The date has been set. Now it’s time to organise your trial for makeup, which may involve trialling different artists with their chosen makeup mediums. Makeup is personal, exceptionally personal. I do get asked quite a bit about what I think about airbrush makeup so I have decided to give you an artist’s perspective on the art of airbrush makeup for your wedding makeup. Airbrush makeup is essentially makeup misted onto your skin using an airbrush gun rather than being applied by hand with your fingers, brushes or sponges.
FACT: What I will state is this, if your artist is skilled and has acquired special techniques over their career and understands their products ability and your skin type well, one application is not superior to the other.
FORMULA OPTIONS
Understanding these formulas can help you choose what may work best for you daily or for your makeup on your wedding day.
- Water based-great for oily skins as it has a matte appearance but can tend to be drier and sometimes “crack” or not be durable.
- Silicone-based- great for dry skin and has a real skin appearance, is long lasting, moves and flexes with your skin. Great for humid weather conditions.
- Alcohol-based- generally used to cover tattoos or birthmarks, special effects or body painting.
Let’s get to the pros and cons of this makeup application so you can make an informed decision!
PROS
LONGLASTING
On your wedding day, this is an important factor. A silicone airbrush makeup is durable and sweat proof; great in humid conditions. If applied well and your skin suits the application, you can survive without touch ups. So you’ll never lose face!
CAMERA READY
Airbrushing creates a flawless, smooth base which helps for the rest of your makeup to be applied well. Touch ups are at a minimum due to its durability. You’ll be camera ready all day.
BUILDABLE COVERAGE
The airbrushing technique application allows a minimal amount of makeup to be applied and buildable in areas that need more; like over blemishes etc. I find that it is a preferred medium for those who have pimples and pigmentation, as the coverage really adheres longer than traditional makeup. Nothing covers a pimple like airbrushing! The artist’s technique, however, needs to be on point for this type of flawless, minimal application.
QUICK TO APPLY
Airbrush can be great for large bridal parties as it can be applied quickly by a skilled professional. It’s quick and incredibly sharp for applying a feline flick to several girls in a bridal party using a credit card or bus ticket for a stencil.
CONS
NOT ALL SKIN TYPES LOVE IT
If you have hydrated, well-moisturized skin, airbrush sits beautifully. If not it can be quite dry looking. It can flake and crack or look flat. Traditional makeup has a creamier more radiant look.
NO MORE TEARS
It is easier to reapply traditional makeup over tear filled makeup than it is airbrush makeup. A mix of traditional primer and foundation/concealer can fix a myriad of issues but once airbrushed too many tears can speak disaster due to the different type of foundation formula. Something to consider.
MORE EXPENSIVE
Because this makeup is a little more expensive and more involved the price is definitely higher. It is your wedding day so most people don’t mind. Larger parties can tend to run into higher pricing. If you are sticking to a budget this may not be an option.
LIMITED COLOUR RANGE
This can be a big issue. The colour range is limited and so are the brands you can choose from so a traditional makeup artist may be better suited to you with a larger line of brands and colours to choose from.
LOSE DIMENSION IF APPLIED INCORRECTLY
If not expertly applied, your makeup can look flawless but flat-lacking dimension. Losing dimension means you run the risk of your makeup looking like a mask. That’s why finding a skilled professional is extremely important.