Ben Nye ProColor Airbrush Makeup Review and Video Tutorial!

Founded by legendary makeup artist Ben Nye upon his retirement from the film industry, the Ben Nye Makeup Company is one of the most widely recognized brands of professional makeup in the United States and across the western hemisphere.

While several products from the extensive catalog of this brand were always usable in an airbrush, I was very happy to find out that about two years ago Ben Nye finally released a whole range of products that were designed specifically for this medium, called ProColor.

The line is divided in six main groups totaling almost a staggering 100 different colors, and making this range one of the most complete in the airbrush makeup sector.

-ProColor Beauty:16 foundation shades, 7 blush tones and 7 contour colors

-ProColor Shimmer: 6 shimmer colors

-ProColor Classic: 38 matte shades with vivid colors for all uses

-ProColor FX: 30 further specific shades for SFX makeup (Vein, Blood, Bruise...)

-ProColor Death: 16 specific shades for death and monster SFX makeup

-ProColor Tattoo Cover and Concealer: 6 specific concealers and neutralizers for tattoo cover

Completing the line are a Mixing liquid and the classic Final Seal finishing formula repackaged in an airbrush ready format. All the Pro color shades are available in 1 fl. oz (29ml) or 2 fl. oz. (58 ml) bottles. There are also some intro kits of smaller .33 fl. oz. (10 ml) bottles for some of the groups of colors such as foundations and shimmers, and bigger kits of six larger 1 fl oz (29ml) pre selected colors for practicality and convenience. As Ben Nye does not sell directly through its website, you can search online for a trusted authorized distributors that stocks these products.

I would describe the formula of the ProColor line as mainly water and polymer based, with the addition of only one type of silicone (Cyclomethicone) that serves as medium and evaporates quickly after application. The product has a low viscosity and a light texture, allowing for a very subtle application of buildable, sheer layers in the case of the foundation colors. Colors from the FX and Classic lines are of course much more pigmented, but still very easy to apply without looking heavy in the case of a beauty makeup. 

The ideal airbrush nozzle size for these colors is a medium .35 or .40 while the best pressure setting for beauty makeup with this product is of course very low, approximately between 3 and 10 psi depending on the area you are covering. 

The formula does not contain any fragrance, and right out of the bottle has a scent that I would compare to that of cookie dough. Some may love it, others may like it less, but it will dissipate within seconds from the application anyhow. The finish of the foundation is matte, and the texture overall is very light and natural, offering medium coverage that can be increased with more sheer passes. The foundation formula used by itself has an average resistance to water, rubbing and perspiration consistent with that of most water based airbrush products. 

All these aspects I just mentioned can be significantly improved with the addition of Final Seal. This product is one of many Ben Nye staples in the makeup industry, and it is basically an alcohol based sealer that smells gorgeous and works wonderfully. Added to the makeup directly in the airbrush cup with a 1 to 1 or 2 drop ratio it will significantly increase its durability, but also render the texture even smoother and add a beautiful intrinsic luminosity to the finish (that can easily be matted down again if so desired with a light pass of Ben Nye Neutral Set or your preferred HD powder). The Final Seal fragrance will also neutralize the formula's initial scent making it the application even more pleasant. I would definitely recommend adding Final Seal both for special occasions and for warmer climates, and I would most definitely advise it for eyeshadow or eye area application, where it will render the makeup crease free and more durable. This will be especially useful if you are going to use the beautiful shimmer colors on the eyes, as their formula tends to crack easily on the eyelids if applied on its own. You need not worry about the alcohol content around the eyes as Final Seal is very gentle and of course you would apply it while the client's eyes are closed.

You can see several colors from the Beauty and Shimmer groups in action in enclosed video tutorial. As always I wanted to show as much of the line as possible in one single tutorial, so I went for a full beauty look using just ProColor shades. It was great to see how well the colors worked on the darker skin of our beautiful model. I only applied a light layer of Banana contour (it was great to find out that the legendary Banana Powder now exists in liquid form!), and the colors I chose for the eyes looked amazing with just minimal layering, with no need for a thick concealer base underneath as you would probably have to apply if you were dealing with traditional makeup. The foundation looked beautiful and extremely natural, especially out of the studio in natural light. This allowed me to post these photos with no added filters whatsoever.

I will post another tutorial using the very extensive FX range closer to Halloween. In the mean time I would like to thank Mr. Dana Nye for the amazing opportunity of reviewing this product, and of course my dear friend and mentor Mary Erickson (of Camera Ready Cosmetics) for her indispensable help in facilitating this collaboration.

Ben Nye ProColor Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Acrylates Copolymer, Peg - 12, Talc, Propylene Glycol, Kaolin, Potassium Sorbate, Cyclomethicone, Trisodium Hedta, Phenoxyethanol. +/- (May Contain): CI No. 77891, 77491, 77492, 77499, 77007, 42090, 77289, 77288, 7742, 19140, 15850, 73360. (Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Ultramarines, Blue 1, Chromium Hydroxide, Green, Chromium Oxide Green, Manganese Violet, Yellow 5, Red 6, Red 7, Red 30)

Ben Nye ProColor Airbrush Foundations Fair/Medium Swatches

Ben Nye ProColor Airbrush Blush & Contour Swatches

Ben Nye ProColor Airbrush Shimmer Swatches

Airbrushing and special effects makeup: learning online with the Stan Winston School

The reality show Face Off, now in its 9th season, has the undoubted merit of having brought the world of special effects and creature making to the attention of a much larger audience. While the show hardly focuses on any given technical aspect, it has contributed to make another thing clear for the masses: airbrushing is a fundamental skill in the creation of special effects makeup. 

