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

Temptu Airpod and True Color Lipstick review and video tutorial!

Our latest visit to the Temptu Showroom in Los Angeles allowed us to add more products from the Temptu Airpod line to our collection, and once we were there we just couldn't resist stocking up on the brand new True Color lipsticks, which we had been lucky enough to preview on our trip to New York the year before. 

Flawless & Natural with Temptu AIRpod

The AIRpod technology was originally conceived by Temptu to provide consumers with an easier way to obtain the much sought after airbrush finish without any of the drawbacks that come from having to use an actual airbrush, and that require a minimal learning curve. In many ways the technique is nothing short of genius: each shade of makeup comes in an individual "capsule" called AIRpod that already contains its own propietary airbrushing mechanism. Each Pod can be slotted on a sleek looking AIRPod airbrush tool, and easily taken off when you are done with that color, with no need for cleaning or disassembling any parts. The system is powered by a very compact yet very powerful compressor delivering up to 30 PSI of pressure. After an initial distribution deal with Sephora that contributed to make Temptu a household name in the States, the system was improved, reconceived and repackaged with a more professional slant. The AIRpod airbrush in this new system called 2.0 looks even sleeker, and the compressor is quieter and has a higher initial setting, producing an overall more powerful feel. With a simple hose adaptor it can be used to power any other type of airbrush, offering pros an excellent replacement for heavier, more cumbersome models, as we already discussed in depth in a past article.

The obvious advantage of the AIRpod system is of course immediacy: with no need for cleaning, measuring or mixing, nothing can quite beat the speed with which you can achieve a flawless application with the AirPod.

Temptu AIRpods and lipsticks

The AIRpod makeup is still silicone based, but slightly different from Temtpu's own S/B line. While it also has 12 foundation shades, these do not correspond to the S/B line exactly, and are more on the neutral side to allow for easier color matching, which is needed as you cannot mix shades before spraying them. To make up for this limitation you can layer two different shades on top of each other: the slower setting time of the Pod formulation will allow the makeup to somewhat mix on the surface, but this will require good practice and great care during the application. A slower setting also means that the finish of the makeup will remain slightly tacky for a longer time, and that in most cases it will need to be set with translucent HD powder. Once set, the coverage and durability of the makeup remain top notch, as will the resistance to transfer. Finally, another characteristic that separates the AIRpod line from the S/B range is the scent, which in the Pod case is a floral perfume that will linger for a while after application. This is by far my least favorite aspect of the AIRpod makeup, but once I got used to it I have definitely grown to appreciate this amazing technology. With the speed and practicality it offers, it's no wonder it has become a favorite backstage at many fashion shows, including the prestigious New York Fashion Week. You can apply a full professional looking makeup literally in minutes thanks to this tool, and it is almost unbeatable for nude, flawless looks on younger skin, as you can see from our own video tutorial, which was edited very minimally and where a beautiful look is achieved incredibly fast.

Temtpu Color True Lipstick Vivid Collection

The soft, "nude" look I created with the AIRpod was also the perfect canvas to showcase the amazing lipsticks from the Color True line recently launched by Temptu. There are eight beautiful shades ranging from the most delicate natural tones (Blushed Suede) to the boldest ones (Jet Rouge) and the most colorful (Violet Storm). The lipsticks were recently divided in two groups and offered at a discounted price: The Vivid Lip Collection including the shades Imperial Red, Pink Hype, Violet Storm and Coral Blaze, and the Marsala Lip Collection including Rose Velveteen, Blushed Suede, Plush Plum and Jet Rouge. I asked my collaborator Angela Rosa to play with these beautiful colors, and she produced the three looks you see in the video, one from each group of shades, and a bold retro glamour look that uses colors from both groups. To finish this last look we also used Temptu's Color True Lip Gloss, which can also be used to turn any color from the S/B range in a fantastic, durable glossy lip stain.  Just like myself, Angela was immediately won over by the amazing pliability and pigmentation of these lipsticks, which also offer excellent durability, and which have already become another reason to absolutely love Temptu.

Temptu Color True Lipsticks

PRO TIP: As easy and practical as using AIRpods is, don't forget to follow the easy instructions for their maintenance. The Pods can become stuck if you don't use them for a while, but a few gentle moves will quickly have them running again. I recently restored a Pod to full functionality simply by placing a drop of Temptu S/B cleaner on the tip, then pulling the needle's piston inside the pod back and forth a few times. Also don't forget to line the Pod with the AIRpod airbrush properly: the capsule must "click" in before you can use it, if it doesn't the trigger will slack and no makeup will come out.

