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.

Video tutorial: fast Sugar Skull airbrush makeup with Graftobian GlamAire F/X Neon colors for black light

Airbrush Sugar Skull Makeup with Graftobian

Summer holidays are over, school is in and Halloween is approaching fast! And talking of speed, I was recently chatting with a makeup artist friend about a Halloween gig where she had to paint Sugar Skull makeups on a bunch of people in a very short time. I said to her that airbrushing would probably have been a good idea, and that with a few stencils and a couple of extra airbrushes to avoid time consuming color changes the whole endeavour could have turned into a whole lot of fun. 

A year later I am challenging myself to "walk my talk", and the results are in this video. The process is not exactly super fast as I chose to experiment with detail and decorations, but I hope it gives you a fair idea of how fun the process can be. In this video I am using stencils that I made by myself, and I decided to make the templates available to you our new FREE STENCILS page. Graftobian of course distributes the great BadAss Stencil line, and I would have used some of those too, but they were scheduled to arrive after the shooting deadline for the video. 

El dia de los Muertos Aribrush Makeup

In this look I also wanted to try out my new Graftobian GlamAire F/X Neon colors, and of course to use my new Graftobian Walk-Around System that I purchased early this summer at CRCmakeup.com. The colors are fantastic. They have an amazing payoff, they are super resistant and have a very low viscosity, which in layman terms means that they clear out of your airbrush beautifully, with hardly any residue. I did not have a hint of a clogging problem while using them. The bottles are a large 2 oz. size, which of course you need if you are going to do body painting. The formula is an alcohol and water base hybrid, and dries fast to a matte finish. I found it to be very gentle on the skin and odor free. 

Another great thing about these products is that the pigment does separate when they lay idle, but unlike the other GlamAire beauty formulas a quick shake is all it takes to get it perfectly mixed again. Oh, and did I mention that the Neon colors are made to glow in back light? Unfortunately we weren't equipped to show you that in the video, but it sure is a great plus. We will write more about Graftobian, its amazing color range and the Walk-Around airbrush system in our next post. Stay tuned...

Halloween Sugar Skull Airbrush Makeup with Graftobian F/X Aire

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

Airbrush Makeup Review: Kett .25 Transformer Airbrush

Kett's .25 Transformer Airbrush

Having a reliable airbrush is a fundamental prerequisite for any makeup artist who wants to add airbrush makeup to their skills. Actually, it is indispensable for anyone who is dabbling in this art even if only for personal use, as there is nothing more frustrating than a clogging airbrush preventing you from enjoying the wonderful results that the technique allows. If you are approaching airbrush makeup for the first time and you are thinking of building your own pro kit, or if you have bought a kit for personal use from one of several consumer oriented brands and the included airbrush is starting to "act up" on you, you may be confused as to what to choose from the relatively wide range of tools available from different outlets. You might have read about the double action versus "single action" (or rather continuous airflow) diatribe, and you might be wondering if you should go for a low cost or of for a top of the range instrument.  Well, the answer to all your doubts is happily at hand and it is called Kett .25, a.k.a. the Transformer Airbrush. 

Kett's .25 Transformer Airbrush unboxed

If you have read these pages -or indeed if you have researched airbrush makeup at all- you know that Kett is one of the best brands out there, with a tradition of innovation and commitment to the highest standards for High Definition makeup. The Transformer is perfectly in line with these standards. It is manufactured especially for Kett by Sparmax, the Taiwanese company supplying excellent airbrushes to the best makeup brands. The package assembled for Kett includes a stylish and useful box, a set of indispensable quality pipe cleaners (which are almost always sold separately and for a steep price by other companies), a nozzle wrench, a "plug in" hose connector and most importantly a spare double action valve, that you can easily switch with the already assembled "single action" valve to take advantage of this mode. The presence of both valves is what gives this airbrush its "Transformer" nick name, and it is a huge commodity. The .25 part of the name refers of course to the nozzle size, which is ideal for finer, more detailed work (although of course you can easily cover larger areas too). Another thing we greatly appreciate is the very honest pricing for this set, which considering all the accessories actually turns out to be cheaper at Kett than its general release version. 