The uninitiated who wants to tackle FX and creature making, but isn't ready or able to enroll in a professional school is left with one big question: is there another readily accessible, fairly priced, and above all reputable source of training and information?
The answer is yes, yes, and and even bigger YES. The source exists and it is called "Stan Winston School of Character Arts". 

Founded by the Winston family in honor of their legendary patriarch, the "School" is not a physical place, but a subscription base website with a wonderful core principle: offering comprehensive, detailed training in the form of professionally filmed web courses held by some of the very best in this field. Every aspect and technique related to special effects makeup and creature making is discussed and explained in depth: from mold making to animatronics and everything in between. I was a subscriber of the school myself for several months, and what follows here is a brief account of my experience, and a little guide to the courses that focus on my passion, which is of course airbrushing. As always these are my genuine, unsponsored opinions.

How it works: no catches!

I always approach subscribing to anything online with great caution, after I was scorched a long time ago by a bad experience with a web service offering "auto renewal". The Stan Winston School Website offers an incredible, unlimited 3 day free trial that is jut that: three days of unlimited access to its contents. This means you can watch as many courses as you like, and really get a feel of what the contents are like. You can cancel your trial at any time after it started. If you do so, you will not be billed anything, and you will still be able to enjoy your full three days. I am writing this because it is not repeated too often during the subscription process, but you can rest assured that the School is a highly ethical enterprise, and it is in no way out to defraud you of anything.

If you decide that you want to continue with your subscription, you will simply let it run and it will turn into a regular subscription at the end of the trial. There is no minimum subscription requirement, this means you can cancel any time before the next monthly renewal and your subscription will end with the current month (or year, if you selected the annual plan). There are three levels of membership: Apprentice gives you 4 tutorials on demand per month for a low price, meaning you can select up to 4 courses and watch them all or in part. At the beginning each month your total will be zeroed and if you want to finish watching a course you had started in the previous month, this will be counted against your month's 4 total.  "Monthly" and "Annual" give you unlimited tutorials. If you don't wish to subscribe at all, but are interested only in watching and keeping selected courses forever, you can also buy each webcourse in streaming or DVD format. It is always a good idea to subscribe to the school's newsletter to receive limited time offers and special promotions.

The Content: amazing teachers

The content of the website is divided in Live Web Courses and On Demand Web Courses. This is self explanatory. What you may not be prepared for is the fact that these are true seminars broadcast in real time, so the live sessions last anywhere from two to seven hours or more, with technical breaks and pauses, and moments dedicated to live interaction with on line students. The On Demand versions of the web courses are slightly edited, and of course no live interaction is possible, but you can always ask a question in each course's page and you will receive an answer, often by the teachers themselves. With a lot of courses lasting over six hours I found my Apprentice membership more than enough, and in some months I wasn't able to watch  more than a couple. The teachers are all amazing. We are talking the very best in their field, including many Academy Award and Emmy winners. I expected them to be knowledgeable ad passionate, but I wasn't prepared for how entertaining they all were. Almost each course is enriched with anecdotes, personal stories and fun tidbits that made learning really fun.

Airbrushing in Special effects: a guide to the courses

If you are new to airbrushing and want to learn it as a tool toward the creation of special effects, this by far one of the best places you could visit.

If you have some knowledge of airbrush beauty makeup or airbrushing in general, you will still be surprised to find out how many "rules" are changed or broken altogether when it comes to application for FX and creature design. While almost every course features airbrushing, a few of them give specific in depth information on techniques and tools, so these are the ones you may want to watch first:

-How To Airbrush by Craig Fraser. This is the best place to start learning about airbrushing from a true master who is not only incredibly passionate and informative, but also seriously entertaining. This course is all about introducing basic airbrush painting techniques that are the foundation for any subsequent application. Tools, materials and sources are all discussed in details. Six hours will just fly!

-Hyper Realistic Silicone Painting Techniques by Tim Gore Another exceptional artist guides you through the rather complicated process of painting on silicone. After a somewhat shy opening, Tim warms up and draws you into his passion sharing a world of useful tips, and a treasure of knowledge on what materials to use and how to make them or purchase them. While the subject material is silicone, the layering techniques shown here are fundamental for reproducing realistic skin tones on any kind of material.

-Zombie Makeup by Bill Corso This course shows very practical uses of airbrushing in creating a zombie makeup. Once again you will be able to decline the techniques you learned here into a variety of different applications. This is actually the second part of a very extensive workshop by Oscar winner Bill Corso, and I definitely suggest watching the whole thing, even though not strictly airbrush related, to get a sense of how a makeup for film is created from concept to screen test. 

