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Aeroblend is an Indiana based makeup company started by makeup artist and entrepreneur Kiralee Hubbard. I reviewed the previous version of their pro kit a couple of years ago, and now I am happy to have another chance to play with their brand new kit.
Aeroblend offers a water blend formula with twenty shades divided in 10 neutral and 10 olive colors. With 20 overall tones that you can mix to create any in between hue, the foundation range is quite extensive and will cater to any skin tone. The foundation formula is 100% cruelty free and vegan, and it is made up of mineral pigments and botanical ingredients such as avocado, white tea and lavender, promising a long lasting, comfortable finish. The foundation colors are complemented by six blush tones, a bronzer and a highlighter with the same core formulation. The Aeroblend formula has a luminous matte finish that results in an ultra natural overall effect. The pigment is buildable to obtain more coverage when needed. The color have very low viscosity which means that they run effortlessly through any equipment and that clogs are virtually impossible. On the flip side, first time or inexperienced users will need to press very lightly on the trigger and use low pressure settings to avoid overspray and wet spots, and should always take their time between passes for the product to properly set. There is also a minimal oxidation process which means that the true color of a shade will sometimes reveal itself a few seconds after it's been applied. All the colors come in two formats: a mini size ( 6ml/.2 oz) for trial and travel, and a full size (30 ml/ 1 0z) conveniently priced at 25 dollars. The Kit options come with the trial size bottles, which is an excellent opportunity to experience the range at a very convenient price.
The new tools offering by Aeroblend is an elegant, sleek compressor with a tactile function that allows you to switch between three fixed pressure output levels with just a tap. The compressor is more than powerful enough to spray all of the products in the Aeroblend range, and then some. I would say without a doubt that you can use any water based formula in the market without fear of clogs or mechanical fatigue, while it may not be ideal for some thicker silicone based formulas. The airbrush is a continuous flow, all metal parts custom made applicator with a nozzle that once again is more than efficient for the Aeroblend formula. The new Aeroblend cleaner is more than enough to keep the airbrush in perfect shape and running well for a very long time without any need for deep cleaning.
The tools on sale are the same for every kit composition, what makes the difference between the Personal and Pro kits is the number of colors included. The personal option comes with four shades of foundations and a color match guarantee, so you can choose with peace of mind. The pro version of the kit however comes with all the shades in the range and with a 30 day satisfaction guarantee, so for just a few dollars more it's definitely the most attractive option.
In order to showcase as many of their colors as possible I did a full face look using exclusively Aeroblend for both foundation and eyes, taking some shades from the blush range. While these products weren't designed to be used as eyeshadows, they do perform rather well with their delicate, easy to blend pigmentation, and I can only hope that Kiralee and her team will want to expand the color range including some matte and shimmer shades for eyes and a couple more options for eyebrows.
With very reasonable overall prices, free shipping for order over 35 dollars and many special offer through their mailing list, affordability is definitely an amazing advantage that this company offers, giving both personal and pro users the chance to try out a high quality product with just a small initial investment. I personally am a big fan of Aeroblend and wish this brand every success.
Aeroblend is the brainchild of Indiana based makeup artist and etrepreneur Kiralee Hubbard. The idea behind the makeup line is a simple but very meaningful intuition: "Skin should look like skin, not makeup. So how do you get flawless skin without tons of makeup? By Aeroblending!".
I was lucky enough to spend quite some time over the last couple of months testing their brand new Deluxe Pro Airbrush Starter kit, and I am happy to share the results with you now.
The Packaging, the Compressor and the Airbrush
As soon as i opened the magnetized lid of the box I thought that this was the most elegantly packed kit I had ever seen in the market. With a foam insert holding the contents perfectly steady in its cutout, this kit makes for a wonderful presentation and gift, whether it be for yourself of for another.
The box holds the compressor, the airbrush, a box with the power source and air hose, and one with your selection of makeup.
