Video: Airbrush Makeup How to Eyeshadow with Luminess Air

Demonstrating 3 classic Luminess Air Eyeshadow Sets: Ore, Evening Sari and Smokey Eyes

Luminess "Ore" Duo- 100% unretouched Picture

Luminess Air is one of the most popular airbrush makeup brands aimed specifically at consumers. The brand offers a wide range of eyeshadow colors that are sometimes paired in sets of two or three. Luminess eye shadows have a very low viscosity which makes them easy to clean as they leave very little residue in your airgun, and which renders them very blendable and very sheer on application. Professional MUAs may find these very characteristics a bit limiting, but then again these products are directed at the average consumer, who will find them very easy to use.

Don't forget to check the special sales at www.luminessair.com. The company keeps renewing their specials and you can find some really good deals if you subscribe to their newsletter. If you are looking into buying a kit, definitely go for the 3 speed model, which will allow more versatility for jobs like eyeshadow.

Luminess "Evening Sari" Trio, 100% unrethouched picture

Luminess "Smokey Eyes" Duo, 100% unretouched picture

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

Airbrush Makeup: single action vs dual action -The truth at last!

Single action or double action gun for airbrush makeup?

This is one of the most basic questions facing those who approach airbrush makeup for the first time, especially professionals, and one of the most confusing. The reason for the confusion lies in a colossal misunderstanding of the terms themselves, which changed meaning as they started being used by the cosmetic industry. [If you just want the straight answer, please scroll to down to IN CONCLUSION, or keep reading for the whole mystery exposed!]

In "orthodox aerography", that is in traditional technical terms, a single action airbrush is one that dispenses colour by simply pushing down the trigger (or "lever"), hence the term "Single Action". The trigger does not slide back to release more colour, it can only be pushed down, and the colour and the air are dispensed at the same time much like a spray can would. You can already breathe a sigh of relief here, because NO AIRBRUSH COSMETIC COMPANY SELLS THESE. So you would have to go out of your way to find an airbrush like that to add to your kit.

To continue with traditional aerography, a double action airbrush is one where the trigger has to be pushed down to release air first, and then pulled back to release the colour gradually, the further back you pull, the more colour comes out. If you pull the trigger back without pushing down for air first you create a backwash and possibly splatter paint. This kind of airbrush is the most widely available for traditional airbrush painting.

When cosmetic companies started producing kits for commercial distribution, they looked to offer a simplified version of the double action airbrush described above. They wanted consumers to be able to regulate colour flow with the trigger, but they did not want to complicate their lives with having to push down the trigger for air first, and the problems that can arise if you don't. So they started producing (or commissioning their suppliers, in most cases) airbrushes in which air would flow unobstructed from the moment the compressor is turned on, called continuous airflow airbrushes, and where the trigger could be simply pulled back to release colour gradually. They then proceeded to rename this type of airgun "single action airbrush" in their marketing, creating the massive confusion reigning today. All the rants you find on websites like Model Mayhem or Beautylish against "single action airbrushes" are based on this misunderstanding, with a lot of gurus referring to the actual single action as described at the top of this post, rather than the "continuous airflow" conceived later.

Where airbrush beauty makeup is concerned, the only difference between single action (continuous airflow) and double action airbrush is that with a double action you have to push the trigger down to release the air before you pull it back to release the makeup. That's it. That's all. In short: a nuisance, considering that if you forget to do so you run into paint back flow problems, and that the stopping and starting of the air is harder on the small sized, maintenance free compressor that most kits come with.The sudden burst of air is also very annoying for the clients, who are inevitably startled by it and tend to jump back in the chair.

The most common objection that "with a double action airbrush you can feel where the makeup is going to be by releasing the air before dispensing the colour" is moot, because with a "continuous flow" airbrush you can do the same just by pointing the blessed thing before pulling back the trigger.

This is why even pro companies like TEMPTU PRO have now started offering single action (continuous airflow) guns in their professional kits, while KETT Always had the best of both worlds by selling a gun that they call Transformer, that can be switched to "single action" by simply substituting a small valve (included in the box).

IN CONCLUSION:

If you don't already own an airbrush, a continuous airflow "single action" airbrush is better, easier and more efficient for airbrush makeup in general. A double action requires more practice, although it could be better for body painting if you are looking for special spatter effect that can only be obtained by stopping and starting the air. If your area of interest is SFX rather than beauty makeup the whole thing changes of course, but we will discuss that aspect in a future post. [If you come from the top of this post having skipped the middle part and still have doubts, well... you just may have to read the whole thing after all...]

PRO TIP:  THIS FANTASTIC BLOG ARTICLE  will explain how to turn your double action airbrush into a "single action, continuous airflow" one with a few simple moves and at zero cost. We tested the method and it definitely works on all Sparmax airguns (Sparmax is the maker of the airguns  distributed by Kett, Temptu, Graftobian, Kryolan and Airbase among Others). Please use extreme caution and read the relevant disclaimers.

Kett's Transformer Airbrush

TemptuPro's "Single Action" SE50 Airbrush

Inside Dinair Airbrush Makeup: a visit to the Dinair Studio in NorthHollywood, California

INSIDE DINAIR (well, sort of...)

The Dinair Building under an unusually rainy LA sky

When something changes an important aspect of your life it is only natural to want get to know as much as you can about it, and if you have a chance, to go right up to the source of that thing. To see where "everything started", so to speak. Dinair was the first brand of airbrush makeup I ever tried. It forever changed the way I do makeup, and in many ways it's the reason why I am collaborating to this very blog, so when I came to Los Angeles on a personal trip in May of this year, I made sure our tight schedule would include a visit to North Hollywood and to the Dinair Studio, which is the retail outlet attached to the factory itself at Laurel Canyon Blvd.