-Airbrush Veining Technique mini tutorial by Steve Wang The amazing Steve Wang takes you through the process of creating veining effects with an airbrush. This is a basic technique that you will be able to use in a myriad of projects, taking full advantage of the potential of your airbrush versus slower traditional methods. 

Paiting Silicone Skin-Realistic Flesh Tones by Jamie S. Grove Antother in depth tutorial by another amazing teacher, who will illustrate all the techniques and materials used to create an ultra realistic skin texture on silicone. The methods shown will of course apply to any other material, provided you are using the appropriate paints.

The Garage Monster's Guide to Airbrushes mini tutorial by Shannon Shea   This mini tutorial focuses specifically on equipment. While all the other teachers describe their preferred tools in depth in all the other tutorial, it is good to have a further opinion by the great Shannon Shea on what prioritize in your shopping list.   

With Halloween approaching fast, I hope you will take advantage of this fantastic online resource, born of passion and following the sharing principles so dear to the legendary Dick Smith. My final advice is to start your three day trial on a quiet week end with lots of time at your disposal. You will NOT want to leave your computer screen...

Review: Dinair Airbrush Makeup Kit with acne coverage and summer look video tutorial

Dinair was the first brand to offer airbrush makeup for personal use. 

In over thirty years since its foundation one thing has never changed for this company, and that is its strong commitment to innovation. 

This commitment has never been as strong as in the last two years, when the brand more than doubled its makeup offering and completely re hauled all its equipment. Today Dinair remains one of the best kept secrets in the makeup industry, being used on set in many important TV and film productions, and being loved by many pros and home users alike. We met with the brand earlier in the spring (see our full report here) and I was very happy to upgrade to the latest version of their kit. What follows is my unbiased and unsponsored opinion, hoping that this review will be helpful to both pros and home users who are considering buying for the first time or upgrading. We are also enclosing a video tutorial so you can see this very kit in action, and its results.

Options, options...

Dinair Colair airbrush makeup

There are currently several different options on offer. On the Dinair Website you will find a budget version of the kit called Personal Basic for just 99 dollars, and two pro versions called Personal Pro and Studio Pro with the same type of compressor but a different quantity of makeup included. So what is the best choice? Unless you are on a very tight budget, I would definitely opt for one of the pro version. The Personal Basic kit has incredible value for money, offering a variable speed compressor at only 99 dollars, and gives everybody a chance to try the airbrush experience. The Pro options however offer a significantly better compressor (much quieter and more powerful) and a much bigger makeup bundle, , namely 8 shades for the Personal Pro and a whopping 16 shades for the Studio Pro. Amazingly you can choose all these makeup colors yourself and from any Dinair line, even the most expensive ones,  so if you can afford it at all you will be rewarded in the long run for your investment. I opted for a Pro version myself, so let's look at the equipment in detail.

The Compressor

Dinair Colair airbrush makeup

Dinair's Digital + Pro Compressor is the latest version of what was already the most portable option on the market. In this new incarnation, it has also become the quietest. It is so quiet infact that it becomes almost inaudible on the its lowest setting. To put it in terms that anyone could understand, you could use this in your bathroom without fear of waking up anybody sleeping nearby. A custom compressor foam mat makes it even quieter by absorbing vibrations on any kind of surface. The design is super sleek and the size is tiny, barely bigger than a single packet of cigarettes. For such a small size, its power remains unchanged from the previous models. With a 15+ PSI output this little devil will be more than capable of spraying any water based airbrush formula, and most silicone based ones. (Please read the relevant disclaimers: using any of Dinair equipment with any product other than Dinair's will void the warranty). I have had the previous model of compressor for almost four years, and it has been used very intensively at times. It is still in perfect working order, so I can only assume that this will follow suit. It certainly feels very reliable, and you can do pretty much any kind of application with it, though for extensive body painting, special FX and park work I would obviously choose a different model. If looks are important to you, there are 16 color choices available, some included and some at an extra charge. We love our own in Champagne color, wich is one of the standard options that we find very elegant. 

The Airbrush

Dinair Colair airbrush makeup

The new CX series airbrush recently replaced the previous JX model, and it is a remarkable improvement from its predecessor. This new version has a "floating nozzle", which means that its nozzle is not attached to the main body of the airbrush but rather fits snugly within the nozzle cap, and no wrench is needed to detach it. Cleaning is therefore made a lot easier, and it becomes a breeze with the new proprietary Cleaning System. Overall it performs very smoothly, and atomizes all of Dinair's products very efficiently. It is still a proprietary design, which means that if you are used to other types of airbrush it will take a little getting used to. I would definitely advise you to stick to guidelines and only use it with Dinair products, as recommended.  Pros who are fond of their standard airbrushes should not be discouraged though, because they can still attach them to the Dinair compressor via a simple plug in connector, and have more options for backup in case of problems (once again, please read the relevant disclaimers).

