Airbrush vs. Traditional Makeup

Many women desire to look beautiful and have flawless makeup for a wedding, date or special event. Pictures are forever, so ensuring you wear the right makeup is an important decision. If you decide not to do your makeup yourself, it is vital to find a makeup artist who is very knowledgeable about their craft. A big trend in the last few years has been airbrush makeup, and using it specifically for weddings, HDTV, and/or photo shoots. There are many questions about the difference between traditional makeup and airbrushing, so today let’s dive into the differences and the pros and cons of each.

Airbrush makeup is a very thin substance; thinner than regular liquid foundation. Airbrushing sprays a very fine mist to the skin using a small air compressor with gentle air pressure, allowing the makeup to sit evenly on your skin. Airbrush makeup provides flawless coverage and minimizes imperfections while still maintaining that lightweight feel, and it comes in assortment of blushes, eye shadows, bronzers, highlights and foundations. The final result is giving the skin a beautiful and natural-looking result.

Pros:

• Gives skin an even flawless look
• Long lasting – up to eight hours or more
• No need for touch-ups
• Does not rub off when makeup is “set” (or dry)
• Application is much faster than traditional makeup and has the ability to match you skin perfectly. You can mix various colors in the “mixing pot” to get the perfect shade.
• Lightweight
• Airbrush makeup and photography go hand in hand – airbrushing gives you the flawless look that is stunning in photos.
• By not using brushes, sponges, or fingers on the face to apply the makeup, you are minimizing the amount of bacteria that gets transferred to your face, thus reducing your chances of pimples, etc.

Cons:

• More expensive than traditional makeup
• Difficult to self-apply
• Not be the best option for mature skin, skin with lots of “peach fuzz,” or skin with deep pores.
• Gives skin a matte finish which in some cases can be good or bad. If you like a dewey look, traditional makeup is recommended.
• Does not contain SPF

Traditional makeup is the use and application of regular foundation, such as powder or liquid. It can be applied using a foundation brush, sponge (BeautyBlenders are the BEST), or your fingers. Traditional foundation is thicker in consistency and can feel heavier on the skin. There is a wide range of different foundations, light-full coverage based on your preference.

Pros:

• Lasts for hours
• Easy to control
• Lower cost than airbrush makeup
• Contains SPF to protect the skin from sun exposure
• Easier for individual to self-apply
• Many options – powder foundation, liquid, pressed, mineral base, tinted moisturizer, etc.

Cons:

• Harder to conceal scarring, pimples, or imperfections
• Feels heavier on the skin
• Requires touching up throughout the day and can easily rub off
• Not as easy to find perfect color of foundation to match the skin and can cause streaking or unwanted color lines.
• Using brushes, sponges, and or your fingers on your skin regularly can build up bacteria, thus increasing your risk of pimples, etc. (Always wash your brushes and sponges every week to maintain good hygiene and increase the longevity of your tools)

Airbrush makeup is a more delicate, thinner product than a traditional foundation. Because it comes out as a spray, it provides tiny little pixels being applied as opposed to a big block of color. It makes blending the makeup ideal, because you do not have to use sponges or other makeup tools to get the perfect look. Carrying it down to the neck and décolleté is smooth and seamless. But because it is so fine, it only works its best on skin in great condition and should never be applied heavily. We all know that when we look at magazines that what we see is not “real” – skin is not that flawless and perfect. Don’t assume that by using airbrush makeup you’ll get that same outcome – you need a handy tool called Photoshop to get those results.

Traditional foundation is denser and has a fuller coverage. The finish is in hand-blending; you can work the product into skin that may have texture issues, filling in deep pores and wrinkles or fine lines (the unmentionables!) can prove to be difficult and not as perfect as one would hope. You have more control over the makeup when it is done by hand, rather than a machine. Traditional makeup is truly best for everyday wear.