Airbrush makeup

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Airbrush makeup is designed to be applied with the same airbrush technology used for traditional painting and automotive work. The airbrush systems designed for makeup are usually smaller, and work at lower pressure.

Beginnings of airbrush

Airbrush makeup became popular in the 1930s when MGM used it for painting hundreds of "Ben Hur" extras. Since then, it has become the most efficient way of quickly painting larger numbers of people.

Airbrush today

Today airbrush is being used alongside to invention of HDTV because of the clarity of the image. Traditional makeup and grease paint show caking and streaks with this modern technology. Airbrushed makeup does not. Broadway actors use airbrush makeup, especially in productions requiring special makeup like "Wicked" and "Seussical." School theatre programs and haunted houses tend to have use for airbrush makeup systems also.

Basic ingredients

Airbrush makeup is similar to paint. It has the same components, but of cosmetic quality. Airbrush makeup is a mixture of four basic ingredients: Pigments; Resins; Solvents; and Additives.

Pigment is usually a finely ground powder which does not dissolve. It is suspended in a liquid to become the coloring in the airbrush makeup. Pigments include: Chromium Oxide Green; D&C Red #6 Barium Lake, Red #7 Calcium Lake, Red #28, Yellow #10; FD&C Yellow #5, Red #40, Red #28, Blue #1; Iron Oxides, Talc, Titanium Dioxide, Ultramarine Blue, or Ultramarine Pink.

Resin (also known as the Binder) is the agent that makes the pigment stick to the surface being painted. The highest quality resin used in water based airbrush makeup is 100% Acrylic. Together, pigment and resins create the paint film.

Solvent (also known as the Vehicle) is the liquid that suspends the pigment and resin and transports them. The solvent then evaporates and leaves the paint film behind. Solvents in airbrush makeup can be water or oil based. The less solvent in the airbrush makeup the higher the quality and the better the coverage.

An additive is a substance that is added to change or improve paint characteristics. In the case of airbrush makeup, additives are commonly added to improve how the airbrush makeup flows, to make it adhere better and to limit mildew growth.

Chemical concerns

Some beginners might use airbrush paint on the skin. You should NEVER use acrylics on humans, ALWAYS use “face” paint. Some people have sensitivities and might be allergic or have reactions to the drying additives in the makeup (Triethanolamine, SD Alcohol) or to the preservatives (Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, and Propylparaben).

Basic airbrush makeup etiquette

When you are applying airbrush makeup you should never paint in open eyes, nose, or ear canals. Use cotton balls or cotton swabs. Breathe with the client if you ask them to hold their breath. You might ask the client to breath out slowly when spraying nose/mouth areas. It is also polite to start the air away from the face, and then move onto the face area for application.

Sample airbrush makeup ingredients and their purposes

Deionized Water - Solvent or Vehicle
Propylene Glycol - emollient, hydrating agent
Acrylates Octylacrylamide Copolymer – film former (Resin or Binder)
Magnesium Aluminum Silicate - absorbent, anticaking agent
Sodium magnesium silicate - absorbent, anticaking agent
Triethanolamine – drying agent
Cellulose Gum – thickening agent
Diazolidinyl Urea - preservative
Methylparaben - preservative
Propylparaben. - preservative
Pigments
Polyvinyl acetate - film former (Resin or Binder)
Glycerin - humectant
Sodium lauryl sulfate – foaming agent
Lecithin – natural emulsifier

External links

* http://www.fxsupply.com/makeup/ab_faq.html
* http://www.herc.org/msds/chemicals/ethanol.htm
* http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/opa-col2.html#table3A
* http://homerepair.about.com/od/interiorhomerepair/ss/paint_2.htm