The Cleaning System

Standard Pro Kit contents except makeup

This simple, yet incredibly smart little piece of equipment is truly a game changer, and Dinair's CEO George Lampan should win some award for designing this. With a few simple moves that you can see at the end of our video tutorial, it takes the boredom out of the most dreaded aspect of airbrushing: the cleaning. All you have to do is pour a few drops of cleaner, squeeze a silicon cap a few times and let the fluid work its magic through your airbrush. A few minutes or hours later you can remove the cap, flush out the cleaner and rinse with water and you're good to go. Actually this is so effective that I wish Dinair made it available for any kind of airbrush anywhere in the world!  The new Airbrush Cleaner solution by Dinair is another thing that has been greatly improved: I found its previous version slightly irritant. This has no smell whatsoever and works very well removing every type of Dinair makeup, even the very tough Colair Extreme products.

The Packaging

Dinair Kit presentation box

Finally, another aspect that has been changed for the better is the packaging: the kit is still shipped in the white mailer box, but this now contain a sleek, nicely designed black presentation box with the compressor and the airbrush, while all the makeup and add ons are packed next to it in a clear plastic makeup bag.

Colair Opalescent Eyeshadows

We have illustrated Dinair's product lines in our previous article, and we will review the Colair Radiance foundation in detail in our next post, but you can already get an idea of how effective it is by watching the speed with which we can cover the blemishes on our model's face. We have used eyeshadows form the Colair Opalescent line in a bundle called Island Getaway Collection to achieve the look in this video. These eyeshadows are incredibly pigmented, yet they allow for a very fine application that will not budge. They don't transfer and most importantly they do not crease, crack, or set in the eyelid folds. Their shimmering texture makes them wonderful on young skin, and they should be the highlight on any look from prom to every day. The key to the best results, as with most airbrushable products, is the famous motto "less is more". The finer the application, the more amazing the results.

Please visit these pages again soon for more reviews on Dinair Airbrush Makeup!

Inside DINAIR Airbrush Makeup: in depth company review and product guide

Back to the originators

In 1981 Dina Ousley and George Lampman founded Dinair inc, the first company to offer a proprietary airbrush makeup formula and to make it available to the public at large. Over thirty years later Dinair has become synonym with airbrush makeup not only in the United States, but all over the world. It is now one of the "best kept secrets" in the industry at pro level, being used in countless productions (including a very, very famous period drama that we all love) without actually being credited. At the same time Dinair has reached hundreds of thousands of home consumers, who have turned from skeptical to addicted in the space of a makeup session.

Dina Ousley wecomes us to Dinair

Like so many other makeup artists and enthusiasts, I started my own journey in airbrushing when I opened a white cardboard box sent to me exactly from these very premises we are about to visit today. We actually stopped here two years ago, but having just started this website we wanted to build our content, our experience and our reputation with our followers before offering a closer look at this fundamental company. A few phone calls to Dina's wonderfully efficient assistant Dasia and a 15 hour flight later we have come full circle as we step through the door of the Dinair Studio at 5315 Laurel Canyon Blvd.
[Please click on each image to view in full size. Scroll to the bottom for more photos]

A warm welcome

The Dinair building blends well with the others on its street, with only a small sign indicating the brand's presence on the premises. Once you park at the back and walk through the green Studio door however, you immediately realize that you have arrived at the heart of this legendary company. The Studio itself is a well equipped, medium size room where walk in customers can come and not only shop the entire product line, but also have a skilled Dinair artist help them try the products on, and receive valuable information on how to achieve the same results at home. As we step through the door, this is exactly what is happening. 

 Tips from the originator!

Dina Ousley herself is supervising a color match on a visiting makeup artist who is trying out the product for the first time. Dina welcomes us and we are immediately swept away by her energy, her warmth and her enthusiasm. If you have seen videos featuring this lady, know that you will not be disappointed should you be fortunate enough to meet her: she is exactly as she appears, embodying the spirit that drives her company with such a joy and a vibrancy that you would think she started the whole operation just three months ago, rather than over 30 years back. She immediately makes us feel right at home, and then... we're off to lunch! As she very often does, Dina is showing her support for a charitable cause today, and she is kind enough to take us along with her. This gives us a chance to chat and to get to know each other, and for me it is a great opportunity to gather more information for the profile interview that I have planned and that I will publish soon.

Inside Dinair

Dinair Workshop in progress

We are back at the Studio, and it is now time for our tour of the operation. Dinair actually occupies five adjacent buildings on the same lot, where everything that the brand needs is produced or assembled. Having everything on site cuts production times significantly and gives the company amazing creative freedom. For example a new colour for any given line can be formulated, mixed, bottled and labeled right here on the premises, and a fully equipped video studio means that the promotional material can be shot on site. Dina takes us through the color mixing room, the equipment assembly and maintenance line where each airbrush kit is assembled and manually tested, and the huge stock room where thousands of bottles of color are ready to be shipped, and where the kits and the Internet orders are assembled. There is also an IT room where many technicians are busy at the computers constantly updating the website, and of course a mini studio set up for live video Skype lessons, a service that very few companies can boast. There are about one hundred employees at Dinair, yet the atmosphere is happy and informal, and everywhere we go we are met with warm smiles. This is nowhere truer than in the large Customer Service room where many operators are assisting customers from all over the Country and the world. The girls working here are Dinair's front desk and they know it: all of them wear beautifully airbrushed makeup that they expertly applied, and looking at them is like watching a live presentation on Dinair's latest products. 

