LIGHT AS AIR

My friend Aimee asked me to be her model for her Airbrush Foundation course over Easter weekend. Makeup and me? Live together in harmony. Song references aside, this was my idea of heaven!

Aimee and I love makeup - the more the better we say! We travelled to the Sutherland Shire to have a one-on-one tutorial with Award winning makeup artist Jenny Pulfer. Jenny was the perfect teacher, and very knowledgeable not only with airbrush foundation but also anything else we needed to know about makeup. She said with the rise of hi-def television and photos, that airbrush provided a better coverage and a longer-lasting look not only for television, but also for photo shoots and weddings as well.

Jenny has used many Airbrush machines throughout her career but has touted IWATA as the best brand for the best results and equipment.

 

Jenny emphasised that Aimee needed to get used to the feel and weight of the airbrush tool, as that was a crucial step in making sure she applied it correctly and in an even manner. As with anything, Jenny stressed that 'practice makes perfect', so she had Aimee practice on paper (with acrylic paint) first, rather than my face. She started out with going across the page and the aim was to get a fine, even mist rather than seeing an actual line. Aimee had to do that five times over to correct and refine her technique. 

 

 Jenny then had Aimee drawing circles, her name and lines to gain control over the air flow and the amount of foundation used. Jenny also taught Aimee to mix colours so they matched perfectly with the skin and also hide blemishes, pigmentation and dark under-eye circles. Hurrah!

Aimee's first and last attempt - look at the difference!

 

Then it was my turn to get blasted! All I felt was a gentle, slightly damp breeze on my face and once the foundation had settled, you couldn't even tell it was there - that is how fine the application is. Jenny, who is also an artist, said that airbrush was also used to apply tattoos (Home and Away comes to mind) - so she gave me one that looked freakishly real (and scared the hell out of my folks when I showed it to them).

BEFORE - self shot

BEFORE - in natural light

AFTER -excuse the blemishes - I was having a bad skin day :(

AFTER- In full sunlight - you can't tell it's there!

The fake ink

The look lasted the whole day and night - it did not budge. And unlike some foundations which can feel cakey, or sticky, I forgot that I had it on. It was such a beautiful finish.


If you want to learn more about airbrush foundation, I highly recommend Jenny Pulfer. Not only is she an amazing makeup artist, she is generous with her knowledge and a great teacher.

http://www.jennypulfer.com/