>>9619871First, Wash figure with warm and soapy water is possible.
Second depending on the type you plan on using.
-Apoxie Sculpt/Fix-it tends to stay on the best from my experience as it's basically a clay.
-"Yellow/Cream Stuff"(Japanese brand) sticks semi well but it's easier to crack it apart, so it's best for smooth areas.
-Green Stuff tends to peel off on me more than most, but the ideas ive heard was super gluing the base of the putty before applying it to the figure(Havent tried myself)
Basic rule I do to prevent from breaking is making sure you have enough(Not too much) as a support and/or reinforcing it in layers, but making sure each layer sticks and filling gaps.