The importance of training

George Lampman and the Dinair class

All of Dinair's Customers Reps are of course certified Dinair instructors, like the amazing Tasha Boyd who will be one of the teachers at the next course in just two weeks. Education is a truly fundamental part of Dinair's activity. Courses are held regularly all over the US and in many foreign countries, but nowhere more often than right here in the perfectly equipped room that opens up right from the Studio. We will be back here in two weeks to finish our interviews and we will witness some of that in person. Students flock here literally from all over the world, from South America to Japan with translators in tow. The  training is intense, but it takes place in an exciting, positive atmosphere that will leave everyone elated with a great sense of accomplishment. There are some great makeup artists ready to assist the students and to give them the necessary individual attention, and of course there are Dina and George themselves, so you can really say that you have trained with the originators.

Innovation never stops

We often say that Makeup is a very dynamic business, where innovation is vitally important. I have never seen this applied more to the letter than at Dinair. Since I started following them this company had done nothing but grow, but never so much as in the last two years, when every single aspect of the production from makeup to equipment and even packaging has been improved and expanded. 

Just over two years ago a new, sleeker and quieter version of the Dinair compressor was launched, and the makeup bottles were redesigned with new lids that finally allowed a completely mess free dispensation of the makeup. Shortly after the Colair line was launched, and later still a new airbrush started being distributed in the pro kits, later to replace the old JX model for good. The Hair Colair line was then added, and shortly after the Colair Electric colors finally replaced the old Bright line. A first successful foray into lip stains called "Pucker Up!" is being followed right now by new colors, and most importantly a revolutionary product called Colair Extreme was introduced just weeks before our visit.
Over the next few weeks we will publish much more content dedicated to Dinair, and we have shot three video tutorials demonstrating its amazing lines. Until next time, here is a breakdown of the many products this company offers.

The Dinair product line explained
If you are considering this brand for the first time I realize that you may feel confused by the very wide range of products, so here is a recap of the product line to help you choose what is more appropriate for your needs:

Glamour line: Water based. Finest, most undetectable application, with great coverage and staying power. 20 foundation shades plus 5 adjusters and  5 concealers. 24 matte colours for blush, lips, liner and eyeshadows, and 20 more Shimmer colours for eyeshadows and highlights.

Paramedical /Camouflage line: alcohol based for more durable, water proof coverage of skin imperfections, can also be used for tattoo coverage. 20 foundation shades (same colors as the Glamour line above), 5 concealer colors and 2 adjusters.

Fantasy line: alcohol based for special effects and body painting. 12 matte colors.

Colair Radiance line: water based. More pigmented for improved coverage, comfort and durability. 20 foundation shades (same colors as the Glamour lines, but identified by numbers).

Colair Opalescent line: water based. An ultra pigmented, ultra durable line of opalescent and shimmering colors. 12 basic shades always available, but many more special edition colors are often released for a limited time and available in the "collections" part of the web store.

Colair Electric line: Alcohol based. Ultra pigmented neon colours for face painting or for bold eyeshadows. 7 matte colors.

Colair Xtreme line: Water based. The most durable and blocking coverage available. Water proof, rub proof. Suitable to conceal serious skin imperfections and for tattoo coverage with no need for prior color correcting. 14 shades available identified by numbers, matching the most popular colors in the Glamor and Radiance lines.

Hair Colair Highlights line: 12 shades allow you to create highlights on visible on any color of hair, even dark tones.

Hair Colair Shadows line: 7 shades allow you to temporarily cover visible scalp patches or hair roots.

Please click here to access a comprehensive illustrated printable color chart directly on Dinair's Website.

PRO TIP: If you can't find a particular color from any of the lines, or if you wish to purchase a color that only seems available as part of a collection, insert the color name in the Dinair website search engine: you will find what you are looking for in its own individual page and ready to be added to your basket. 

Training at Dinair: the lovely Heaven Thorton demonstrating smokey eyes

With the amazing Tasha Boyd

Hollywood Air airbrush makeup: In depth review and Day-To-Night video tutorial

Hollywood Air "Night Look"

Hollywood Air is an airbrush makeup brand created initially for the Japanese market with the supervision of makeup artist Dominie Till (King Kong, The Lord of the Rings trilogy). After its debut in Asia a branch was established in the UK, making the product readily available for the European market as well. Hollywood Air offers a selection of water based foundations and a series matte primary colors complemented by two shimmer shades and two blush colors, plus a line of makeup complements and skin care products also created for airbrushing. The products are available individually or in kits that also feature proprietary compressors and airbrushes. The kit we purchased was a pro selection created for trade fairs and featuring almost all of the foundation shades in 50 ml sizes, all of the other colors and a silicone based makeup sealer called HA Aqua Proof Top Coat. Let's discuss each item in the kit, and please don't forget to scroll to the bottom of this page to view our video tutorial detailing how the makeup in these photos was achieved. 

