Air Brush Makeup

“…None of the photos on my website are “airbrush makeup”. 

I became very interested in airbrush makeup application when it became a “buzz word”. I bought a system and took some classes. Airbrush makeup is just another technique to apply makeup. It is a “tool”. I believe it sounds great because of the association in people’s minds with “airbrushed photos” — they are not the same.

Airbrush makeup will not smooth or cover bad skin any better than traditional methods, and has a lot of other things to consider as well. For beauty and glamour I will put my work up against anyone’s airbrush work… I use the finest makeup products available, and with a combination of brushes, sponges and fingers can give better coverage, as smooth of coverage and longer lasting coverage…”

Airbrushing makeup still requires all the same steps as more traditional methods of application. Cover up and spot concealer and powder is normally still brushed or sponged on in the traditional way. The airbrush cannot “push” or work the products into the skin or into each other. It must still be powdered and the powder must be worked in.

Older faces with sagging skin and deep wrinkles need a fine foundation worked into the creases – which the airbrush cannot do. I found most of the compressors noisy and many people really hate how it feels, especially when work is done around the eyes.

Much of the “hype” about airbrush comes from the people that manufacture and sell the makeup and equipment. It is almost impossible to find impartial reviews and comparisons because the search engines have been so heavily spammed by those selling the equipment and services. There are many who advertise airbrush who simply are not skilled with it. It is more a buzz-word and ultimately used as a minimal part of the entire makeup application.

This is not to say that there are not artists who love the airbrush, and are very good with it. 

Airbrushing is certainly best for special effects makeup, doing large areas on the body as in tattoo cover-up and tanning and where stenciled designs are required or desired. It is also a quick way to apply a generic foundation color quickly to a large number of people when custom blending of foundation colors is not required or is not practical for time reasons..

One more thing to remember, the use of an airbrush does not mean that the person using it is a great “artist” or that the final result will look better or even good.  If you look at my commercial client list you will see that those who hire makeup artists for commercial work… hire the “artist” and not the “tool”….