Camera Ready Cosmetics Airbrush Foundation: Review and Video Tutorial

100% Unretouched CRC Airbrush Foundation

Camera Ready Cosmetics is in our honest and unsponsored opinion one of the best pro makeup stores in the world. Originally founded in California by makeup artist Mary Erickson, the operation recently moved its base to Dallas, Texas, where it has expanded its product catalogue significantly and from where its success has continued to grow. Crc's secret is a very simple, time tested yet too often forgotten formula: they offer only the best brands at the best prices with the very best customer service imaginable. On top of that CRC offers very convenient worldwide shipping for most of its products, which is a vital feature often missing from other online distributors. 

Camera Ready isn't just a distributor of other brands, however, but has developed a very interesting line of products that it distributes under its own name. The philosophy behind CRC's own line is very simple, and reflects the generous, no bull attitude of its very founder: to provide new and established professionals with tools and products that perform effectively while remaining free of the costly burden of mainstream marketing. 

100% Unretouched CRC Airbrush Foundation

CRC Airbrush Foundation is one of the most prominent products resulting from this commercial strategy. Many perspective buyers may be hesitant to try out a product that has not been as widely advertised as an equivalent from better known brands, so we decided to put it to the test hoping that what we found out may help you decide whether to try this or not.

The line consists of ten water based shades of foundation presented in a generous, no frills 1 fl. oz (30ml) size and sold at a very convenient price. Most importantly, big sample sizes of 1/4 oz (7.5 ml) can be purchased for each color for just 3.99 dollars.  While the range is not very extensive, the shades included in it have a very neutral slant which will allow them to match most complexions from any ethnicity, and of course as with any airbrush formula the colors can be mixed together to refine the tonality to perfection. 

100% Unretouched CRC Airbrush Foundation

The enclosed photo of the airbrushed swatches, shot in natural sunlight, will give you a better idea of the undertone for each shade. Foundation N.10 is the fairest beige hue, while N.15 will match the lightest yellow undertone. The colors that follow are more neutral with a slight leaning towards either group. The foundation's formula has a medium viscosity which allows the colors to be used with practically any airbrush. For our tests and our video tutorial we used Kett's .40 airbrush, which has a slightly wider nozzle, but in other tests with any 3.5 nozzle we did not experience any clogging whatsoever, and cleaning the airbrush was a breeze with our Nurturing Force universal cleaner. The products provides very good coverage and good resistance to transfer and water. Tears will not cause the base to streak, and the finish will not be altered if allowed to simply air dry after exposure to moisture. Finally, the foundations have a very light, pleasant scent that is barely perceptible and will not linger after application. 

We decided to put the products to the test in a video tutorial where we used 5 shades of CRC Airbrush Foundations to accomplish a whole look. The goal of the video was to show how natural and versatile these products could be, and we believe the result and the unretouched photos we included here speak for themselves (pls click on each photo for full screen mode).

Whether you are a consummate makeup artist, a beginner or a personal user, CRC Foundations and their samples represent a fantastic opportunity to own a whole airbrush makeup foundation range at the most reasonable price imaginable. 

Camera Ready Cosmetics Airbrush Foundation Swatches

CRC Airbrush Foundation Ingredients:
Aqua (Water), Propylene Glycol, Acrylates/ Octylacrylamide Copolymer, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Triethanolamine, Tocopherol, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butyparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben. +/- May Contain: Mica,
CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491 CI 77491 CI 77492 CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 77007 (Ultramarines), CI 77288 (Chromium Oxide Greens).

Drag Airbrush Makeup video tutorial with Temptu Pro Multicolors!

100% airbrushed eyes with Temptu

Is silicone based airbrush makeup really viable for eyes? A lot of makeup artists love airbrushing foundation, but quite a few still have doubts when it comes to eyeshadows, especially with silicone based makeup. Maybe they are just too fond of their brushes, or maybe they haven't experimented at length with the possibilities that silicone colours can mean to eye makeup. More realistically, they may be wary of the challenges that the very mobile and often uneven skin on eye area poses, especially when using a medium that requires a relatively long drying time. 

Airbrushed with Temptu

When Temptu Pro came out with a collection of new S/B shades called Multicolors I couldn't wait to try them and confront those very doubts for myself. As always I purchased my set from wonderful CRC Makeup, who ship worldwide. Drag makeup has always been the perfect context in which to test the possibilities offered by any makeup line, stretching them both creatively and technically. I was inspired by the makeup of LaLa McCallan, which is always airbrushed in its entirety (with water based colours) safe for an undercoat of creme products used to create an even canvas for airbrushing on top. I decided to pursue a very classic (and hopefully classy!) at this stage, leaving more experimental looks for the next round.

 

Airbrushed with Temptu

The results of the experiment are in this video, of which I am also proud as it is, as far as I know, the first entirely airbrushed drag makeup tutorial ever. The colours used for the eyes are all from the Multi Colors set. The set consists of 12 wonderful shades, which you can see in the airbrushed swatches posted below. The colours are of course extremely pigmented and vibrant, and like the rest of Temptu's S/B line the coverage is fantastic. There are ten matte shades and two shimmers, Pearl and Platinum, created especially for this set and not included in the standard Shimmers Set they offer. Application, as you can see in the video, is extremely smooth. 

