20+ Tips for Airbrush Makeup (Detailed)

Airbrush Makeup is an art to get a camera-ready glamorous look. Still, there is no alternative to airbrush makeup getting a flawless and natural look. The use of airbrush makeup at home is increasing day by day, though it was first introduced as a makeup tool for the movie and modeling industry.

If you are a beginner or want to do airbrush makeup personally at home you need to practice a few times to get good control over it. Besides, you should be careful to arrange all the materials and do every step properly.

Here I point out some tips for airbrush makeup that help you to make your next airbrush session successful. I divided these tips into three sections. Just go through them and enjoy airbrush makeup without error.

Table Of Contents

Tips Before Starting Airbrush Makeup

01. Read the User Manual

If it is your first airbrush makeup by yourself, read the user manual first after unpacking all. It will help you to know how your airbrush brand works. It will give you all the details about the airbrush compressor, foundations, shades, and other makeup products. You will also know how to operate, clean, and maintain an airbrush makeup kit. Some airbrush makeup brands provide user guides on DVD or in a video link which is very helpful. See the video first if your brand includes it in the kit.

02. Make Sure All Necessary Tools Are in Place

It is very important to arrange all the necessary things in place before starting your airbrush makeup session. It will mess the entire makeup session if you see something is missing after starting spray. You should arrange foundation, blush, bronzer, shimmer, primer, cleaner, distilled water, tissue, white paper, etc. and some extra tools as your own preference. All these are very important, so, be very careful in this.

Read Also: Best Airbrush Makeup Kit Review

03. Exfoliate Your Face

It is very important to do a facial exfoliation before airbrush makeup. But, it is not necessary to exfoliate just before the session. You can do the exfoliation one or two days before applying makeup. It will help to remove dead skin cells, blackheads, whiteheads, and give you a fresh look. It also helps the makeup mist sits well on the skin.

04. Moisturizes Your Skin

Like exfoliation, you should moisturize your face prior to airbrush makeup. It will help to give your skin a healthy look. It softens facial skin and minimizes the depth of wrinkles and fine lines. Airbrush makeup also works great on moisturized skin than a dry one. But, don’t spray airbrush makeup just after moisturization, wait at least one hour to work on the facial skin. Now you are good to go.

05. Tie Your Hair

Your hair may disturb the spraying process if it comes in front of the face. It also ruins the natural flow of makeup. That’s why tie your hair with a rubber band or clip.

06. Set the Air Compressor Properly

Make sure the air compressor is plugged in well, otherwise the power supply may discontinue while working. Set the right air pressure by using the regulator of the airbrush compressor. The ideal pressure for airbrush makeup is between 13PSI to 18PSI. You can also control the air pressure with a dual-action airbrush stylus.

07. Use Airbrush Makeup Foundation

Never ever use the traditional makeup foundation in your airbrush makeup stylus. It may clog the stylus pin and cause permanent damage. So, use only an airbrush foundation to do airbrush makeup. Besides, traditional foundations can’t give you the finish of airbrush makeup.

08. Make Sure the Air Stylus is Clean

It is a sign of common sense. Before pouring the liquid foundation, check whether your airbrush is clean or not. To stay on the safe side, it is always better to clean the airbrush stylus thoroughly after completing the makeup session.

09. Do a Patch Test

It is the last step before spraying makeup on your face. I also call it a safety test. Do a patch test on your wrist or a white paper. Firstly, it tells you the system is ok or not. Secondly, you can determine whether the foundation shade will match your skin tone or not. And finally, and most importantly, it brings the confidence you need for airbrush makeup.

Tips During Airbrush Makeup

01. Use Water First

To test the airbrush stylus on the face you can use water. It helps you to identify the working area and the intensity before the start. Use distilled water instead of normal, because normal water contains various minerals which will damage your airbrush stylus slowly. Don’t think you need to do it for every airbrush makeup session. It is for beginners only. After a few makeup sessions, you will have good control over airbrush makeup and you don’t need the water test anymore.

