FOUNDATION

Start with a clean face, and make sure that where you choose to spray the airbrush makeup is free of any moisturizers or oils. Apply a primer before the foundation. Choose a color that is in the shade range of the skin tone you are working on. The liquid must be shaken before use to correct pigment. If you want to create a custom color match, you can always mix your foundation colors using the airbrush with a technique called back bubbling.

If you were to look at airbrush makeup under a magnifying glass, you would see that the makeup consists of light, medium, dark, and blush-colored dots. Look at the actor’s skin tone. If there is anything dark around the face—such as hyperpigmentation, birthmarks, or age spots—lighten with one or two shades lighter than the person’s natural color before applying the natural shade. You need only five to eight drops of makeup to spray an entire face, neck, and ears. Spray the natural shade over the concealer. Spray sparingly so you don’t lose your highlights.

Work in passes. A pass is every time you go over the same area, the dots fill in, and the coverage becomes more opaque. Make sure to use one pass at a time—one pass, two pass, three pass, and so on, until you have the right coverage. Dots are the ultimate in camouflaging.

to fill in with some blush color or use the natural redness of the skin to become the blush. We call this the window of opportunity. Spraying sparsely is the key to success. Keep the distance of your airbrush about six inches away from the skin while spraying foundation, using circular motions with back-and-forth movements. This is key to an even application.

FOUNDATION

PRO TIP

If you need the person to have a warmer complexion, lower the pressure of airflow, and use a base that is a few shades dark­er than skin tone. Spray over the skin to create a bronzing effect.

FOUNDATION

When spraying around the eyes, note that the natural folds and squint lines must be gently opened and sprayed in the direction that they appear. If the lines and folds change direction, so should your spraying. Remember to spray especially sparingly so the airbrush makeup does not collect into the folds and squint lines. You can use the remainder of the airbrush makeup in the cup to spray the top of the hands to knock down sun spots and add tone.

Updated: July 15, 2015 — 10:18 pm