A visit to the TEMPTU Airbrush Makeup Showroom in LA!

The Temptu Showroom in LA

Last year we were fortunate enough to visit the Temptu NYC Showroom, where we had a wonderful time right at the heart of this amazing brand. If you have browsed these pages before or if you have an even remote interest in airbrush makeup, you will know that Temptu is the world leader in silicone based airbrushable makeup, and the producer of an amazing line of top quality products that have become standards for both the most demanding professionals and the consumer market at large.

The Temptu LA showroom at 2381 Rosecrans Avenue, El Segundo, CA 90245, is ideally located for travelers as it is just minutes away from the LAX airport. In keeping with its image of streamlined elegance and friendly efficiency there are no flashy signs visible from the street, but once you get in the inner court and park your car you will not be able to miss the imposing sign behind the glass doors of its ground level premises. 

Francesca, Jackie and Daisy at Temptu LA

We were welcomed by the lovely Francesca Iodice from International Accounts, who kindly gave us a tour of the whole operation. The floor has a mostly open plan that allows you to take in almost everything that's going on at a glance. If New York hosts the creative headquarters of the company, this is where the Customer Service is based, and you can see them right there as they assist the many customers both on line and on the phone. As a walk in customer however you will not be in the least disappointed by the elegantly streamlined and ample premises, and of course by what I call the Wall of Delights, a massive display of all of Temptu products ready to be shopped and browsed for once with your own eyes rather than through a computer screen. There are also posts where you can test all the makeup, or rather have it tested on you by the expert hands of Temptu's own master makeup artists. 

The amazing product display at Temptu Los Angeles

We were lucky to meet the very Jackie Fan, Global Education and Artistry Manager, a wonderful makeup artist that we will have the pleasure of interviewing on these pages very soon. Jackie is also responsible for many of the courses that take place right here in Temptu's well organized training room, where both beginners and advanced makeup artist can come and learn how to make the most out of the technology and cosmetics offered by this brand. Jackie and Francesca are of course sworn to secrecy as far as new products are concerned, but from what little information we could pry we are happy to reassure you that innovation is going forward at full speed at Temptu, and that we have a lot of exciting news to look forward to. 

The training room at Temptu LA

As for us, we were very happy to touch base with once again with this wonderful brand, and to have a chance to purchase some more products furthering our plans to complete our Temptu makeup collection. As great as the internet is, there is nothing like being able to talk about products in person with the best experts and collaborators of a brand. Our chat with Jackie opened up our minds even more on the Pod line, and we just could not resist the amazing full collection of True Color lipsticks, the newest addition to the makeup offering. We are in the process of editing a video showcasing these amazing products, and we will share our thoughts and some very useful information on them in about a week's time. 

If you are visiting LA or simply travelling with a decent layover at its airport you simply cannot miss the opportunity for a visit to the Temptu LA showroom, another corner of Airbrush Makeup Heaven!

Kit Review: Divine Airbrush Makeup

100%  Divine Airbrush Makeup

Divine Airbrush Makeup is a family run company based in Boca Raton, Florida, and one of the newest airbrush makeup brands on the market. We always love discovering new airbrush makeup lines, and we were attracted by the elegant look that Divine has chosen for its operation, with a marketing style geared towards consumers with a taste for luxury. The makeup offered by Divine Airbrush is water based, proudly produced in the USA, cruelty free and FDA compliant. The line offers 12 foundation colors divided in four groups of three shades each. Each color is named with a letter indicating the shade group (Fair, Medium, Dark and Tan) and a number 1, 2 or 3 indicating the color intensity within that group. So for example the lightest color of all will be F1, while the darkest T3. There are also 13 colors divided in 10 matte and 3 shimmer shades to be used for eyeshadow, blush or contouring. Divine airbrush also offers its own airbrush makeup kit with variable speeds and a stated maximum pressure of 30 PSI. We used this very kit and all the products it came with to create the look you see in the video tutorial posted at the end of this article, and in the photos that accompany it.