Hollywood Air "day look"

Packaging

The first thing that impressed us was the packaging of the kit. In accordance to our perceived Japanese sense of style, everything in the box was presented very elegantly and organized very neatly. We appreciated the presence of a few extra items such as a pipette/dropper,  empty mixing bottles and an all purpose stencil in very soft plastic. The main components are housed in an attractive case that makes the set appealing also for personal use.

Equipment

Let me say this right away: this brand features some of the best  proprietary airbrushes we have seen. While in the photos they may look like the standard third party airbrushes used by many consumer oriented companies, you realize as soon as you pick them up that they are of a far superior quality. Then you start using them and makeup just flows -and cleans- like a dream. I have no way of knowing who the original manufacturer is but they are definitely at a par with our beloved Sparmax airbrushes, which as you know are used by all the top brands worldwide. The airbrush features a trigger regulator on its tail end (a little knob that can be adjusted to limit the trigger movement and control the output), and a quick release connector that attaches it to the adjustable pressure valve connected to the compressor. A simpler version of the airbrush with a standard tail end is also available but its main body is of the same high quality. 

Airbrush Makeup Kit Hollywood Air

The compressor included in the kit is called "Personal 1000". Our version is the "Crystal Edition", and features hand applied crystals for decorative purposes. It only has one pressure setting but this does not matter as the pressure can be adjusted through the airbrush valve. It performs well and is not too loud. A version with three pre-set selectable pressure outputs called Perfect Beauty is also available, and there is also an ultra portable smaller one, the HA Mini,  again with one pressure setting.

Makeup

The quality of the foundation is very impressive, and once again comparable to the best brands available. The water based formula is smooth and does not feel too dry or powdery. It has an excellent staying power and good water resistance, and can be layered to achieve the desired coverage without looking obvious on the skin. The only down side of it is the number of shades available, which may limit its usage to Caucasian and Asian skin tones. While it is true that the darkest shade can be darkened further by adding a few drops from the primary colors set, this is not a terribly efficient solution both for color consistency and for sheer practicality. The seven shades available are divided in yellow based tones (Vanilla, Moon, Natural and Caramel) and neutral/pink based tones (Fair, Buff, and Earth). The shades can be mixed to match any light to medium skin tone.

The primary/secondary color set is a series of  1.4 oz / 7.5 ml pigments that will allow you to create pretty much any other color both for eyes, cheeks and fantasy application. Adding a series of basic colors instead of creating a whole line of eyeshadows and blushes is a policy followed by other professional companies such as MAC and Kett. Some may find the idea of creating your own shades daunting. I think that it can be a wonderful introduction to color theory for a budding makeup artist, and a great source of fun for a personal user with a creative mind. I had a great time putting together the swatches in the photo, that are all obtained by mixing two or more of the shades in the kit. Please click on the photo to view the colors and quantities used.

Makeup Complements

There is a very interesting series of skin care products that we hope to review in the future. The one complement that we did get is the Aqua Proof Top Coat. This is a silicone solution of very light consistency that can be sprayed over the makeup to render it waterproof. We have tested it and can confirm that it works very well indeed, and could work on any type or brand of makeup too. We advise to hold your breath while spraying it because it creates a very fine mist that will go everywhere. When done with the application you may want to dust a little HD powder to take care of any residual tackiness.

Hollywood Air sells directly from its website but can also be found at many beauty trade shows and through secondary ebay distributors. The kit combinations available for purchase tend to vary significantly, so it is always worth checking all the possibilities repeatedly in time to ensure the most convenient deal.

Airbrush maekup kit review and video tutorial: Belloccio airbrush kit

The Belloccio Airbrush Kit

Tri City Paints is a company established in 1976 and distributing paints and airbrushing tools for the most diverse uses, from architectural and automotive to fine arts. With the growing success of airbrushing in the field of cosmetics, it was only natural that this company should develop its own brand of airbrush makeup, and so Belloccio was born. The Belloccio brand is proudly marketed for the general consumer, and this is great as more competition in the market can only mean constant improvement and a better quality-price ratio. As a professional I am happy to report that this product exceeded my expectation as far as the makeup is concerned, and that many a MUA would appreciate and find good use for this line. Let's take a closer look at the Kit.

Unretouched before and after with Belloccio Aribrush Makeup

The first thing that has to be said about the Belloccio kit is that the price is really very honest. Their most basic option, now called Beauty System, is only U$D119,  and the other kits go up from there varying in price according to the size of the makeup bottles and the number of shades included. The mini compressor and airbrush will be exactly the the same for every Kit option, but a professional and much more powerful alternative (Model TC-32 Air Compressor) is offered in the equipment page of the the website for a reasonable price. The kit that I found at the New York Makeup Show and that I am reviewing here is called Standard Kit, and has the same exact contents as the Beauty System, but with the foundations in 1/2 oz size instead of 1/4 oz. To give you an idea of what you can get right out of the box we created the look demonstrated in our video tutorial using only the contents of this kit.

