I’m the kind of girl who forgets to put on mascara and feels fine about it. So I’ve long filed airbrush makeup under “stuff made for other girls”–so-called “skinny fat” actors in need of insta-abs, reality and social media stars aiming for doll-like aesthetics and brides with #flawlesseverything fantasies. They may benefit from living a camera-ready life, but it’s just not me.
So when Temptu co-founder, Samantha Mandor, introduced me to the new Temptu Air airbrush makeup gun a few weeks back, I nodded politely and thought about what a godsend the handheld device will be for those girls who really commit in the makeup department and look damned-near perfect. This sucker, I thought, is going to make their lives so much easier!
Older versions of the airbrush system comprised a weighty tower that housed a big and loud air compressor, which connected to a tattoo-like wand with a hose. It contained dozens of parts and was cumbersome to carry around—in all, a powerful tool for on-set makeup artists, but too inconvenient for the everyday girl. This sleek baby, however, is a singular device that fits comfortably in the hand and requires no cords or hoses. It’s straightforward and built for modern, on-the-go lifestyles. “Is there anything more perfect for the next crop of Dancing with the Stars contestants?” I marveled.
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Then, I got it home. After snapping in a foundation cartridge (versions containing highlighter, bronzer and blush are also made) and powering up the gun with the single press of a button, I pulled the trigger half mast and waved the device in little circles at the distance of four stacked fingers in front of my face; I noticed … nothing. No pinkish tones that typically haunt my nose and cheeks, no brown sunspot that marks my left temple. No sensation that I was wearing base makeup—just a cool stream of air that felt calming and refreshing, like receiving an oxygen facial. And most shockingly, I saw no trace of makeup, much less a Malibu Barbie veneer. My skin looked like me, but on a really good day. And it was done in 45 seconds without having to measure the right amount of product, dot it along my face and work in with fingers.
Of course, it took me some time and experimentation to achieve this faux glow. Pulling down completely on the trigger button sent too much product onto my face. Holding it just an inch away from my skin made for a paint job befitting a washed-out clown. And turning the thing over to a guy to help with application—well, you’ve seen those “boyfriend applies my makeup” videos on YouTube; let’s just say the treat-it-like-graffiti technique really doesn’t work. Applying blush requires precision I still haven’t mastered—waving the wand over the apples of the cheeks is harder to control than I would have imagined. But the highlighter application is next level; it’s so light, that it gives an ethereal glow that I only thought possible with Instagram filters.
As Temptu lore has it, Mandor was inspired to build airbrush makeup devices after booking the service on her wedding day. In her time, it made sense to pony up for professional airbrush application to help achieve ultimate radiance. Now, for about the same price, we can master the technique at home—and look luminous on any given Tuesday.
Temptu Air, $195. Available September 15 at temptu.com, Nordstrom, Bbloomingdales, QVC and Net-a-Porter.com
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