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You can airbrush t-shirts, cars and now your face. Airbrush makeup has expanded from providing a flawless layer of makeup in place of traditional foundation to use for blush and eyeshadow. While airbrushing eye makeup may sound difficult (and maybe it is), if you can master it or find someone to apply it who already has, you can achieve a long-lasting, multi-dimensional eye makeup look.
What Is Airbrushing Makeup?
Airbrush makeup involves using special liquid makeup pigments that are propelled through an airbrush gun. The gun is infused with air and then sprayed onto your skin. If you have ever had an airbrush spray tan, airbrush makeup works in the same manner, just on a smaller canvas. Much like a painter, it’s possible to apply several different airbrush makeup shades to the eyes to create a blended look that accentuates your eyes.
How a Makeup Artist Does It
Makeup artists can layer on several different airbrush eye makeup colors, from shimmering opalescent colors to matte shades for contouring. After applying foundation or airbrush foundation, the makeup artist can then place a small plastic shield over a portion of your eye to protect it from any particles that could enter the eye. The eye makeup is then applied in light, spraying techniques. The airbrush should feel as if someone is spraying a light, slightly wet solution onto your eyes. Because you must take a few moments to allow each layer to dry and set in place, your makeup artist will likely apply a shadow to one eye, then move to the other side and then switch the colors to deliver a new shade to the eye that has dried.
Applying Yourself
You can apply airbrush eye makeup to your own eyes -- but you’re going to want to practice. The airbrush takes several passes to put the pigments on your skin. While you can blend and layer the colors over each other, an airbrush eye shadow isn’t as easy to smudge as your own eye makeup if you make an airbrushing mistake. You can purchase shields to protect your eyes and also airbrush stencils to guide your eyeshadow application, particularly when you are beginning.
Benefits
While airbrushing eye makeup may not be as simple as your current eyeshadow application, there are some distinct benefits of using airbrush makeup. The airbrush makeup is very light on the skin, making you feel as if you aren’t wearing any makeup at all. Airbrush makeup also has a bright, luminous quality to it, which can enhance your eyes and make bright pigments, such as purple, green or blue eye shadows stand out. The eye makeup also is long-lasting and less likely to crease like traditional eye makeup. While it may not come off as quickly, the eye makeup can be removed with soap and water.
