10 Best Airbrush Makeup Kits

An airbrush makeup system kit contains two main elements: a compressor and a gun. With a compressor, which controls the amount of product and the way the product is spread on the face or body. It is also called the “base” of the airbrush makeup kit, and in price, it can range from $40-50 all the way up to $400-500. Of course, the price difference shows in quality, but if you wouldn’t like to spend a fortune on your compressor (or can’t afford it yet and would like to experiment with a cheaper kit first), we recommend choosing something in the middle range, around $200.

The other most important part of the kit is the gun itself. There are various guns on the market, but if you would like to choose the most versatile one that you can easily use for different based foundations, we recommend going for a dual-action gun. Dual action guns offer a very versatile option: besides working with both alcohol and silicone-based products, and besides that, a high-quality double-action gun can also be used for face or body makeup. Similarly to the compressor, the gun ranges at different prizes from $20 to $150-200 for professional use.

Besides these two parts, you will also (of course) need the specific airbrush makeup products you will use, and if you would like to use it for professional use, there are also other accessories and parts (such as anti-slip compressor pad or different sized regulator caps) that you can add to your kit.

The Best Airbrush Makeup Kits

Dinair is known for its professional airbrush makeup kits and foundation formulas. With its unique formula, it is silicone and paraben free and water resistant and spreads the product on the face in a very light, fine mist to ensure perfect application. The set promises a lightweight result that looks naturally flawless and long lasting. The kit is also great if you would like to use it for personal use, as it contains different shades (3 foundation and 3 multi-purpose colors for eyeshadow, blush and lips), a moisturizer which is perfect for prepping your skin, and everything else you need for the application, such as a compressor, a cleaning system and a guide. This product also comes with a 1-year warranty.

Price: $119.99

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From skincare to eye shadow and foundation, this Luminess Airbrush Makeup Kit makes sure your makeup application is quick, easy and flawless. Luminess offers various kits depending on your needs (whether you would like to use it for personal use or as a professional), and for our guide, we chose the Basic Airbrush System, which has a compact size that you can easily carry anywhere with a compressor and precise applicator. With the kit, you also get four different foundation shades as well as three other, multifunctional shades which you can use as a highlighter, blush or to enhance your foundation or eye shadow. The products are all tested by dermatologists and is ideal for sensitive skin, and although it does not come with a cleaner set, it can be easily cleaned by water or any other cleanser. Their products are highly pigmented, so besides evening out the skin, they can also cover red spots and dark circles – you can easily decide the coverage by choosing different levels on the compressor.

Price: $169.98

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Made in the USA, Belloccio Airbrush Makeup Set offers great results in minutes. It claims to achieve a soft, natural look with foundations that blend beautifully into your skin. Because of the water-based consistency of the makeup, it can be used daily or for special occasions without any touch-ups needed. It is paraben, fragrance and oil free and dermatologist approved, which is great if you would like to use it for everyday makeup. It operates with a smaller, quiet compressor which has 3 airflow control setting and a precision makeup airbrush that will help you in perfect application with a fine mist and a tiny tip. The set comes with 4 different foundation colors, blush, shimmer and bronzer set, a highlighter and a primer to ensure even application and a perfect color match. The set also comes with various extras, such as concealer, blending sponge, a DVD guide, a cleaning set and a setting spray.

Price: $94.94

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Another water-based airbrush makeup set is offered by the beauty brand Tickled Pink. THis is the perfect choice if you are looking for something natural, as this contains 89% organic ingredients and aloe vera juice to protect your skin. The set comes with a high-performance compressor (with three different air pressure options) and a precise airbrush that was designed to help home application easier, so it a very good choice for beginners. Besides the essentials, it also comes with an airbrush holder, an air hose and three foundation shades of your choice. Overall, this set is great if you are a beginner with airbrush makeup kits and would like something that works at your own home to decide if airbrush makeup is for you or not.

Price: $149.95

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The Art of Air Airbrush Set is perfect for both personal and professional use. This extended kit offers various shades of makeup, and with the small but strong compressor and the thin brush, you can try out various different ways of application. The set comes with a quiet mini compressor, a precise brush, a wide range of foundation shades (with six different shades and undertones), a primer, a bronzer, a blush, a highligther, a cleaner and a carrying bag, which is perfect for travelling.