Divine Airbrush Makeup Kit

100%  Divine Airbrush Makeup

The Kit comes in a nifty little box that efficiently contains all the equipment. The first thing you see when you open it is the box airbrush box, the underneath is the mini compressor, the rubber hose, the power unit and the airbrush holders, one for each side of the compressor so you can keep the airbrush where you find it most comfortable. There are some basic instructions with the unit but everything is very simple and intuitive. When you push the ON/MODE button, the compressor starts on its maximum pressure output, then you simply push the "Mode" side of the same button to decrease the pressure to your desired strength, which will be marked by the led indicators on top. The unit is very light and surprisingly very quiet, which makes it ideal for travelling. While I don't have the technical equipment to test this, the compressor strength does not quite seem to match the stated 30 PSI. I have other compressors that do and they seem quite a lot more powerful. This output seems closer to a maximum 15-20 PSI, which is still perfectly adequate to apply the Divine makeup and other water based brands of similar consistency, and makes the compressor more than viable for personal use. The same can be said for the airbrush, which is very easy to use and has a nozzle wide enough to make the application fast but still easy to control, and to make cleaning it a breeze. 

100%  Divine Airbrush Makeup

The Divine Airbrush foundation is of a light/medium viscosity, its consistency feels smooth and rich, comparable to that of leading brand Kett, and you could apply it with a sponge or brush and still get a great finish. It is very comfortable to wear, provides very good coverage and good staying power with no transfer and no sinking in fine lines even after many hours. It has a decidedly matte finish, but does not feel tight and looks quite natural. The shades are mostly on the neutral side, with subtle leanings towards warm or yellow tones. Neutrality means it will be easier for most skin types to find a good match, and very little mixing will be needed. Like we said at the beginning, the makeup is FDA approved and contains natural ingredients (Aloe, Chamomile, Cucumber). Another characteristic we appreciate is the total lack of fragrance, not even when first sprayed. [Please scroll down for Swatches]

The matte eye shadows are very pigmented and blend very well, making it easy to achieve great smokey looks even for less expert airbrushers.  The shimmer colors are much runnier and less dramatic, so you will need to apply them in thin layers and then dry each layer thoroughly to achieve a good finish that will last. A good thing about this type of shimmers is that you can mix them easily with the matte shades to make them sparkly without compromising their color in a noticeable way. 

We loved creating the look in our video tutorial, but we feel we just scratched the surface of the possibilities that these colors offer, and look forward to experimenting more. 

100%  Divine Airbrush Makeup

As for the makeup packaging, all the products come in very elegant looking, real glass bottles with golden plastic toppers that enclose a glass dropper.  This is in line with the overall luxurious image of this company, and it does allow for a totally mess free application, with no cap cleaning necessary at all. The downside of glass, however is of course its very breakable nature. While the bottles will arrive packaged very securely, but once they are on your table top you will have to be extremely careful not to drop them on the floor, or they will inevitably shatter. Because of the large opening required for the dropper, toppling an open bottle will also cause you to lose half its content in the blink of an eye which is of course very frustrating. 

We hope to see this friendly, elegant company flourish in the future and expand its product line even more.  As the brand becomes more well known for its quality we are sure that the price of its products will fall in line with the best of their competitors, and become appealing to an ever wider audience.

Divine Airbrush Makeup Fair and Medium Foundation Swatches

Swtches of some of Divine Airbrush eyeshadows

Swtches of some of Divine Airbrush eyeshadows

Review: Flawless Face Airbrush Makeup -with video tutorial and DISCOUNT CODE

2016 UPDATE: Sadly the Flawless Face brand is no longer operative.

Based in Texas, Flawless Face is a new airbrush makeup brand offering an extensive line of water based foundation and eye shadow colours. The company's mission is to offer airbrush cosmetics that would allow users to achieve a "flawless and beautiful look without breaking the bank", and the website started out by offering its makeup in attractive 1.5 oz bottles at a fraction of the price charged by most other companies for smaller sizes.

After the price, one of the things that made this brand very interesting to me was the color choice: 12 foundation colors, 29 matte and 22 shimmer colors that can be used as eye shadow but of course also as blush, highlighter and contour shades. The foundation colors are also available in generous samples of .5 oz (15ml), or as a set of 12 colors for an even more convenient price. 

We were very happy to try these products, and you can see the result of our experiments in the video tutorial below, while we will continue here sharing our experience with the product.

