accessible for beginners and helped it become a popular activity at children's parties and summer events. Many people remember the smell of Snazaroo face paint from their childhood, and the brand inspired many amateurs to try face painting themselves. Snazaroo is also seen as one of the reasons why makeup influencers and artists have become so popular today, with shows like Glow Up on BBC Three showcasing creative makeup looks. Sadly, in 1997, Paul died suddenly due to health complications. Lauren was devastated and decided to sell the company. She moved to France because Minehead held too many memories for her. By the time she left, Snazaroo had grown to employ around 130 people. Lauren said she needed to leave for her own well-being after losing her husband.

Their son Joe Staton, now an actor living in New York, was inspired by his mother's book to write a play about his parents' story. The play, called Snazzy, will be performed at the New York Theater Festival this summer. Joe said that reading the book and writing the play helped him feel closer to his late father, even though he was very young when Paul died. The play will feature several British actors and may eventually be performed in Minehead, where the story began. The journey of Snazaroo shows how a simple idea, combined with hard work and love, can grow into something much bigger than anyone expected. Lauren and Joe hope their story will encourage others to follow their dreams, even when faced with challenges and loss.