Aibrush Makeup Guru Porfiles: Interview with Jackie Fan from Temptu

It is a lovely late April afternoon in Los Angeles, and we are about to meet with Temptu's Global Education & Artistry Manager Jackie Fan, just a few days before her move to the East Coast where she will join the Temptu Team at its New York head quarters. Soft spoken and beautiful, Jackie has agreed to share some thoughts on airbrushing and on Temptu's remarkable, newly released range of innovative products.. 

Born in Tai Pei, Taiwan, Jackie moved to California at the age of 16. She moved LA a few years later to study at FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising)  makeup school and has been living there until her move to New York. 

Jackie Fan at Temptu

How did you become involved in makeup? What was your first inspiration?

I have always been interested in design, art and beauty. Ever since I was little I loved to draw, so I started out as a sketching artist I guess. Then I went to beauty school and that's what I am most passionate about. The power to transform and improve someone's self esteem. Just a few subtle changes can change someone's day for the better, and that in turn makes my day.

Was anybody in your family involved in beauty or art?

My father was a banker, my mother was the artistic one in the family. She taught art in kindergarten, so I guess I took after her. My brother is a very successful entrepreneur, so I guess I am the only one in this industry which I love. You can't stay in this industry if you are not passionate about what you do. Initially there was a bit of resistance because I wanted to be a painter, and they didn't see that as a very profitable career, but then when I turned 10 they decided to let me do what I was passionate about and became really supportive.

When did you start airbrushing?

Jackie Fan and Temptu Airpod

It was in 2009. I was first introduced to the Temptu Airpod line, and I was really fascinated by how easy it is to apply and use. Then I got to mix colors with the SB line, and with my background in color theory I just loved the endless possibilities.

What was the first impression you had about airbrushing as a technique?

I was actually thinking of Photoshop, because I knew how to airbrush a photo on the computer, and then I saw an actual airbrush being used by another artist on a Job and I was blown away. First of all I love how hygienic it is. No contamination, no contact, no germs.Then I love the finish, and how it reads on hi def screens. It looks wonderful. So I thought I have to try this!

Makeup by Jackie Fan with Temptu

How hard was the journey that brought you to playing a prominent role with such an important leading brand as Temptu?

It was a lot of hard work. When I talk to younger generations of makeup artists they think of this job as very glamorous, but actually it's not. It's a lot of hard work -physical hard work- and also creatively you have to produce a lot of new ideas. I always try  to reinvent myself, to keep up and stay current and relevant. Doing what I do here at Temptu is important but I also want to keep freelancing on the side, that's what keeps me current and relevant. I have been with Temptu for a while, I love what they do and their art direction, and they have the same idea to keep evolving and reinventing themselves, which I find very humbling.

Thinking back of when you started with airbrushing, what is the aspect of the technique that you found more difficult to learn?

When I was starting observing the skin was the most difficult thing. We're used to seeing where the product is going [when we apply traditional makeup], but with airbrush it's harder to do that so I had to remind myself to look for the change in the skin. Also control and maintenance of the equipment, which can be the most intimidating part. Once you have these things down, in my opinion airbrushing is so much easier than traditional makeup. 

Makeup by Jackie Fan with Temptu

You've been teaching airbrushing to many makeup artists. What aspect of teaching to you enjoy the most, and which is your least favorite?

I love meeting new artists, we learn from each other. That's the best aspect. My least favorite aspect has to do with the fact that English is not my first language, so I tend to dwell in my mind a little bit and worry that my pronunciation or grammar isn't perfect, but I overlook that part easily.

Now for a question we ask all the gurus we interview: what do you think is the most common misconception regarding airbrush makeup? 

I think some people associate airbrush with "cakey" and fake looking finish. That's not true at all, because airbrush is a fine mist of makeup that is gently layered upon the skin, so the artists has total control of what the final result might be. It's really about the formula, and I can't speak for other companies but Temptu has this really amazing finish, and since you can mix colors it will work for any skin tone or skin type.

I find that when it comes to silicone based formulas a lot of artists are very intimidated by eyeshadow application. I think that if you set it properly SB can work beautifully for eyes, but a lot of people are still scared and run back to their brushes...

You're absolutely right. I do encounter a lot of artists that use airbrushing just for the base, but when I am teaching I always demonstrate a full airbrushed makeup, including eyes, so that they know it's a possibility. Once I was on a job with a makeup artist who was having problems blending a certain powder eyeshadow, so I helped her out by airbrushing on top of that to achieve a perfect finish!

Makeup by Jackie Fan using Temptu

Temptu has a very wide range of tool and products that can be used with or without an airbrush. You have an amazing FX range and and alcohol based line for tattoo covering for example. What is the line of products that you are most excited about apart from the SB line?

I'm so glad you asked that question! We are just about to launch the Airpod Pro. It's basically a top feed gun in pod form, so you don't have to deep clean it but you can just flush it with cleaner. It's reusable and you can mix any color together from any of our formulas or any other brand. It will fit with any airpod attachment, whether it be the traditional airpod gun or the new Temptu Air. There is also a new foundation line called HydraLock Foundation, it has 18 shades and it has a beautiful demi matte finish for a more luxurious user experience. [The Airpod Pro and HydraLock are now available through the Temptu US Website and its distributors in Europe]

Makeup by Jackie Fan using Temptu

Talking about other Temptu lines, is there a product that is a little underrated, or one that you feel people should know a little more about?