And now for some impressions deriving directly from my experience. Please be sure to read our disclaimer in our About Me page. You've been warned. Let's go: I love this airbrush. I have used this little workhorse for just about any kind of makeup for over two years, with absolutely no major problems. It almost never clogs, and when it does, inevitably due to shimmers, it is quickly cleaned and back in action in a very short time. While it was chosen by Kett for its own highly praised water based makeup, I have also used it with silicone based formulas with no problems. Of course it is preferable to use larger nozzle sizes with silicone (such as the other airbrush offered by Kett, the also excellent .4), but in a pinch this will more than do. Moreover, thanks to its standard 1/8 ' fitting and its plug in connector it is absolutely compatible with any compressor that works within makeup's PSI range of 2 to 30 PSI. Yes, that includes consumer brands. I used it for years with my Dinair compressor, and it changed my whole experience of that brand for the better.

So, I most definitely recommend this both as part of your pro kit and for home use. You can buy it through the Kett website, or at any kett retailer. If you live outside the US I would strongly recommend buying this at Camera Ready Cosmetics, who will ship it worldwide for the best and most honest price. 

My little Workhorse: the Kett .25 Transformer Airbrush

A while ago Kett released this video, where the fab Sheila McKenna shows the airbrush in detail:

Airbrush Makeup Guru Profiles: an interview with Dani Fonseca

Our Profile series continues with the amazingly talented Dani Fonseca! Please click on each image to see every amazing makeup in full size.

Amazingly talented: Dani Fonseca

One of the reasons why I decided to go to the New York Makeup Show on its first day rather than the second was so I could attend Dani Fonseca's seminar "Airbrushing Beyond Foundation". Like many other airbrush fans around the world, I had become familiar with Dani's work thanks to the many videos she has starred in for the wonderful brand Temptu Pro, so I was excited to meet her in person. Dani has a very impressive list of credits, including one that is actually listed among Temptu's own highlights timeline: the iconic skeleton makeup on Lady Gaga for her Born This Way video. Dani also regularly collaborates with some of the world's top brands, and she is a proud member of the Make Up For Ever Artist Alliance Team. She has her own body art and event production company (The Body of Art) and she creates incredible Halloween looks in seasonal workshop called the Monster Mash Salon. In spite of her very busy schedule that day, Dani took time to answer a questions from the many people who filled out her seminar, and kindly agreed to answer a few questions focusing on airbrushing for our readers.

You are so incredibly talented with airbrushing. When did you decide to add this technique to your makeup skills?

-I started considering using airbrush techniques in 2004 when I started my company The Body of Art. As most may know, body painting can take an extremely long amount of time to complete, so I thought airbrushing would help make that process faster. I chose Temptu almost 10 years ago as the brand to explore this new possibility and not only fell in love with the possibilities for my body art but also discovered an amazing new way to do my beauty makeup.

How important do you think airbrushing skills are for new makeup artists, what doors do you think it could open for them?

Makeup by Dani Fonseca

-I think that airbrushing is an amazing tool. I stand by the belief that every makeup artist should of course learn how to do everything conventionally first, however airbrushing is an extension of what you can do with more ease precision and expedience. I do believe that most artists would be missing out if they did not know the advantages of airbrushing, however there are many make up artists out there who know how to airbrush and still choose conventional which is perfectly fine. Everyone has their own style and choice of technique. However what sometimes concerns me is that people will not try airbrushing because of the myths they have heard out there about it. I say to those people take a class and try it out before you shun it completely, because you may be pleasantly surprised and wondering what you have been doing all your life without it.

Body Art by Dani Fonseca

What do you consider to be the single best advantage of airbrushing as opposed to traditional application?

-The best advantage to using airbrush depends on what formula you use and what kind of makeup you are using it for.  As for beauty, I have always been a big fan of the silicone-based make up like Temptu's SB formula. It mimics skin in such a way that you can barely tell anyone is wearing foundation yet creates beautiful highlighting and con touring with ease, in a way that doesn't look overworked. Not to mention that it is water resistant and flexible so will not crack or run under adverse environmental conditions. As for body painting, as I mentioned before airbrushing helps me to do things precisely and much faster. Highlighting and contouring faux fabric or objects that I've created as an illusion on the skin is so effortless with an airbrush because of the gradient quality it gives with such ease. It takes a lot of practice to hold your hands still and create strokes that look clean but it's just like riding a bike: you just need to do it over and over again until you get it.

I always admired your makeup, but now, seeing you up close, I can see how incredibly flawless it really is. How much airbrushing do you like to include in your own routine?

-To be honest I used to airbrush my skin quite a bit however I find there is less and less room on my kitchen table which is actually my make up vanity. A little bit too much for me (and my husband) to have an extra machine sitting out all the time. Airbrushing has actually taught me how to apply makeup to myself with the "airbrushed look" technique using certain synthetic brushes conventionally. I think I've mastered it at this stage. I'm a big fan of cream make up whether it be foundations or blushes for highlighters so that ends up being my alternative to airbrush makeup. However I still do use it when I'm going to big events.

