The top 6 airbrush makeup mistakes

Airbrush makeup is easy, super fast, and is naturally gorgeous. Having airbrushed professionally, personally on myself, and having taught airbrush makeup, these are the top 6 mistakes that can be easily avoided:

1. Using the wrong primer. If you are using a silicone based airbrush foundation such as Airbase, make sure you use a non-water based primer. Some water based primers are not compatible with silicone based foundation. This is because water is not silicone-soluble. It’s just going to slide right off the surface. You’ll end up using more foundation, look uneven and even alter the color payout.
2. Using too much. I cringe when I hear someone say “I don’t like airbrush makeup because it looked cakey”. The whole point of wearing airbrush makeup is to have something that looks uber natural, and NOT like makeup. If someone complains that it looks to heavy, it’s because of user error, and it’s been applied to heavily. Always start by having airbrush applied in light sheer layers, and then apply it areas that need more coverage last. This will help prevent applying too much.
3. Airbrushing too close. This is another mistake I see not only consumers do, but professionals as well. I see people airbrushing about a half inch away from their face. This will not allow for a soft application, but a harsh line. Not only will this result in being applied unevenly, this will look too heavy. Try keeping the airbrush about 4-6 inches away from your face to start with. If you’re not sure, practice on paper so you can. The exception to this rule is when you are targeting a blemish and need to zoom in a small area.
4. Not controlling the lever properly. Make use of the little trigger on top of the airbrush stylus/gun. Many people don’t realize that you can have great control over airbrushing this way. Many times airbrushers will pull the trigger completely back, which results in blasting out the makeup too much too fast. Realize the pulling the lever back just a little = just a bit of makeup being released. Note this is for double action airbrushes, not single action. (I use Airbase airbrushes which are double action.)
5. Understanding where air pressure control comes from. You have great control over your airbrush makeup. There are 3. First, is the compressor. Always start on the lowest mode, and work your way up to necessary pressure. Second, the lever on your airbrush. Refer back to point #4. Third, your distance. Spray a couple drops on the back of your hand to test first.
6. Not using circular motion. Make sure you are using steady circular motions. Many people move the airbrush back and forth, which will create a zig zag pattern, instead of a soft diffused finish. This will be even more apparent when you use blush, you'll end up with rosy stripes on your face.

Ok... I said 6, but here is one more:

Using the wrong colour. Well, this seems obvious, but there are some situations where colour choice may require a bit more thought. If you're a tanner, or for women of colour and have different tones, you'll want to match your face to your body. However, you'll want to choose a colour that matches your actually face (as opposed to your tan neck) and airbrush first. You'll want to get the coverage,  with the lighter colour. THEN you can go back with a darker colour or bronzer and add sheer layers to blend the two skin tones together. I usually take advantage of the situation, and just use a lighter colour as my "highlight" and let the highlighted/lighter areas show through when applying the darker foundation.

I hope these tips help!! Any other airbrush makeup tips you'd like to share?

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