Does Airbrush Makeup Really Last Longer?

Airbrush makeup "flower" create by Makeup by Keri Ann -
Photo template from #InstaCollage

Finding honest answers about airbrush makeup is very hard to find.

I am attempting to answer those questions openly and honestly here in a series of blog posts.

Most people believe that:

"Airbrush makeup lasts longer than traditional makeup."

Just like their regular liquid counterparts, a few brands of airbrush makeup make claims of being long-wearing.

How long makeup (airbrush or traditional) will actually last on your skin depends on a variety of conditions:

Climate - Makeup will last longer in a more arid climate than in a humid one.
Skin Type - Makeup will wear completely different on dry, oily or normal skin types.
Type of Product - I will cover the various types of airbrush makeup and their pros and cons in a future post - so come back soon!
Tears - The amount of saline in tears varies from person to person.  How much a person cries also determines how long makeup lasts.
Perspiration - Just like tears, perspiration (or lack of it) can determine how long makeup lasts.

Even though brands claim to be water-resistant and long-wearing (18 hour proof), photographers and event planners (the pros who really see how makeup performs after long nights of dancing, laughing & crying) report that airbrush makeup DOES run and DOES leave obvious streaks.

I recently did wedding makeup and the bride wanted airbrush makeup but she is always emotional.  She knew she was going to cry a lot.  I airbrushed her and used all of my "tricks" to make the makeup long-wearing.  She went out for portraits and cried.  She returned to the bridal suite and had streaks in her makeup where the tears slid down her face.  I reapplied a traditional foundation makeup and sent her out for first looks.  She had cried even harder, but she still had foundation makeup on and there were no streaks in her makeup.

So does airbrush makeup really last longer?  In some cases I believe it does.  But even the "long wearing" airbrush formulas could not hold up for my clients as the product claimed.

I have learned how to make my makeup applications longer-wearing.  I have a few products I know hold up consistently well in our very hot and humid summers here in Houston, TX, but I cannot look a client in the eye and tell them honestly that airbrush makeup will last longer than traditional makeup.

For high school and college formals I recommend using airbrush makeup.

For senior portraits and bridal portraits I recommend using airbrush makeup.

For weddings and for events where you may be prone to cry - I strongly recommend traditional makeup.

If you've worn airbrush makeup, I would be very interested to know if you think it was a long-wearing product or not.


Next week I will answer the question, Does airbrush makeup really minimize fine lines?