In Europe, where we are based, airbrushing is still a very new technique and like many new things some false myths are often quick to spread. Which would you consider to be the greatest misconception about airbrushing today?

"The Kiss" by Dani Fonseca

-I think we can attribute all the false myths to the type of airbrush makeup that first came out on the market in the 90s. It was very dry and matte, and if you put 1 drop of water near it it would completely destroy it. Not to mention if you put too much on and your face moved it would crack. There have been so many amazing advancements in airbrush makeup products since then. If you are buying a water based make up today, like from Kett Cosmetics, you will find that it's very beautiful and flexible.  Another myth that I have come across is that if you use a silicone-based airbrush makeup it looks like oil or grease on the face. This is because silicone-based makeup happens to be one of the thicker formulas on the market. It's purposely thicker so that it can do what it does. Some people have compressors that are not powerful enough, and often think they need to dilute the product in order to get it to pass through the airbrush gun. Again if they have not sat in a class, people often think that they can dilute such a product using its very greasy cleanser,  which is the cause of the oily pay off people hear about. I cringe when I see or hear of people using the product like that.  If you use the SB make up from Temptu properly and with its proper equipment it is one of the most beautiful foundations on the market made for all skin types and meant to last for hours. Why on earth would you not want to use that in your make up? One last myth I've come across is that it is too hard to clean your gun and you will often get clogging issues. Again you need to not be lazy and take the time to clean your gun properly. If you do not know how to do this yet again there are plenty of videos online as well as classes you can take that will help you to learn how to properly service your own equipment.

Makeup by Dani Fonseca

When it comes to airbrush makeup there seems to be a big a lot of disagreement over the water based versus silicone based formulas. Where do you stand? Do you prefer using one over the other?

-Anyone who knows me knows that I am a huge fan of silicone-based make up. I've been using it for 10 years and has very rarely found any issues with it. It mimics skin, it lasts for hours, it's lightweight and flawless and is very flexible on the skin.  Every student that takes my classes falls in love with it instantly because they taught how to use it properly. It's just a personal preference for me. It doesn't mean that I do not think a water-based formula is good. There are amazing water-based formulas on the market, and they're absolutely dreadful water base and silicone formulas on the market. You need to go to trade shows to test them out and/or do your research to find the people who are actually using the formulas and see what they say. Be careful of bloggers and You tubers who don't have any idea what they're talking about when they're reviewing airbrush products. Find actual airbrush makeup artists who use it all the time and learn what their opinion is.

Makeup by Dani Fonseca

While we are mentioning Europe, I know you have been here many times with different projects. Are you coming back soon? Will you be teaching any seminars here?

-I just finished doing a three day airbrush beauty workshop at the Academy of Freelance Makeup in London in May. I also did a demonstration master class while I was there.  My next trip to Europe will be at the end of September when I travel to Paris to be a guest instructor at the new Make Up For Ever TV and Cinema Academy.  I am very excited and honored to be working with this new Academy twice a year. However it's a week long class that is part of a program so unfortunately it would not be open to the public.

You have worked on many high profile projects and with many celebrities. Would you share a fun memory or a lesser known fact about one of these remarkable achievements? 

-To be honest for the most part when I work with celebrities I very rarely have a memorable moment with the celebrities themselves. My memorable moment is always with the team I work with. People always ask me "What's it like to work with Lady Gaga"? As you can imagine the woman is so busy and focused on what she's doing that I barely ever had a chance to have intimate memorable moments with her. I usually have more fun hanging out with my partner Will Lemon, or the dancers, or my friend Sarah Tanno who keys the dancers, and my assistants backstage. It's a job and I love it, but usually when I work with celebrities its quick, its business, and people have to keep it moving. One of the nicer moments was when I was body painting girls for a 50 Cent video and he put his arm around me and gave me a hug cuz he thought the work looked so good... I thought it looked hilarious (big cat faces painted on "well endowed" backsides), but as long as he was happy!

Lady Gaga and Zombie Boy, Makeup by Dani Fonseca for Temptu

What is your ultimate professional dream?

-I just would love to get to a point where my business is running itself, I have made a my impact on the world by inspiring other artists to make a difference, and I'm a mom who lives in a house with my husband by the park so I can go running whenever I want.  I'm getting there.  I have launched my new makeup artist leadership program called The Body of Artists this year, and I continue to educate people around the world on ways they can follow their dream in this insane industry we have chosen to have a career.  I am very blessed and put a lot of hard work into what I want, and do my best to not allow any excuses to get in the way.  If I could body paint Pink before I die, that would be cool, but that would be a bonus. 