Natural look with Belloccio Airbrush Makeup Kit

The Makeup was the best discovery for me. It is practically fool proof, allowing for multiple layers with no danger whatsoever of a caked result. The water based formula is sheerer and thinner than a lot of comparable products, but offers very good coverage and stability, and results in a totally undetectable application. To give you an idea it is thinner than Dinair and thicker than Luminess, and the shades have an excellent tonal balance. If you are a home consumer daunted by the idea of airbrushing yuor makeup you can rest easy: it is almost impossible to look overdone using this product, and the application will feel as easy as the ads promise. If you are a makeup artist, you will find this line to be a very strong contender when tasked with a corrective job for HD that needs to be undetectable, such as for a "no makeup" period piece or for men's grooming in general.  The finish of the foundation is matte, but not overly dry. As for the formula composition, we definitely love and appreciate the addition of Aloe and Hyaluronic Acid in a list of ingredients that does not include fragrances, oils or parabens. The formula, while water based, is not entirely silicone free as it contains Dimethicone, something you should be aware if you have an intolerance to silicone. As with any water based formula you will benefit from priming and moisturizing before application. An airbrushable primer is included in the package, and it works reasonably well for everyday use on normal to oily skin. Its formula contains anti aging ingredients as well as Hyaluronic acid, Aloe and also Dimethicone. The same characteristics are also true of the other makeup products that you will find in the kit. The blush, bronzer and shimmer all apply in very sheer and buildable layers, as you can see in our video demo.

Made with Belloccio

The application tools provided are of course intended for home use and for this brand specifically. The very slick looking mini compressor has three different pressure settings: medium for foundation, low for eyes and details and high for tanning or cleaning. It has a maximum output of 15 PSI, the same as the Dinair and slightly less than Luminess, but it is significantly louder than both the other brands. The low-noise claim in regard to this machine is the only statement I have to disagree with in the Belloccio marketing. While not offensively so, this little devil is definitely on the loud side.

Made with Belloccio

As far as the airbrush goes, the .4 mm nozzle airbrush provided is once again adequate for the makeup, and its maintenance very easy if used with Belloccio products only. If you are wondering about compatibility with other brands of makeup, this kit will be fine with any water based makeup of similar viscosity to Belloccio's, but I would not recommend using thicker or silicone based formulas as the compressor may not be strong enough to guarantee a smooth application. As always, also be aware that using other brands of makeup may void the Belloccio warranty on the equipment. 

The kit also features a 4 oz bottle of airbrush cleaner, a sample of Belloccio highly praised self tanning formula and a makeup bag where you can store everything comfortably. It does not feature an instructional DVD, but you can find a good selection of tutorials both on YouTube and directly on the Belloccio Website. Of course you can also watch our own, we hope it will inspire you to try this brand for yourself. Belloccio ships in all the approved FedEx countries, including the UK, Spain, Mainland France and most of Europe. 

Airbrush Makeup Kit In-depth review: Graftobian GlamAire and Walk-Around System

Graftobian is one of three major American companies that have made theatrical, FX and professional beauty makeup available to the public at large. As far as airbrush makeup is concerned, what makes Graftobian unique among its competition is mainly one thing: their Glam Aire line has the widest range of foundation shades of any other makeup company, period. 

GlamAire 1 oz sizes and matching cremes

We are talking 58 colours divided in Warm, Neutral and Cool tones, plus six blushes (also divided by undertone) and 6 adjuster colours, totalling a staggering 70 shades. This color system was conceived in collaboration with Hollywood makeup artist Brad Look to be perfectly matched with Graftobian's celebrated High Definition Glamour Cremes, an excellent series of creme foundations that has become an industry standard. This means that not only you are going to find your perfectly matching tone, but you will also be able to integrate a cream product for that same colour, which is something you may want a need to do for a number of reason. For example, the less experienced airbrush user will be able to use the cream colors in areas where airbrushing can be problematic  (such and the sensitive  under eye area), or for effective spot concealing prior to airbrushing. The color range is so wide that it was used by Mary Erickson and Suzanne Patterson as the base for a multi brand foundation comparison chart in Gretchen Davis' seminal book  The Makeup Artist Handbook. 

Foundation: GlamAire in Prima Donna

The GlamAire range is water based. The formula is very smooth and finely pigmented, with a light texture that is buildable in sheer layers to achieve the desired coverage with a very natural effect. The finish is matte but not overly so, and does not feel nor look at all dry like some water based formulas tend to do, although of course it is always better to moisturize prior to application on naturally drier skin. GlamAire's durability is very good, it does not settle in creases and has a great resistance to transfer. The foundation shades come in 1 oz bottles, but an extensive range of .25 ounce samples can also be purchased if you wish to try it before you commit to larger sizes. Oh, and did I mention it lasts practically forever? A few months ago I accepted a challenge: Two hours to do a complete makeup on ten women (ages ranging from early 20's to late 50's) who had been selected for a historical costume parade. As I was in northern Italy, the women turned out to be all Caucasian of fair to medium complexion. There was zero time for colour matching, but they all turned out beautifully using just three GlamAire shades from the neutral/fair range. After doing ten different faces I thought I had used a lot of product, but then I looked at the bottles and they all still looked totally full! 