100% Flawless Face Airbrush Makeup

Foundations: the Flawless Face formula is one of the least viscous available. It is designed to work with any airbrush, and it definitely will because of its lightness. The drawback of using a thin liquid in an airbrush with a bigger nozzle (.35 and up) is of course that you have to be very gentle when spraying, or risk forming hot spots very quickly. On the other hand the product is less likely to clog your stylus, and even when that happens it is very easy to clean by simply backbubbling and flushing the airbrush. The foundation shades have a light fruity smell (they contain essence of Lilac) that will dissipate quickly leaving no after taste, and contain many natural ingredients such as Aloa and Ginko Biloba leaf among others.  The formula wears comfortably on the skin, with  a matte and slightly powdery finish. The shade range offers many possibilities and caters to all ethnicities. As you can see from the swatches at the bottom of this post, there are shades with strong yellow and red undertones, so a little mixing to balance the some shades will probably be required to achieve perfect matching. The most neutral shades are Ivory in the fair range, Buff Beige in the medium range and Chocolate in the dark range. The instructions on the colors suggest priming, concealing and powdering before applying the foundation. The priming and mosturizing step is of course fundamental, as with any airbrush brand, and Flawless Face just came up with their own water based primer. As for concealing and powdering before airbrushing,  I am not sure that this is necessary, especially the powdering as the product is already matte enough, but it might be a good idea for less experienced airbrush users who may use the foundations to achieve a smooth finish easily and fast. Because of its light consistency, spot concealing will need a little practice: use the lowest pressure setting of your compressor and be extra careful to release as little color as possible, or the liquid will bead up very quickly and form hot spots. If this happens don't be discouraged, simply move on with the rest of the makeup and wait a little while before applying larger passes that will easily blend everything together.

100% Flawless Face Airbrush Makeup

Eye Shadows: for me, this is where Flawless Face gets really interesting. The eyeshadow formula is also quite thin but  pigmented enough and extremely easy to control and to blend, creating beautiful effects with very little effort. When applying the colors to the eyelid it is a good idea to alternate product and air, in order to help the color set faster. Again, care should be taken to layer the product lightly, or the whole makeup will risk cracking in the folds of the eye. If properly applied though, these eyeshadow will last all day without budging, and they have an uncommon resistance to water and rubbing, so much so that I was convinced they were formulated with silicone (they are not, as you can see in the ingredient list below). There are many colors to chose from, and these also come in the same generous 1.5 ounce bottles for the same very reasonable price. Basically, a 1.5 ounce bottles means only one thing as far as eye shadows go: it will last practically forever! In fact I hope that the company will make their eyeshadow range also available in the very handy .5 oz sample sizes, which would allow buyer to try out more shades and to build their collections more easily.

We used our beloved Temptu system with heir SP .35 airbrush to spray the Flawless Face colors and achieve the look you see in the video. Recently Flawless Face started offering their own airbrush kit with three pre set speeds, so first time airbrushers can buy everyhting they need right on their website. 

Flawless Face very generously decided to give our readers a 40% discount off the entire web store (except for the Beginners Kit, to which coupons do not apply). The coupon code is: AirGlam40 

The website ships worldwide and to the whole of Europe, and international shipping is a very reasonable flat rate of $20!

Pro info:

FLAWLESS FACE FOUNDATION INGREDIENTS: Aqua, Aloe, Viatmin D, Glycerin Humectant, Silica Mineral, Coco-Caprylate, Cetyl Esters Emulsifier, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Kaolin French clay, Cetyl Alcohol Emollient, PEG-40 Prunus Armeniaca, Kernel Oil,, Alchemilla Vulgaris, Silybum Marianum Fruit, Ginko Biloba Leaf, Equisetum Arvense Leaf,  Hypericum Perforatum , Helianthus Annus, , Caprylyl Glycol, Natural Fragrance – Lilac, Magnesium, Carboxymethyl Cellulose, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Proprietary Blend
*May Contain (+/-): Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491/CI 77492/CI 77499), Chromium Oxide Greens (CI 77288), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Mica (CI 77091).