02. Keep Your Hand Steady

For airbrush makeup, you must keep your hand and wrist steady and flexible. If you have a shaky hand problem, please, take the help of others.

03. Apply Primer

For all types of makeup, you should apply primer before using the foundation. It will hydrate your skin and lets the foundation sits well. Most of the airbrush makeup brands provide primer with their kit. Don’t forget to spray the primer prior to the foundation.

04. Shake the Foundation

As the airbrush foundation is liquid, you should shake it well before pouring it on the air-stylus cup. And pour a very small amount in it because airbrush makeup needs a very little foundation and other cosmetic products to do the makeup. Put only 2-3 drops first, add more if necessary after finishing.

05. Maintain Right Distance

For airbrush makeup, maintaining the right distance is crucial for flawless coverage. It depends on the airflow, amount of foundation, and the stylus you use. Usually, you should hold your airbrush stylus six inches from your face. You can adjust the distance to increase or decrease the intensity of the foundation.

If you use a dual-action airbrush stylus, you can use the only airflow to determine the right area of your face before actual action.

06. Maintain a Constant Circular Motion

You should move the airbrush stylus slowly in a circular motion. It is the precondition for flawless makeup. If you hold it in a place, it will develop a cakey look. To cover certain imperfections, you may give a short burst over there. After that start spraying the rest of the area in constant motion.

07. Let the Foundation Dry Well

Airbrush makeup is for natural coverage. For this, you need to apply a thin makeup layer on your skin first. Check, is it ok for you or not. If you need another layer, let the first layer dry properly. After drying, start spraying a new layer.

Be careful, don’t overspray, otherwise, you can’t get what you expected. If you are a beginner, you may go through some trial and error, after a few trials you will have good control over your airbrush makeup kit.

08. Shut Your Eyes While Spraying but Not Tightly

Airbrush makeup kit sprays foundation mist on your face. If you keep the eyes open while spraying around, the foundation may get into your eyes. To avoid this, keep your eyes shut while spraying, but not tightly. Because it develops some temporary wrinkles which ruin the makeup coverage of that area. So, shut your eyes gently.

09. Blend the Tone of Your Neck and Face

While spraying makeup on your face, don’t forget the tone of the neck. Do some works to blend the facial shade with the neck. Otherwise, it seems you wear a makeup mask. This tiny mistake can ruin the look of your entire makeup.

10. Clean Airbrush Stylus Before Using Another Shade

For perfect makeup, you may need to use different airbrush shades. Never ever use different shades just after using one. Flush the remains with the cleaner, spray the empty airbrush stylus on white paper to check if there any remains. If the result if positive, go for the next shade.

11. Use Highlighter Little Bit

You don’t need to use a highlighter if you do light makeup for your office or regular outing. But, for a party, you must highlight your face for a gorgeous look. That’s why you need to use a bronzer or blush. The intensity of the highlighter always depends on your own preferences.

Tips After Makeup

01. Clean Your Airbrush Properly

After completing airbrush makeup, the first thing you need to do is cleaning the airbrush stylus. If you don’t do it, the stylus may get clogged with the foundation remains. Use the right types of cleaner for it. If you are in a hurry, just use water to flush out the remains, and use distilled water. if you do airbrush makeup regularly, wash the makeup kit thoroughly at least once a weak.

After cleaning, make sure your airbrush is completely dry before repacking. You can use the only airflow to make the drying process faster. Remember, the needle or airbrush stylus is very fragile, handle it with proper care.

And, after use, keep your airbrush makeup kit in a safe place.

The Last Words

Quality work depends on two matters, knowledge and practice. And it is true for airbrush makeup as well. I hope the above-mentioned tips will help you to make your next makeup session meaningful. Let me know if you face any problems while doing airbrush makeup, I will try my best to give you the right solution.

Wish you the best of luck.