I really enjoyed meeting Dani. I was already a big fan of her work, but I found myself quickly won over by her off beat sense of humour and by her personable approach, which left me hoping to see more of her and her fantastic work soon.

 

CLICK HERE FOR A SHORT VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH DANI AT CREATURES OF COMFORT 2014

Silicone based VS Water based airbrush makeup: which is better?

Silicone based or water based? This is one of the most pressing questions facing anyone approaching airbrush makeup for the first time. Let me just start by saying that I am glad that I writing this post now, three years into my airbrush experience. Had I not waited, I might have ended up like many other bloggers, fuelling a controversy that like most such squabbles is based on a lot of misunderstanding, and even bigger lot of rushed assumptions. Thankfully, after three years since my "radical conversion" to airbrushing, and after a whole lot of experimenting, researching and polling among my students, I am confident stating the following: you can achieve extraordinary results with both kinds of product. They both have significant unique strengths, and they both have some limitations. Your perception of either will depend on a few factors, mainly what brand you use, how much experience you have and what kind of training you received. That said, there will always be a blogger, a makeup artist and of course many a manufacturer ready to swear on the superiority of one over the other, and so the only thing we can do is state some objective facts.

CONSISTENCY

FACT: Silicone based products are more viscous (i.e. thicker) than water based ones. 

WHAT THIS MEANS: Silicone based products require higher pressure (5-15 PSI) to be atomized efficiently. By efficiently I mean producing a very fine mist that will not cake on fine wrinkles and large pores. Imperfections will be highlighted rather than concealed if the application is not correct. When applied correctly silicone will be undetectable on the skin, producing a truly flawless finish. This takes practice. For the same reason they are best applied with a larger nozzle (ideally .3 to .4), and you will need a slightly larger quantity of product to cover the same area. In short: working with silicone implies a higher learning curve.

Water based products work at lower pressures (2-12 PSI). Generally the application is sheerer, so spot concealing and the use of creme correctors is somewhat more frequent. Learning how to do a viable application can therefore be a faster process.

RESIDUE

FACT: Water based products are easier to clean from your airbrush.

WHAT THIS MEANS: No complete cleanup or dis assembly is required with either type of makeup when you are simply changing colours  (a false myth that is amazingly still being kept alive by some teachers). However, silicone requires a specific cleaner and a very thorough check up at the end of each session. Pros will need a complete dis assembly and clean regardless of the type of product used, but water based are far more soluble and therefore faster to deal with.

DURABILITY

FACT: Silicone based products are highly water resistant, water based products are not.

WHAT THIS MEANS: Silicone based products will not be impacted by water. Not even a large quantity. We demonstrate this in our classes very empirically (and somewhat comically) by pouring  a half a cup of water on a silicone made up student's face: no change. Of course this does not mean "completely friction resistant", which no makeup is. Water based products may streak if they come in contact with large amounts of water, however this does NOT mean that the makeup is ruined, at least not with most pro brands, because the streaks will disappear as soon as the water dries, and the makeup will look perfect again.

FLEXIBILITY

FACT: Silicone foundations are generally more "movable" than water based products.

WHAT THIS MEANS: Once the makeup is applied, a foundation can be still moved on the skin and re blended after a few minutes, if necessary. This makes silicone more similar to traditional makeup. Most water based products will dry almost on contact, however some brands still allow for some movement. Of course in both cases the real question should be why move it at all, thus compromising the airbrushed finish, which is what you should be after in the first place.

HEALTH CONCERNS

FACT: Silicone is a very big molecule. 

WHAT THIS MEANS: Silicone is not absorbed into the skin. It rests on top of it, sealing it from outside agents. This can also be read as "preventing it from breathing", but remember: the airbrush application allows for gaps between atomized particles, so a silicone airbrush application can still be "healthier" for your skin than coated traditional makeup. Regarding health issues with silicone in aerosol form, there is still no conclusive report that states categorically that it is safe to breath silicone particles. In fact, quite the opposite, as you can read on this report. However as far as makeup is concerned, the particles hopefully fall in the category of "too big to pass the nasopharyngeal region barrier" (meaning they will not reach your lungs), and then again exposure and quantities during makeup are extremely minimal. 

FACT: Water based products are generally less allergenic.

WHAT THIS MEANS: Although the ingredient list can vary significantly for each brand, it is a statistical truth that water based products are extremely well tolerated even by the most sensitive types of skin.

