Thursday, July 26, 2007

Airbrush Makeup Update

Professional Makeup Artist Rob Closs elaborates on the leading edge technique of Airbrush Makeup

Making your mind up about makeup can sometimes be overwhelming. Just nailing the right color of foundation is hard enough, never mind having to deal with the application side of it. So you put it off for a while and the next thing you know, ten years has rolled by. Then you're faced with your face again, and the dread of all the decision making revisits you. Thank God for the evolution of beauty!

Between manufacturers making better colors of foundations and the rise of qualified beauty experts residing at neighborhood makeup counters, chances are you will leave looking better then when you walked in. The same can be said for the growing available service of “ air brush beauty makeup.” Now women are having their foundation blown on - and the finish will blow you away! The buzz in the past has been air brush tanning or air brush nail art, but now, air brush beauty makeup has made it’s cross over from the television and film industry into salons, spas and in the trunks of the traveling makeup artist.

What is so remarkable about this classic technique is that the most refined droplets of foundation are directed and deposited on your face through an air delivery system. The resulting finish is flawless skin with natural looking coverage. When the air fuses with the foundation, it oxidizes it into a high opacity…you get maximum coverage with a breath of product, a girl’s best friend! The last thing the skin needs is to be weighed down with too much product, collecting in areas that exaggerate flaws instead up minimizing them. This is a strategy that any good makeup artist strives for in an application; perfect skin and undetectable foundation. However, it gets better!

The longevity of the water or silicone based airbrush foundation is good for ten to twelve hours. Brides can now dance on into the night knowing they haven’t budged or smudged. Dare to wear that short skirt that’s loitering in your closet? Have your legs airbrushed with a water base formulation. Not only will you take years off them, but with a shade adjustment, you can bronze them up to carry through that sultry summer tan.

I know what you are thinking. If this guy is telling the truth then I want to be able to do this at home. And I have. I was the all the rage at the neighborhood barbecue block party. All you need is an air gun, a compressor, and the right attitude.

Now air compressors have come down in price and weight. What use to be three thousand dollars and thirty five pounds has been refined and reconfigured to meet the beauty side of this procedure. “Dinair”, a U.S. based company has a mini compressor which weighs less then one pound. “ Studio pro portable compressors ” offers a nifty black model that has the option of battery power. Great for the girl on the go when the wires are down! And this unit weighs less than two pounds. Pricing for the compressor and gun will run you approximately five hundred dollars.

Before you go out and spend a whack of cash on a gizmo that just may end up hanging out with that short skirt in your closet, treat yourself to an airbrush application by a professional for your next special occasion. Remember, the end result is only going to be as good as the artist behind it. Do your homework. Take into consideration how long the technician has been airbrushing. More importantly, view some of their work. A portfolio or even some casual digitals shots is more then telling. If you want to look like the woman in the photographs then hang your hat and rest your heels. If the photos are uninspiring, walk away. Second, clarify whether you are having only your foundation airbrushed, followed by a traditional eye, cheek, and brow application or will these be delivered by airbrush as well. Pricing will vary on how much airbrushing is being done coupled with the city you are in and the history and credentials of the artist. Eighty to two hundred dollars is fair pricing (and dinner is not included).

If you are felling completely overwhelmed …stick to bottled foundation. It’s better then ever! Just get some pro-advice and direction on what color and formulation is your best suitor. Remember, seventy percent of makeup art is the foundation. Get the skin looking good and that will be the start of your beauty evolution.