Price: $99.99

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Aeroblend is another kit created for sensitive skin with botanical extracts that will nourish your skin. With their compressor and brush, they make sure that even beginners will be able to use the airbrush set and get amazing, natural finish and an even skin tone. The set contains 5 of their own foundation colors, a blush, a highlighter and a bronzer shade, all containing jojba oil, and because of the ingredients, the products are suitable for every skin type. Because their products are highly pigmented, you will only need 5-7 drops for each use of foundation, and don’t worry if you have sensitive skin – their products are fragrance and paraben free, so your skin won’t be irritated by the ingredients.

Price: $99.00
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Tru Airbrush Makeup Set

The Tru Airbrush Makeup Set is a mineral and water-based airbrush makeup kit that offers even, lightweight application with an improved compressor and a very thin gun applicator. The brand got its name from the philosophy of healthy ingredients and skin-safe options, making the airbrush foundation and face product range suitable for any skin type. They offer smudge proof makeup that will last up to 18 hours, and because the products contain soy protein for firming and softening. Besides the foundation, you will also get a berry shade blush that is both good for the cheeks and lips.

Price: $129.00

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Temptu prides itself in offering a versatile option that can be used both for personal and professional use. Although it has a high performance compressor, it is easy to manage it, so you can be sure to understand how it works after a few tries. The kit contains the innovative AIRbrush 2.0 compressor and an airbrush, 12 different foundation shades (making Temptu the kit with the biggest color range), and a cleaning kit with a special cleaner.

Price: $250.00

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Photo Finish offers a mineral based, oil and alcohol free airbrush foundation and makeup set with a buildable coverage. The compressor and the airbrush create a super fine mist that will build a coverage from sheer to full coverage, depending on your preferences. Photo Finish claims to have a long lasting, 24 hour formula without any smudges or smearing. The brand makes their products in the United States and avoid animal testing. The set comes with a compressor and airbrush, 5 fair and medium foundation shades, a concealer, a multifunctional shimmer shade, an anti aging primer and a finishing powder for an even more flawless overall finish. As it is on the lower price range (compared to $150-$250 sets), it is perfect for personal, home use if you would like to experiment with this technique first.

Price: $95.95

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Alcohol-based Airbrush Makeup

The biggest advantage of alcohol-based airbrush makeup is that it will last for a very long time, without any smudging. Because of its alcohol consistency, this type of airbrush makeup is perfect for professional use (such as theatre plays or runway shows), but we also have to note that it can cause irritation, so it is definitely not recommended for sensitive or dry skin. When using alcohol-based airbrush makeup, make sure the skin is properly hydrated before to avoid any drying effect the alcohol may cause.

Silicone-based Airbrush Makeup

Because of its consistency, silicone-based makeup has the perfect texture for airbrush makeup application. Since it’s not too hard but is not a liquid, it leaves a flawless finish and can easily adapt to the skin. It is also the favorite of various professionals in the industry, as it’s easy to work with and leaves the most realistic “layer” on the skin.

Water-based Airbrush Makeup

Although they have a super light consistency which makes it easy to blend and reach a beautiful, light “veil” finish on the skin, water-based makeup can be quite tricky to use. If you have a water-based foundation at home, you probably have already experienced that it’s easy to apply until it dries down, and once it becomes dry, it tends to oxidize (become a few shades darker), which can also happen to water-based airbrush makeup as well. The benefit of water-based airbrush makeup is that it is very skin-friendly and light, so it’s perfect if you would like to cover up minor imperfections.

Once you’ve got everything and have set up your airbrush makeup set, it’s time to start experimenting with it. Don’t worry, it looks overwhelming for everyone at first, but with a few tricks, you will easily master the technique.

Firstly, ensure your skin is clear and ready for the application. Just like with traditional makeup, you can apply a primer or moisturizer as a base. If you need concealer, apply it before the airbrush makeup. Once your skin is ready, set your compressor to low (for beginners, it is the easiest to control at first), and use between 6-8 drops of foundation for a full face. Before using it on your skin, test it out on your hands to see if the application is correct.