So, have you made up your mind yet? I hope not. I mean it. I hope you get to appreciate both, as I do. In our airbrush makeup courses, which are not "sponsored" by any particular brand, I like my students to experience both types of makeup. I actually have gone as far as devising a full makeup  comparison (including eyes) of the two by using silicone on one side of a student's face and water based on the other, of course choosing similar colours. Their preferences and comments have been very varied, but the comments I heard most often, and with no derogatory intent,  were that silicone looks like beautiful makeup, while water based looks like beautiful skin. There are perfectly good reasons why on different occasions you may want to achieve both the former and the latter.

Water Based Vs Silicone Based airbrush makeup: applied on our student Melania

Occ Airbrush Makeup is BACK! - Joyous ramblings of a makeup sleuth.

OCC Skin is one of the best airbrush makeup products ever made, period. I could end my review here, but I'm going to elaborate a little further to explain why this product has become hard to find of late, causing some panic among its devotees. In other words: we love it, but where is it? 

2015 UPDATE: We are very sad to report that a few short months after this article was written, OCC Airbrush Makeup was finally discontinued by the brand. We remain hoping that they will eventually reintroduced what was for us one of the best foundation lines we ever tried. In the meantime you can read the rest of this post as a testament to a much beloved product.

Occ's fabulous Lip Tar range

 Obessive Compulsive Cosmetics was founded in 2004 by young makeup genius David Klasfeld, who designed his first products focusing on the quality and purity of the ingredients, and with a strict commitment to vegan and cruelty free standards. Before a little thing called Lip Tar became the most popular and celebrated lip product in the US,  the company earned a fantastic reputation for its airbrush makeup line, simply called Skin, which quickly came to include foundations, blushes and adjusters, all waterbased, and an alcohol based line as well called OCC Ink for body art and FX. The Skin line quickly became a star in many an airbrush makeup artist's kit, because it had everything that many other water based lines seemed to lack: a soft, matte yet dewy texture that never felt tight or dry and that remained movable for several minutes after application. In short, it defied most of the prejudices that are commonly applied to water based foundations. Like everything else at OCC it was also formulated to vegan, cruelty and bad chemical free standards, and to top it all it was super easy to clean from your airbrush, leaving practically no residue.  Cut to 2009: Lip tar is launched at the LA Makeup Show, and everyone goes crazy. Over the next three years Sephora steps in, OCC hits the big time, their website is redesigned, and everyone is happy but the airbrush makeup aficionados, who start getting "sold out" and "out of stock"notices every time they try to buy their Skin products. We finally find out that the packaging is being redesigned, and readied for a new launch. I panic a little. Are they going to change my beloved formula? 

The Occ Flag Store at 174 Ludlow St.

  It's 2014, I am visiting New York, and although I know I will see them at the Makeup Show, I decide to head over to OCC's show room in Ludlow Street, on the east side, see for myself what's going on and ask whoever I will find in charge a few questions. The store is not very big, but it is roomy enough to showcase the whole fantastic line and some cool artwork from OCC's latest campaign featuring some of Rupaul's Drag Race stars. Inside, associate Brittney kindly settles the matter for us, and there is good news and bad news. The repackaging is complete, and the Skin line is still available in all its 17 glorious colors (6 yellow based shades and 6 red based, plus 5 skin tone correctors), which is good news. The formula is exactly the same as before, which is great news. The only size available is now 4 oz bottles, but they are the same price as the 1 oz used to be, which is FANTASTIC news. 

The newly repackaged OCC Skin airbrush makeup range, 2014

 The INK line, however, has been discontinued forever, and this is a bit of a shame, but the sadness for its demise is quickly replaced by the joy of knowing that the original formula is alive and kicking. The distribution of a new product is almost always a lengthy affair, with quite a lot of factors at play, and this is why the product is still missing from a lot of resellers, especially here in Europe where the import process adds extra time. However we can all breathe a sigh of relief, because Skin is on its way back on the shelves. With its unique texture, Skin is my go to product for that extra pick me up factor. Its formula, makes your skin look remarkably healthier and radiant, while remaining completely undetectable, if applied correctly. I know this sounds like any old classic beauty claim, but in this case it's true, it's just that good. 

US BUYER TIP: Until your preferred supplier is restocked, you can order this directly from OCC's website.

EUROPE BUYER TIP: Some vendors still stock the original 1 oz sizes, in varying quantities. The Genie Cosmetics website still seems to have all the colours in stock. 

Willam Belli of Rupaul's Drag Race for OCC