Airbrush Makeup for Dummies

As someone who usually does her makeup on the train ride to work, airbrush makeup would, for me, be at the very top of the list of impossible-to-master beauty techniques. Although makeup applied with an airbrush can yield flawless-looking skin and is the preferred method of professionals at fashion shows and movie shoots, it's definitely daunting to the average woman. And that's why they invented workshops! I recently attended one offered by Dinair Airbrush Makeup, and it went a long way to demystifying the medium. Here are a few tricks I picked up that made me feel (a little bit) like a pro:

Prep your skin. Make sure your skin is clean and moisturizer is fully absorbed before applying airbrush makeup. Also, skip primer because the makeup will attach to that instead of your skin, and won’t last as long.

Keep your distance. Always hold the airbrush four to six inches from your skin. Any closer and the makeup will go on blotchy; any further, you won’t get enough coverage.

Go in circles. When applying foundation, move the airbrush in small circles to soften the edges. Your foundation will look natural, with no mask-like lines.

Go easy on the eyes. Turn down the air pressure when applying eye makeup since the skin is more delicate around the eye area. Also, hold the airbrush about four inches away from your face so you have better control over the air flow.

Clean it up. When changing from dark to light colors, or from shimmery to matte finishes, clean your brush to avoid muddling the colors. You can use a few drops of cleaning solution (it comes in most airbrush kits) or rinse the airbrush with warm water after unplugging the air compressor.

Touch it up. If your face gets shiny during the day, use a blotting sheet to remove shine without disturbing your makeup.