A few rules to keep in mind:

• Always start with the eyes: similarly to regular makeup, if you mess up the eye makeup (or if you have shadow falling under your eyes), you can easily clean that up without smudging your foundation
• Try to be precise: while it sounds obvious, it’s important to know that airbrush makeup dries down quickly and doesn’t smudge. You can easily remove any mistake with a cotton pad with regular makeup, but when it comes to the airbrushed technique, try to be even more precise than usually

• Don’t do too many layers: although it offers a flawless coverage, too many layers (especially from silicone-based airbrush makeup) will end up looking cakey, so instead of layering foundations on problematic areas, try to use a tinted primer before applying airbrush makeup.
• Experiment with shades and concentration: the closer you get to your skin, the more vivid and concentrated the color will appear – so if you would like to create shades and add more color to different parts, this can be a great trick for you

• Airbrush makeup can’t replace some traditional makeup items: airbrush makeup can be amazing for creating a flawless complexion, but when it comes to eyeliner or mascara, stick with your regular makeup
• Bring it down to your neck: airbrush makeup can offer a beautiful and natural finish, but to take things to the next level, don’t forget to blend it all the way down to your neck, especially if you are using a water-based foundation (which can easily dry down matte and a bit more visible than silicone or alcohol based airbrush foundation

Choosing the right airbrush foundation is just as important as with regular foundations, and because there are less options, you will be able to find your match quicker than with the overwhelming selection of drugstore and high-end makeup and foundation.

If you are looking for something that will last for ages, and your skin is not sensitive at all, alcohol-based makeup might be a great choice for you. As we previously mentioned, alcohol-based makeup is known for its long-lasting powers, and if your regular foundation contains alcohol (as most regular foundations actually do), it shouldn’t be a problem. On the other hand, silicone-based airbrush makeup is a more skin friendly option that can mimic the face’s natural texture even better, but if you want something light coverage that doesn’t feel too heavy on the skin, water-based formulas can work as well.

Besides your skin type, try to consider the occasion as well – for events when you want your makeup to last all day long, we recommend trying the alcohol or silicone-based foundation, which can last up to 24+ hours.

Time & energy: Although airbrush makeup sounds like it would take ages to apply, it actually can be more time saving than traditional makeup. Because you don’t have to apply powder on top, you can skip the under eye “baking” and the setting part, and with the airbrush applicator, you can apply your foundation flawlessly in a few seconds – which leaves you less time for mistakes as well.

Finish & precision: One of the biggest advantages of airbrush makeup is that it results in a flawless and natural finish. The technique can literally give an airbrushed finish, which will even out the skin and make it look like real-life Photoshop without masking the face or making the skin look unnatural. With traditional makeup, you can experiment to get the perfect finish, considering your skin type, but it will take a bit more effort and time to find your perfect match, while with airbrush makeup, the amazing finish is guaranteed.

Lasting: This is the other true power of airbrush makeup: it simply won’t move anywhere. No wonder why it’s such a popular red carpet and wedding makeup choice. With its application, consistency, and texture, it is water and smudge-proof, meaning you won’t have to worry about it coming off at all. With traditional makeup, we all know how it goes: depending on the quality, wear-time, and amount of makeup, it can last anywhere between 2 and 10-12 hours, but even the longest lasting traditional makeup can’t beat airbrush makeup.

Cost: Traditional makeup definitely wins this round as the more cost-effective option, because even though you don’t need to buy powder or concealer, the cost of the airbrush machine (as the compressor alone can cost up to $400) and the different airbrush makeup will have a larger total than a big traditional makeup collection.

After evaluating all these different options, it’s safe to say that both have their own, unique advantages. For face makeup, especially for special occasions, using an airbrush set is a professional way to achieve a long-lasting, flawless finish that can be truly called “art”. On the other hand, if you are looking for a quick and easy solution for your everyday makeup or you are just not that interested in diving deeper in the art of makeup application, traditional makeup might be a better and more cost-effective choice for you.

Because it’s a relatively new makeup trend, there are various misconceptions about it that we are about to break down for you.

• airbrush makeup can easily smudge off – as we mentioned various times before, airbrush makeup is praised for its long lasting effect, so it won’t melt down or smudge off as regular makeup does
• you can use a regular foundation with your airbrush kit – unfortunately, you will need a special airbrush foundation to use with your kit to achieve the best results
• airbrush makeup feels heavy on the skin – especially with water-based formulas, airbrush makeup actually feels quite light on the skin
  

No matter how professional your airbrush kit it, it won’t work properly if it is not cleaned regularly. If your set didn’t come with a specific cleaning set, cleaning your airbrush makeup kit can be done quite easily with almost any equipment, such as an alcohol based cleaner or simple distilled water, and to reach every little part, use a Q-tip or a small tissue. Cleaning can be a lot easier as well if you never leave any makeup left in the gun and clean it right after using the kit.