On a more technical note, the product does separate quickly and needs quite a bit of shaking after sitting idle, but I found that if you store the bottles laying flat, the pigment settles on a larger surface and mixing is much faster. The only thing I am not crazy about in regards to this product is the blessed screw caps that tend to make a mess every time you use them, so I hope they will honour my OCD and change them one day.

Graftobian WalkAround System

As I was saying in my review for the F/X Aire line, I purchased my HD Glamour Walk-Around™ Kit at Crc Makeup.Com, where the whole Graftobian product range is available. Eric Coffman, Graftobian's owner, shot a very exhaustive video on the contents of the kit, so i will just advise you to watch it here as I could not illustrate it better than he does. I personally enjoy the kit a lot. The design is very compact and it feels even more powerful than its maximum 26 PSI output. The pressure can be adjusted right from the valve via a tiny knob. This takes a little practice if you are not used to it, but some end up preferring this way of controlling the output for its immediate proximity to the hands. The detachable battery works beautifully and the unit performs exactly the same when on battery power. Finally, the airbrush is the very reliable and seemingly ubiquitous S35, an excellent airgun chosen by Graftobian and many a great brand, and that together with the strong pressure output makes the system compatible also with any kind of airbrush makeup available, including silicone based colours. Four different plug adaptors included in the kit will allow you to use it pretty much anywhere in the world.

Graftobian WalkAround System package

As Eric shows in the video, the HD Glamour package does come with a great lot of makeup, consisting in three sample packs of five shades each with matching creme colour palette (Cool#1 from the lightest of the pink undertone range, Warm#2 from the middle of the yellow undertone range, and Neutral#3 from the darkest of the neutral undertone range). This is a very generous bundle making up an excellent starter kit catering to all ethnicities. The Walk-Around Kit is also available in an F/X Aire package and a Student/Character package with different colour selections.

Mistair: Full Airbrush Makeup Bridal Video and in depth review

Bridal Airbrush Makeup with Mistair

We first got to know Mistair a couple of years ago at Cosmoprof in Italy, and we were impressed by the range of airbrush products offered by this pioneering British brand. From polymer based nail colours to an extensive self tanning line, and from amazingly pigmented body art palettes to hair highlights, you can satisfy almost any beauty need with this company's catalogue.

Bridal Airbrush Makeup with Mistair

As far as beauty makeup is concerned, Mistair offers a silicone based line with 14 foundation colours, 9 blushes, 8 highlighters and shimmers, 11 adjusters and correctors and 7 eyebrow shades. This is an excellent variety of colours which make Mistair comparable to any of the big US based companies, and a very valid contender in any pro kit. Directed exclusively at professionals, the silicone based beauty range features delicate and blendable colours that can be applied with very subtle and natural results, or built up to bolder shades thanks to the extensive range of colour correctors.  After experimenting with them for a while, I found these colours particularly ideal for bridal makeup, and I decided to use them to film the brand new tutorial posted below. I also thought of swatching the colours from the Blusher and Shimmer packs, hoping that they will give you an idea of what the colours look like when sprayed. Please notice: each swatch is made up of 3-4 drops of product airbrushed in very small patches, so keep in mind that the intensity of the colours is maxed out, at least in some cases. Please scroll to the bottom of this page to view pictures of the swatches. As always you can click on each photo to enlarge it. 

100% unretouched screen shot

The texture of these liquids is quite luxurious, and they are atomised well at a medium pressure of 6 to 12 PSI, as is to be expected of a silicone based product. I only encountered a problem with one shimmer colour (the otherwise delightful S03 Cornsilk) which would inevitably clog my airbrush, but perhaps I just got a quirky batch that I am sure would be swiftly replaced by Mistair's customer care. The liquids have a very pleasant and delicate scent that will dissolve almost immediately leaving no aftertaste whatsoever. They offer excellent coverage and very good wear, and they are of course water proof. One negative aspect that I found (and that is common to many other brands, unfortunately) is the effectiveness of the sampler size (starter kit) bottles, which could be greatly improved by making them more air tight, thus preventing the aqueous part of the solutions from evaporating after only a few months.            

100% unretouched screen shot

As for the equipment, Mistair has partnered with the best manufacturers of professional airbrushing equipment and is offering a very slick looking SL1000 airbrush that allows you to quickly switch nozzle and needles to obtain up to 3 different output sizes (.2, .4 and .6 mm) for different paint jobs. The "floating" nozzles of this airbrush are also easier to clean, as they are disassembled much more quickly than traditional airbrushes. 

100% unretouched screen shot

This double action airbrush  also features two easy to switch cups, allowing less refilling for bigger jobs. For beginners or budget minded customers, Mistair also offer the excellent MA 35 airbrush, which is the same great tool also offered by the best airbrushing brands under slightly different names. Mistair's original, proprietary website that was dedicated exclusively to the airbrushing line has been closed for the time being, but while we wait for its return we can browse all the products and prices on the website of Skin By Sterex, the larger beauty brand of which Mistair is a division. I look forward to meeting Mistair's great team at Cosmoprof 2015!

Mistair Blushers Airbrushed Swatches

Mistair Blushers Airbrushed Swatches

Mistair Shimmers Airbrushed Swatches

Mistair Shimmers Airbrushed Swatches