Benefits Of Airbrush Makeup (And The Drawbacks)

Everyone wants to look perfect at big events like weddings and birthdays. You’ve probably explored all the options on how to achieve flawless hair, nails, and skin for an upcoming event.

No doubt, one of the things you’ll come across is airbrush makeup. Just as the name suggests, it’s designed to give your face a well, airbrushed look. Flawless. Perfect.

Before you run to the nearest airbrush makeup artist, you should know a few things about this type of makeup. It may very well be a great choice, but, like most things in life, it doesn’t suit everyone equally.

To determine if airbrush makeup is the right choice for you, it’s essential to understand what it is, how it works, its cost, and its advantages.

So what are the benefits and disadvantages of airbrush makeup?

In short, it has a flawless finish and lasts all day, but it can appear flaky on dry skin and is more expensive than traditional makeup.

In this post, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about airbrush makeup before your big event, so you can make the right choice for you. 

Whether you’re getting ready for an outdoor wedding or a fancy work event, we’ll help you decide if using airbrush makeup is worth it. 

What Is Airbrush Makeup?

If you think that “airbrushing” is something you do to a photograph using an app, you’re not alone. 

However, before technology reached this point, airbrushing was simply another makeup technique. If you’re unfamiliar, here’s how it works: the foundation is sprayed onto your face using an airbrush.

It allows for tiny particles of the foundation to be applied evenly and flawlessly to your skin, without the need for blending.

With airbrush makeup, your makeup artist never has to use any sponges or brushes. They can simply spray the foundation on your face, slowly building it up as needed.

The result? A flawless, smooth, streak-free finish. A typical airbrush system consists of special foundation cartridges attached to an air compressor that forces the foundation out of a thin airbrushing gun.

The foundations used in airbrushing are different from traditional foundations. They are more liquid and contain silicone to help them blend over your skin.

Your makeup artist can mix different foundation cartridges to create the right shade for your individual complexion.

Here’s a great tutorial from LUMINESS on YouTube for your reference.

Benefits Of Airbrush Makeup

Airbrush makeup offers numerous benefits, and many people find these advantages worthwhile, especially for special occasions.

Flawless Finish

First and foremost, airbrush makeup gives your skin a flawless finish. Because of how it’s applied, it creates almost a “spray paint” effect that makes your complexion look as smooth as porcelain.

Despite all that, airbrush makeup still has a natural appearance. The makeup is applied with such a fine mist that your face never looks cakey or overdone.

You can get the best of both worlds with airbrush makeup — a natural feel and a flawless finish.

Photographs

Sometimes you think your makeup looks good in the mirror, but then someone takes a picture of you and suddenly all your flaws take center stage.

Has that ever happened to you? If so, we can bet you weren’t wearing airbrush makeup at the time. Airbrush makeup photographs incredibly well. It continues to look just as flawless as it does in the mirror, whether you’re using flash(especially if you use setting powder with no flashback), a cell phone camera, or a Polaroid.

No wonder airbrush makeup is such a popular choice among celebrity makeup artists at red-carpet events and bridal makeup artists alike!

Long-Lasting

Due to the texture of airbrush makeup, it stays in place all day. The duration varies by specific brand, but most airbrush makeup typically lasts 10–16 hours.

The silicone content and application method ensure that your foundation survives humidity, heat, and rain without budging.

This makes airbrush makeup a great choice for outdoor events that happen rain or shine. Of course, it’s not completely bulletproof (no makeup is), but it tends to last longer and better than traditional makeup.

Great For Oily Or Acne-Prone Skin

If you have oily skin, airbrush makeup can keep your oil at bay all day long. It acts as a mattifying agent (without looking too matte) and prevents things from being too shiny or sliding around.

Acne and acne scars also tend to disappear under airbrush foundation, because it can act as a filler to help blend in those craters and scars.

It’s Not Just Foundation

Airbrush makeup includes airbrush blush, bronzer, highlighter, and foundation. So, your entire look can be composed of perfectly built and blended particles that work together to create a natural, flawless appearance.

For women who want a little extra definition, that means your makeup artist can add contouring using airbrush bronzer and highlighter, or add some warmth using airbrush blush.

With all these airbrush tools, you can get a natural, dewy look that looks great in person.

Drawbacks Of Airbrush Makeup

Does airbrush makeup sound too good to be true? It does have a few drawbacks that you should be aware of before you commit to this makeup style:

Cost

Not all makeup artists offer airbrush makeup as a service. After all, they need to have the equipment and the training to do so.

Those who offer airbrush makeup often charge more for it than for traditional makeup. This is because of all the additional costs they incur, such as purchasing the equipment and special foundations.

Depending on their experience and years of training, they can charge even more. If money is a limiting factor, airbrushing makeup may not be for you.

You can purchase an airbrushing kit online and learn how to use it yourself. The kits can be purchased for about $100–150, and you’d have to practice a bunch before you’ll be able to do your own makeup.

Therefore, you’ll likely need to purchase several foundation refills and dedicate a significant amount of time to learning.

Many people lack the time or skill to do that, so consulting a professional is their only option.

Getting airbrush makeup professionally done for an event typically costs around $150–200 at most salons, although pricing varies depending on the experience and skill level of each makeup artist.

Not The Best For Dry Skin

If you have dry skin, airbrush makeup might not be the best for you. Unfortunately, airbrush makeup can accentuate dryness and even cause flaking.

While it’s great for normal, oily, and combination skin, people with dry skin will have much better results from traditional makeup.

Some makeup artists argue that dry skin can look good with airbrush makeup if it’s properly prepped: with a hydrating moisturizer and a good primer.

Whether you want to take the risk or not on your special day is up to you.

Hard To Touch Up

If something happens and some of your airbrush makeup comes off during your event (perhaps you’re crying and smear the makeup with a tissue), it can be challenging to touch it up.

First of all, you probably won’t have your makeup artist with you all day, carrying around their airbrush gun, ready to jump in and spray you in the face at the first sign of mishap.

So you’ll have to rely on traditional makeup for touch-ups. But here’s the problem: traditional makeup doesn’t blend very well with airbrush makeup, so you won’t be able to create a seamless fix.

Limited Shade Options

With traditional makeup, your options are virtually unlimited. You can choose from thousands of brands and millions of colors to find the right tones for your complexion.

With airbrush makeup, the options are somewhat limited. From the few companies that manufacture airbrush foundations, the shade ranges leave much to be desired.

Although you can mix colors to achieve more shades, it may still be challenging to find one that works for you. For some people, it’s best to stick to traditional makeup.

The Results Can Vary

The quality of your airbrush makeup is highly dependent on the skill set of the person applying it to your face. There is a learning curve associated with this type of makeup.

So while some makeup artists can create a flawless finish, others might not be as good.

It’s hard to completely “mess up” airbrush makeup application, but the results can definitely vary.

If you are getting ready for a special event, we’d recommend looking at your MUA’s previous work and doing a trial day to make sure they know what they’re doing!

Final Thoughts

It’s no secret that airbrush makeup is often a top choice for big events like weddings, but it’s not right for everyone.

Hopefully, understanding how airbrush makeup works will help you decide if it’s the right look for you.

We love that airbrush makeup looks natural yet flawless and lasts all day. However, don’t forget that traditional makeup, when applied professionally, can also perform just as well.

Ultimately, you should decide if it’s right for you based on your individual skin type and goals.

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