Drag Airbrush Makeup

Drying the colours with air only after application is essential, as is a light dusting of clear setting powder. An extra step that I took off camera and totally on a whim was a couple of spritzes of Makeup Forever's Mist & Fix setting spray. After taking these precautions, the makeup did not move, crease, or smudge for the entire time of filming and the extensive photo session that followed. It was still perfect when our model went to take the makeup off. For giggles, I told him to soak his face with water and dry it to see what would happen. Nothing moved in the least. Silicone eye makeup offers perfect and super fast blending possibilities, and when properly set is indestructible. I hope this video will inspire more makeup artists to experiment with it, as it is definitely worth it. 

The whole tutorial was shot using Temptu's starter kit with the 2.0 compressor and the brand new SP 40 airbrush. We also used AirPod for blush and final highlights. We will post an in depth review of the system very soon. You can also find a review of the whole S/B line here and here. 

Swatches of Temptu Pro Multicolors, Part 1

Swatches of Temptu Pro Multicolors, Part 2

Review: Camera Ready Cosmetics, the ultimate pro makeup store.

Camera Ready Cosmetics, founded by makeup artist Mary Erickson, is becoming more and more appreciated by makeup artists worldwide due to a simple strategy: they offer only the best makeup brands at the lowest guaranteed price, the most efficient customer service, and they ship worldwide at the most convenient rates. In other words: straight forward top quality, top service, no bull and above all (and most remarkably) no greed. I stopped at the CRC showroom in La Mesa (San Diego) a couple of months ago, on my way from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Not the most efficient route, I realize, but I had a sizable order to collect so I thought I would see what the place looks like, and if it would hold true to its website description of a "playground" where you can test products without obligation and with the help of  knowledgeable staff. Well, what can I say? I left two hours later wishing I could have bought the entire place, and feeling like I had made some new friends. The strategy obviously works!

The Showroom at CRC

 The showroom space is not huge, but it is big enough to display the whole collection of products in a very user friendly layout. There they were: RCMA, Face Atelier, Cinema Secrets and all those other brands I had read so much about but had been hesitant to order finally at my fingertips (literally). No amount advertisement and  no guru's opinion can be a substitute for hands on testing of a a product's colour, texture and wearability, and although the CRC website offers a sampling service, which is rare among online stores, here you can see the whole range taking the guess work and the expense out of the equation. 

The perfect testing post.

The same applies to their very extensive stock of airbrush makeup of course. They even had a Graftobian kit plugged in and ready for use, so I could actually test some colours with an airbrush, rather than just out of the bottle. They have all the major professional brands except for one of the most famous ones, that shall remain nameless here. For some reason this brand hasn't been able to include CRC among their distributors, which is a terrible shame because not only do they lose credibility with the professionals (many think that if CRC doesn't carry it, it is not worth having) but they also lose a major International outlet, as CRC will ship to countries they will not. Oh well, I hope they can take a hint. 

During my visit I was helped by the very knowledgeable and super helpful Ashlie, and later I had a chance to also chat with the stunning Ashley (similar name, different person) and with Nicole, who leads the marketing department with unsurpassed efficiency, elegance and grace. What I didn't expect was to be able to meet Mary Erickson herself, and boy am I glad I had a chance. Mary gave me a whole tour of the operation, from the offices to the extensive mail room which is the heart and soul of CRC, taking two thirds of the space. At the time of my visit the staff was processing an average of over 250 orders a day, yet everyone would smile and say hi, leaving me with the impression of a very happy crew. Mary explained to me that every single batch of makeup that comes in is personally checked by a dedicated employee for flaws of any kind, and immediately sent back if found in any way imperfect. To further guarantee the freshness of  the makeup there is also an unwritten "two weeks rule" applied on the merchandise: CRC does not stock anything that doesn't sell out within that period. Well, I couldn't have been more impressed. Mary herself is exactly as I thought she would be by checking her WEBSITE. Most makeup artists only store their portfolio and their CV there. She went out of her way to incorporate a Q&A page with a lot of information on all aspects of the profession, something I had not seen before and that can be of great use to aspiring MUAs. In other words when so many in her position and with her level of artistry are often standoffish, aloof and a little full of themselves,  she remains enthusiastic, generous and gifted with a biting sense of humour in spite of her strong business savvy. 

You don't have to be an insider to know that the cosmetic industry, at any stage from creation to distribution, is one of the most dynamic and competitive business environments in the world. Add an international economic downturn such as the one of the last few years, and you are left with a question: is it possible for an independent business to thrive, and most importantly to do so ethically? Is it possible to generate high customer satisfaction, create a happy working environment and still adhere to a strict commitment to excellence in the product that you offer? The answer is a resounding YES, and the proof is an Enterprise called Camera Ready Cosmetics. 

PRO TIP & UPDATE: Since we wrote this article Camera Ready has been going from strength to strength: after a major website redesign, a free App was launched bringing the latest update to your phones and tablet (available on Itunes). The Pro discount program was redesigned to include discounts of up to 40%, and the Aspiring MUA discount was increased to 10%. A reward points program was also put in place, allowing any customer to get back 10% on each purchase.

 

Some of the lovely CRC Staff. Fourth from the left is Mary Erickson