The address was very easy to find, although we had to look twice as there aren't any big signs outside the building, but once we looked up and saw the beloved pink logo at the top we knew we had arrived at the home of the originators of the airbrush makeup craze. The entrance to the studio is just around the back of the building, where you can also park the car. We were greeted inside by the lovely Sandra, a very young and very kind employee who made us feel at home right from the start. In the studio, as you can see from the pictures, there are several makeup stations stocked full of the complete Dinair line, and to the right a counter with a glass display full of kits in every colour. To be able to see all these in person, instead of on a computer screen, was already a major delight. As efficient as the internet is these days, seeing all the colours right in front of our eyes is an experience that can't be beaten!

The lovely Sandra at Dinair

The Studio isn't just a retail outlet. Here you can test products, try colors and discuss any aspect of airbrushing makeup so the the first thing I did was to put Sandra to the "test" by asking her to colour match me for foundation. Of course I already knew what colour is right for me, but I wanted a second opinion as I am a stickler for perfectly matching tones. Sandra aced it of course, and then we proceeded to test the same colour in the paramedical version, which I had long wanted to try on and buy. After that I bought the few colours that were missing from my collection, and then I gave Sandra a couple of gifts I had brought for Dina Ousley, the very founder of Dinair, and the lovely Julie Tobias, who is their spokesperson and the star of all the first official Dinair video tutorials.
 Every now and then while I was there, the inside door leading to the factory would open and you could glimpse the call centre inside with the operators taking phone calls. It was fun to think that this is what's on the other end of the line when you call the customer service, and that for once we could actually see them in person.

Inside the Dinair Studio.

All too soon it was time to leave, as another customer had come in and was waiting for service. It was a very elegant, great looking elderly lady that had come in "to get a few more shades" (her words). I thought about how incredibly cool that was: while people on this side of the pond are still barely grasping the concept of airbrushing makeup, here an elderly lady is not only using it, but having fun trying out new colours. It was the perfect closing for our visit, proving what Dina herself has been saying for years: Airbrush Makeup is for everybody!

  

PRO TIP: be sure to have the professional Dinair lights (the ones with the little White umbrella on top)  turned on, instead of the bulbs on the mirrors which have a warm hue to them.  The pro lights recreate natural lights to perfection, showing all your blemishes but also allowing a perfect colour match.

The brand new packaging of the Dinair Makeup Kit

A makeup station full of Dinair delights!

AIRBRUSH MAKEUP 101: Everything you need to know in just over 5 minutes!

LET'S START FROM THE VERY BEGINNING...

We are very happy to post a comprehensive, no bull, no time wasted video introduction to airbrush makeup in just over 5 minutes!

This perhaps should have been our very first post, but because of the amount of information to convey it took us a very long time to put it together. While it is intended for those who have heard little or nothing about airbrush makeup before, it may be interesting to check out and see if there are any gaps in our -or your, lol- basic knowledge of this ever growing technique.

When you learn a new way of doing things and you like it, often you tend to stick with what you've become used to and you're comfortable with. This is perfectly natural, however you may be missing out on a whole bunch of possibilities. A lot of people for example start with silicone based products and they don't know much about water based lines, or vice versa.

I started this blog with the ambition of finding out as much as possible about the whole spectrum of airbrush makeup possibilities. If you're reading this, I hope you'll come along for this long journey of discovery...

Airbrush Makeup cities: Los Angeles

The Center of the Airbrush Makeup Universe! 

Los Angeles could easily be named the capital of Airbrush Makeup. Hollywood and the film and TV industry as a whole provide an irresistible lure for the greatest MUAs, who find the most fertile grounds to experiment with innovative ideas. Airbrush makeup was invented right here, in 1925, when it was used on the hundreds of extras in Fred Niblo's Ben Hur.

Nowadays the demands of High Definition make airbrushing the most sought after technique in creating makeup that is undetectable to the unforgiving HD camera lenses, and also for its applications in advanced special effects. Airbrushing is of course the most used painting technique in FACE OFF, the very popular FX reality show where professional MUAs compete in extreme makeup challenges, which is filmed right here in LA.

The most interesting aspect for a visiting makeup fan is the unprecedented range of products that are readily available in the amazing stores of the area. Stores so big and well stocked the likes of which are almost unthinkable in Europe. Not to mention the prices, which are very convenient and for once free of shipping charges and import duties. We will be publishing extensive reviews of some of these stores, and we also look forward to reviewing the many products and brands that we were able to take with us, so that you can make the most informed choice as you advance in the wonderful universe of airbrushing. So please stay tuned, so much more info is heading your way...

Airbrush Eyeshadow Makeup Tutorial: Kardashian Inspired Smokey Eyes & full HD makeup

New video tutorial with complete HD application!

We are very happy to bring you our second video tutorial. This is a complete look, from colour match to foundation and full eye makeup, vaguely inspired by Kim Kardashian because of the natural colours of our  model (our wonderful friend Chiara on her first "modeling shoot" ever!). The only steps missing from the video are gloss and mascara application, but then again those are not airbrushed so we thought we could leave them out. The makeup we are using for this video is once again our beloved DINAIR. We are not discussing technique this time, but we are leaving all technical aspects for our next two tutorials, which will focus exclusively on a general introduction to airbrush makeup and on application techniques specifically.

I personally hate long videos where the person doing the demonstration blabs on repeating "now you're gonna wanna do this" about seven million times. So we kept it short, clean and sweet. Like airbrush makeup itself, after all...