EYE AND BLUSH INGREDIENTS: Aqua, Aloe, Lemongrass, Chamomile, Comfrey, Cucumber, Ginseng Cellulose Gum, Propylene Glycol, Triethanolamine,  Diazolidinyl Urea, Proprietary Blend May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Ultramarines (CI 77007), Iron Oxides (CI 77489), D&C Yellow 5 Lake (CI 19140), D&C Yellow 10 Lake (CI 47005), FD&C Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), D&C Red 7 Lake (CI 15850), D&C Red 6 Lake (CI 15850), D&C Orange 5 Lake (CI 45370), Chromium Oxide Green (CI 77288), D&C Red 21 (CI 45380), D&C Red 28 (CI 45410), D&C Yellow 7 (CI 45350), Disodium Distyrylbiphenyl Disulphonate, Mica, Luminescent Zinc Sulfide, Talc 

PRIMER INGREDIENTS: Aloe Vera, mineral oil, fragrance, anhydrous citric acid, glycerin, propylene glycol, purified water, sodium hypochlorite, sorbitol, sucrose 

Flawless Face Airbrush Makeup Before & After

 

Flawless Face Airbrush Makeup Foundation Swatches

Flawless Face Airbrush Makeup Foundation Swatches

Flawless Face Airbrush Makeup Eyeshadow Swatches

Flawless Face Airbrush Makeup Eyeshadow Swatches

Airbrush Makeup Guru Profiles: an interview with Jordi Justribò from Cazcarra / Ten Image (Spain)

It's time to "cross the pond" and introduce the first airbrush makeup guru from Europe:  Jordi Justribò from Cazcarra Image Group in Spain. 
 

We haven't missed a single Cosmoprof show in the last few years, and as big as the event is (think 30 times the size of IMATS, comprising not just makeup, but any and all aspects of the beauty industry), one of the most vivid memories from each edition has been the work of Jordi Justribò, the Creative Director of Cazcarra Image group who is always present to create amazing makeup demonstrations right in front of the show's visitors.

Cazcarra is one of Spain's biggest beauty groups. Founded 30 years ago by image guru Carmen Cazcarra, the group started as a family run beauty school and went on to become an image consulting firm producing the product lines Ten Image Professional and Makeup Secrets FX, offering an amazing array of quality products to both consumers and professionals. The Ten Image line includes a line of airbrush makeup of exceptional quality, with 11 water/silicone hybrid foundation shades and 30 more water based matte and shimmer colours. We will review those products soon, but for now let us get to know Jordì a little better!

 

Jordi Justribò, Cazcarra / Ten Image

-What made you decide to become a makeup artist?

I could say I was born with it: I was always fashinated by the art that allows you to change a face only thruough the harmonious application of makeup products. As I child I remember being spellbound as I watched the women in my family getting ready in front of the mirror, and I would try to create fantastic creatures on my own face. I think that these very memories are the reason why I became passionate about this art so early on. Makeup allowed me to find my aritstic expression. 

-Was your family supportive of your career choice, or did you have to struggle at first?

To tell you the truth I was lucky enough to have my family's full support at every stage, especially my parents', to whom I will always be grateful for the confidence they had in me. Of course they had a few doubts when I told them what my chosen profession would be, because I was born in a very small town where a career in makeup could only look like a pipe dream. Those doubts vanished however when they got to know Cazcarra Image School, because at that point they realized that makeup can be a wonderful profession.  

Airbrush Makeup from Spain by Jordi Justribò

-You went from graduating from the Cazcarra beauty School to becoming the  Creative Director of the entire Cazcarra Image group. What is the most important quality that helped you achieve such a remarkable goal?

When I finished my training at Cazcarra Image School, just like any of its graduates I was faced with a wide array of professional options. To be honest though ever since the beginning of my training I had felt that a very strong bond would tie me to this institution. When Carmen Cazcarra, the founder and soul of this great family, asked me to be a part of the team, I did not hesitate for a second. To me it was very important to be able to grow artistically and to put all my skills to the test, showing how effective my training had been. Of course I could not pass the chance to continue learning with Carmen and her team. I will always be grateful to her for guiding me in my professional growth and for teaching me how to move with confidence in this industry.

-We have tried the Ten Image airbrush products and we find them truly outstanding. How much input did you have in the actual formulation or colour choice of the makeup line?

As a professional makeup artist belonging to the Cazcarra/Ten Image team, I give the utmost importance to the products I use in my job. That is why I invest a lot of time in each new product before it is released to make sure that it performs to professional standards, consistently yielding great results. Besides testing extensively and suggesting improvements, I keep close contacts with the manufacturing department at Ten Image to ensure that technology, quality and artistic potential proceed hand in hand to create the latest generation of products. Naturally, if I feel that a certain product fails to meet our standards I do not allow it to become a part of the Ten Image line.

-In the USA and UK airbrushing has become mandatory in the curriculum of accredited beauty schools. How important do you think it is for a makeup artist to be able to airbrush nowadays?

