An afternoon of Airbrush Makeup

We've seen the rise of professional makeup artists offering airbrush makeup as an option especially for weddings. The overall look is more natural and the finishing more flawless. But are your ready to go airbrush for your normal, everyday use? Can you afford the machine? And even if you could, would you know how to use it? Wouldn't it just consume so much of your time?

These are just some of the questions my friends and I have whenever we talk about the possibility of switching to airbrush makeup. It feels like a big jump in terms of comfort level, as well as a big initial investment when you begin.

When I switched to Mineral Makeup, there was the initial investment in a new set of makeup brushes especially suited for minerals, yes. But the switch was made easier because many mineral makeup brands offered samplers for their pigments and a lot of consultation time. (Among my favorite brands are Monave Minerals from Beauty and Minerals and Ellana Minerals.) That gave me the comfort of taking baby steps, dabbling in foundation first, then eyeshadows, then cheek colors.... until I felt fully comfortable using minerals. What's more, mineral makeup had the promise of easy application and blending.

But with airbrush makeup, the case is different. It required a huge investment upfront, and then requires a lot of practice to get the technique right. So why bother? I wouldn't have been motivated to test it out were it not for a brand called GlamBox Airbrush Cosmetics. Last month, GlamBox gathered 30 makeup enthusiasts at the Bulb Studios in Makati for an afternoon of Airbrush makeup talk and experimentation.

Seasoned makeup artists and beauty bloggers Nikki Tiu and Sophie Uy gave us an Airbrush Makeup 101 crash course, after which we actually got to try our hand at using the GlamBox machines - testing out the three different pressure settings, getting comfortable with how to handle the trigger, practicing the circular application motion, mixing pigments and even learning how to clean the unit.

The verdict?

I love it! But not really in that "I've got to have it" way.

Maybe if I were back at my old job that required me to go to a lot of events and engagements, it would be worth it. So I'll recommend to friends whose jobs keep them out and about town. If your events get a lot of coverage and you're sure to end up in a lot of pictures - whether on the papers or tagged on Facebook - you would appreciate the flawless finish of this makeup and find that it's worth the time and effort to put it on.

The cons:

- Large initial investment to switch

- Need to invest time to learn and practice the technique

- Not that many choices in the local market yet

- So easy to mess up if you're not careful!

The pros:

- Great finish that you can't achieve any other way

- Buildable coverage

- and yet still feels light on the face

It's good to know that there is a brand like GlamBox that offers units for personal use. The downside is that their colors are still limited, but they say that they're already working on expanding their collection.

Another plus is the fact that we already have some of our local beauty bloggers experimenting with airbrush makeup, which means a source of useful how-to posts and someone to run to for advice. (Yes, really, if you email them or post a comment on their blogs, they will respond.)

So if you feel like you're ready to make the switch, check out these packages from GlamBox:

GlamBox Starter Kit

PhP 8,500.00

One - 30ml Foundation (of your choice)
One - 20ml Cheek Color (of your choice)
One - 30ml Cleaner and Thinner

Compressor
Airbrush Gun (w/ accessories)
Gun holder
Adaptor
Airhose
DVD

PLUS ++ (the new) carrying case!
(carrying case color and design may vary depending on stock availability)

GlamBox Deluxe Kit
PhP 11,800.00

ALL COLORS++

FOUR - 30ml Foundation:
- Florence (light beige w/ yellow undertone)
- Cannes (natural beige w/ reddish undertone)
- Barcelona ( medium beige w/ reddish undertone)
- St. Tropez ( dark beige w/ yellow undertone)

TWO - 20ml Cheek Color:
- Malibu (light pink)
- Cancun (darker rose pink)

ONE - 20 ml Luminizer in Venice Gold (highlighter)

THREE - 30ml Cleaner and Thinner

Total - TEN bottles!

Compressor
Airbrush Gun (w/ accessories)
Gun holder
Adaptor
Airhose
DVD

PLUS+++ (the new) carrying case!
(carrying case color and design may vary depending on stock availability)

GlamBox Pro Kit

PhP 16, 500.00

The Pro Kit was created for the true makeup professional and is perfect for all types of clients and events such as TV and print shoots, runway shows and weddings.

The Pro Kit includes GlamBox's new products, which includes new foundation colors, new lumizer colors and the new adjuster line.

The Pro Kit includes:
1 Compressor and Gun set (w/ accessories)
1 Tutorial CD
1 GlamBox Carrying Case

PLUS:
5 Foundation Colors (Florence, Barcelona, Milan, St. Tropez and Ibiza, 30ml each)
2 Cheek Color (Malibu and Cancun, 20ml each)
3 Highlighters (Venice Gold, Seoul Silver, and Vegas Sparkle, 20ml each)
3 Adjusters (Red, White and Yellow, 20ml each)
3 Thinner/Cleaner (30ml each)


For more details:
Website: www.glamboxairbrush.com
Hotline: 0922 – 8200172
Email: glamboxcosmetics@yahoo.com
*Free delivery in Metro Manila


**Photo credits: GlamBox cosmetics team.