Let me begin by saying that I've loved playing with makeup ever since I got my first Caboodle bronzer at age ten.  Yes, I was the fourth grader doing touch up's in the girls' bathroom after lunch.  Don't judge.

Needless to say, I was passionate about beauty and makeup from a young age, so when it came time to plan my wedding look I had some ideas.  I considered 1) doing my own makeup, 2) getting traditional makeup done at Rocco Altobelli where I got my hair done, or 3) getting airbrush makeup done by a well-known airbrush company in Minneapolis, Face to Face with Violett.  

Since Wes would wear his choker whites for our wedding (go Navy!) I realized that I had to have makeup that wouldn't smudge on his white jacket... airbrush makeup it was!  

I splurged on the "Ultimate Airbrush Makeup" package, because heck, why not!?   Yep, this overpriced package included primers, HD/waterproof airbrush foundation, barrier spray, custom mixed eyeshadow, cheek and lip color.  It wasn't supposed to transfer to clothing, fade, or smudge.  AND this 100% airbrush look could last up to 4 days if not taken off.  Challenge accepted.

I had a trial with the makeup artist 3 days before my wedding.  I told the artist I wanted glowy, focused on the eyes, a dewy pink lip, and more dramatic than my every day look.  Let's just say she took "more dramatic than my every day look" and ran with it.  She ran far, far away.  I should point out that the makeup artist wouldn't let me see a mirror until she had finished her masterpiece.  Boy oh boy, that was one heck of a reveal. 

I came out looking more "drag queen" than "bridal."  I believe my mother's reaction was something like, "Oh my."  Thanks, mom.   Luckily that's what the trial was for.  Trial and error, baby. Let's not do that again. 

On the wedding day we made some friendly adjustments, starting with the rule that I wanted to watch what was happening.  I used words like "more subtle" and "romantic" and "bridal" instead of words like "dramatic" and "sexy."  That seemed to help.  We omitted the thick bat-wing eyelashes and did several thoughtfully placed individual lashes.  We also went lighter on the eye makeup and I added more traditional eyeshadow on my own afterwards.

The verdict?  I think it worked out.  The airbrush makeup photographed well and I would say it looked 60% as good at the end of the night as it did at the beginning.  From my experience traditional makeup would probably look 30-40% as good at the end of the night.  If you are worried about sweating, smudging or crying your makeup off I think airbrush is definitely worth it.  I also think it's a great idea if you're having an outdoor wedding OR if you're the type that does compulsive touch ups-- you won't have much time to do that on your wedding day.

Is it worth the cost?  Definitely.  If you're going to the expense of getting airbrush makeup you want to do it right.  It's just like getting your hair colored.... you want quality products and an experienced professional.  The trial will also cost you more, but based on my first trial experience I would seriously recommend it.  Last tip: Don't leave it on for 4 days... or even overnight.  It may stay on, but you will wreck your pores.

More questions?  Email me at dylanmaureen@gmail.com.