Nowadays every makeup artist should know how to use an airbrush, because airbrushing is a technique that allows us to work with the latest visual technologies, such as HD and Full HD, yet at the same time it can be used for beauty makeup every day. Many working professionals come back to Cazcarra Image School specifically to learn this technique that we have been developing and perfecting for years.  

-What is the best aspect of airbrushing makeup for you, and what is the biggest common misunderstanding regarding this technique?

Airbrushing allows you to obtain results that would be impossible with traditional makeup, thanks to the speed of the execution and the durability of the application. The most common mistakes are the excessive use of product, and the layering of thick passes creating an unnatural result. 

-You have worked with many celebrities in your career. Do you have a favourite anecdote or a fun fact that you could share with us?

Among the many events that Cazcarra was involved in we were the official makeup artists for the Starlite Festival, an event that features many big national and international music stars. I had the pleasure of working with many celebrities, and I especially remember Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith. At the beginning it was a bit shocking to find myself in the presence of two big Hollywood stars, however as the work progressed I realized that they were trusting me more and more, and soon they began making me a part of their conversations almost as if I were a family member. A makeup artist often has the chance to work with famous personalities from fashion, music, arts or politics, and in most cases they end up making you privy to confidential matters. That is why we have to learn how to be discreet and to respect the privacy of our clients.

-Your work has meant a lot of travel. Do you find it difficult balancing your personal and professional life? If you could magically change an aspect of it what would it be?

The thing is, I have so much fun with my job that finding a balance is not too hard at all. Working with Cazcarra/Ten Image allows me to develop my work and to show it all over the world, and this is extremely gratifying. Travelling is a great way to get to know trends and products from other countries in person, and to exchange views with experts from many different places. I don't think I would change anything... both the nice and the negative things that happened to me made me what I am today. This job gave me the chance to experience so many things on both a professional and a personal level, and I wouldn't change any of them.

-What is our future career goal? Where do you see yourself in a few years?

Jordi Justribò from Cazcarra / Ten Image

I hope to be able to continue to grow with Cazcarra/Ten Image, because it is a company that allowed me to grow and constantly improve, remaining up to date with all the current trends and products. I have spent many years with this company as Creative Director, and I want to face new challenges and reach new goals with them. I would also like to develop new products of ever increasing quality, that may allow professionals to execute their tasks safely and confidently, creating spectacular results.

We look forward to meeting Jordi again in person at Cosmoprof 2015, and to visit the Cazcarra stand and watch him create one of his makeup masterpieces!

Cosmoprof 2015 Review: Water Proof Sealing Spray for Body Painting Fixierspray by Eulenspiegel

Cosmoprof 2015 is in full swing at Bologna's Fiera District, and we are glad to be meeting again with our friends from German brand Eulenspiegel, who will grace the show with their very popular range of professional quality, fairly priced makeup and accessories for theatre, special effects and body painting.You too can find them right at Pavilion 16, stand G26.

Last year we reviewed Eulespiegel's great line of highly pigmented airbrushable water based colors for body painting. This time we had a chance to test and use another very interesting product that can be used to render those very colors water resistant, increasing their duration and their resistance under more strenuous performance situations. Its name is Fixierspray, and it is sold in three sizes (50, 150 and 500 ml), all coming in clear plastic bottles equipped with a spray pump for easy atomization. 

This product is of course alcohol based, and it is a completely clear liquid with a very faint, non irritant alcohol smell that will quickly disperse to leave no residual odor whatsoever. Fixierspray dries to a shiny finish which can be neutralized by using clear powder.

Eulenspiegel Fixierspray

Eulenspiegel's manager quickly demonstrated the power of this product right under our eyes, and we are repeating that demonstration in the photos that we are including in this review (please click on the photo to enlarge it): we airbrushed a shape with a water based color, then covered half of it with a thin sheet of plastic and sprayed the exposed part with Fixierspray, then we allowed it to dry thoroughly. We removed the protective plastic and doused water on the shape. Not just a little water, but almost a whole bottle. When the water dried, the half of the design that had been spritzed with Fixierspray was almost perfectly intact, revealing only a very faint smudging at the edges. The other half of the design had almost been entirely washed away. The product proved a definite success, and totally worth its reasonable price of under 10 euros for a 50 ml bottle. 

We look forward to reviewing more products from this friendly company. Eulenspiegel ships all over Europe from their website. You can also browse their show schedule and visit the next trade show they will attend, where you will be able to check with your own eyes their great variety of products.