The Aeroblend 2.0 De Luxe Pro Kit
The compressor in the deluxe model is touch activated and has a built in battery that will allows you to use it anywhere without connecting to the power outlet. There is a small "safety" power switch at the bottom of the machine, which I guess prevents the unit from turning on accidentally and helps against stand-by battery drainage. Once you flick the safety switch on, the machine is activated by touch sensitive buttons on its top surface, and has three selectable pressure levels. The battery is astoundingly long lasting. I have taken the compressor out of the box, used it many many times and even shot the whole enclosed tutorial with it, and I still have to connect it to recharge it for the first time. Perhaps one of the reasons for its longevity is that compressor has an automatic shut off feature that turns the motor off as soon as you release the button on the airbrush and stop the air flow, but at any rate its durability is most impressive. The pressure output, which I coudn't measure with my gauge due to this stop and start feature, will not allow you to use this unit well for thicker formulas, but it is perfectly adequate for the Aeroblend makeup, which of course is its intended use. The pressure level does get a bit stronger when the compressor is connected to the mains, but as I said I had no problem whatsoever dispensing the makeup on the battery supported output level. I couldn't find any information on recharging times and battery maintenance practices in the booklet enclosed with the kit, so I will update this review when I receive that information from the company.
The Aeroblend airbrush in the de-luxe kit is a cut above any previous tool by this company, with its slick full chrome body and elegant line. As I hinted before, it is a double action airbrush, a bit of a rarity these days when most beauty consumer companies are opting for continuous airflow (for details on the difference between these terms, please see this article). I normally prefer continuous airflow myself, but in this case, thanks to the delicate pressure output and the stop and start feature in the compressor, I don't mind the double action one bit, its main advantage being of course that it prevents the water based makeup from drying on the tip of the needle, ensuring a smoother over all experience.
The Makeup
100% Aeroblend Airbrush Makeup
The Aeroblend makeup formula is water based, vegan and completely cruelty free. It claims to be formulated for even the most sensitive skin types, "with botanical and mineral ingredients like Kaolin, Lavender and Jojoba to hydrate and soothe the skin". The formula is free of silicones, petroleum derived ingredients, phtalates and fragrance. The foundation colors are divided into two groups, N (for neutral tones) and O (for olive tones), and the sixteen colors initially available have just been expanded by and additional three darker shades. There are also six colors for blush, a bronzer and a highlighter color. The consistency of the formula is very fluid and these colors will run on any airbrush machine with no problems. The shades are delicately pigmented, which makes them easy to layer to achieve any desired coverage without creating obvious accumulations. First time users must keep in mind that they must not try to "see the makeup" as soon as they apply it, but they must layer it lightly to achieve the best results. The finish of the application is quite matte, yet the overall result remains subtle and fine, if not completely undetectable. Probably because of its mineral based ingredients, the final results reminded me of what you can achieve with mineral foundations, but taken to a finer and even subtler level. As advertised, the formula is completely fragrance free, and has a good resistance to water and great longevity on the skin, lasting the whole day without settling into fine lines. As with most airbrush makeup products in general, oil production is not greatly affected by the makeup, and final results will depend on the individual skin preparation routine. I would definitely advise a light, oil free moisturizer to prep the skin before application, and blotting papers at the ready for oil prone skin types. Color matching as with any liquid product is not always an obvious process, but you are covered by Aeroblend's color match guarantee against any mistakes in your initial purchase. If you get the Pro Starter Kit, you will get every single one of the initial 16 foundation shades (plus all the blush, bronzer and highlighter colors), in .20 fl oz (6ml) mini sizes, which is amazing because this way you can try the whole line before ordering your preferred full size 1 fl oz (30 ml) colors.
Because of this makeup sampler and of the great commodity of the long lasting battery I would definitely advise you to purchase this kit option, especially considering that it is only a little more expensive than the other kit combinations, but the general affordability of the offering on the website means Aeroblend is definitely more than worth a try.