We do have a great Adjusters set.

You can actually mix a foundation color simply by mixing the primary colors that come with the this set, but a lot of people find it a little intimidating. I personally love it. 

I even mix adjusters with concealers to subtly change a tone and correct different tones. I love that set, even though it may not seem as exciting as the blush and highlighter set, but the creative opportunities are amazing.

If you could start over is there anything you would do differently?

I wouldn't really change anything because everything that happened has brought me this far and I really like where I am, but for anybody starting out I would encourage to go outside of their comfort zone, for example to not be shy about reaching out to people they want to work with, or agencies that they admire to try and get on their roster by assisting people, or even to pursue their dreams in a more determined way.

Do you have a professional dream you have yet to achieve?

When I was little I wanted to be a farmer, lol. Eventually I would like to do even more creative projects, but so far I pretty much feel like I am living my dream...

Find Jackie on Instagram @chiachingfan

Airbrush Makeup Revolution: Temptu Air, Airpod Pro, Root Color andHydra Lock -Review and Video

Temptu has been at the forefront of airbrush makeup innovation for many years, and you only need to look at our reviews of their products to know how much we love this brand. Having said that, we weren't prepared for the amount of improvements and advances that came from this company in the last year alone. During our recent trip to Los Angeles we were lucky enough to be able to meet with the lovely and talented Jackie Fan, Temtptu's manager of Global Education and Artistry, right before her move to the East Coast where she will continue her work with this brand after the consolidation of the LA branch in to the New York operation. 

Jackie was kind enough to take us through the many new products that are coming out this year. Some of these are already huge hits in the industry, like the portable device Temptu Air. Others were literally just being launched at the impending show, like the AirPod Pro, the new Root colors and the Hydra Lock foundation.  We managed to sneak a peak of most of these, and others were described by Jackie in our extensive interview that we will publish very soon as part of our Airbrush Makeup Gurus series. 

Temptu Air

Temptu Air is a portable, standalone rechargeable device that was created to work with Temtpu's AirPods. As we live in Europe we had yet to see this item in person, and I was somewhat prejudiced against it as I thought it might be a bit gimmicky and flimsy. All my preconceived notions were shattered as soon as I tried it in my hands. This beautiful, slick little gem is sturdy, powerful and unbelievably quiet. The battery charges via a USB cable and lasts unbelievably long, we are talking up to a month for personal daily use.  It has three pressure settings that change at the touch of a button, and are all powerful and consistent. The soft touch control button allows for great precision, making the application even easier than with the original AirPod airbrush. While remaining super easy to use for consumers, the Temptu Air marks the definitive transition of the Airpod product into the professional world, where it offers many practical advantages that we will illustrate in a full review coming soon. Oh, and did I mention how QUIET it is?

The new Airpod Formula

The AirPod makeup formula has been improved for a while now, but it bears repeating. The new makeup is much more similar to the original SB formula. Gone is the strong floral smell that was so bothersome to many, the iper moveability and the remarkably shiny finish. The new Airpod product has all these aspects under control and the resulting makeup is simply spectacular, losing none of the advantages offered by the silicone formulation. It also flows much better out of the caps, making clogs and hiccups a thing of the past.

Airpod Pro

Of course the Airpod system, based on pre filled capsules of color, had one last congenital flaw: the colors could not be mixed, inevitably restricting an artist's freedom to some degree. Enter the new Airpod Pro. This is essentially an Airpod capsule with a working opening at the top, allowing you to fill it with whatever color or color mix you can imagine, and then to use it with you Temptu Air device or with the traditional AirPod airbrush. The fact that the AirPod Pro has a 0.5 nozzle size means that practically any kind of airbrush makeup will be usable with this system, although I imagine you'll have to be careful with more fluid formulas like water based products. The AirPod Pro was just about to be launched at the Makeup Show, so we weren't actually able to see it and will review it as our US collaborator sends us one. 

Airpod Root & Hair Touch Up Color

Airpod Root & Hair is a silicone based line of colors for hair that can be also used for your eyebrows, as Jackie demonstrates so well in our video. The application is fast and the finish is soft and diffused enough to produce an amazingly natural effect. There are seven shades available covering any need, and the product is also available as a traditional Pro Sarter Set to be used with your AirPod Pro or with your traditional airbrush.

Hydra Lock Foundation

This is another product that we couldn't see yet as it was still to be launched, but it is certainly worth mentioning. The SB foundation line from Temptu has become an industry standard and the paragon for any silicone based airbrush product. The brand is now trying to up the ante with Hydra Lock, a new silicone based product that claims to have four times the hydrating power of Hyaluronic Acid. The line has a whopping 18 colors, but that's all we know, because while this product has just been released on the Temtpu website.  All we can say is... we can't wait!