Airbrush makeup is no longer a luxury that only celebrities and models can benefit from- there are affordable systems that are appropriate for at-home use on the market for a fraction of the big systems that will allow you to achieve the same results.  It’s quite amazing really, to get a flawless, airbrushed look right at home in just a few minutes!  Luminess Air is one of the top names in the personal airbrush department, and I gave it a try to see how it stacks up to the others I’ve tried (Dinair mainly as its price point competition).

The “Beauty” system comes with a compressor, airbrush, re-fillable water bottle for cleaning, four airbrush foundation shades, one primer, one blush, one bronzer, one highlighter and a how-to booklet & DVD.

Luminess Air

The Compressor & Airbrush Gun

The compressor is really nice to look at, small and can easily fit in my hand, but sturdy enough that i’m not scared its going to move or topple over. It feels solid and I really like the socket on the side that holds the airbrush gun (much better and secure than Dinair’s holder).  The hose is also a lot nicer, with a sleek black tube that resembles my luxurious TEMPTU airbrush.

The compressor has an On/Off button- something that is bittersweet… this particular model has only one speed/pressure, which cannot be adjusted.  It takes the guess-work out of what air pressure to use, but it also prevents you from changing it (which I think is really important when switching from foundation to blush to eyeshadow to cleaning).  They do have another airbrush compressor that offers various speeds…however I do prefer having a dial and selecting the exact pressure I like.

Luminess Air Compressor

The airbrush gun is really gorgeous!  It has pink detailing and feels comfortable in my hand.  It is a continuous flow airbrush which means the air is constantly flowing through the gun when the compressor is on, so all you need to do is pull back on the trigger to release the makeup (I really don’t have a preference if it is continuous or not…they both work great for me).  I found the gun to spray my makeup way too fast though, as compared to the other airbrushes I’ve tried….so I had to learn to really go gentle on the trigger.

Luminess Air Airbrush Gun

The Makeup

The set comes with four different shades of foundation based on the “shade level” you selected.  Each foundation will range slightly in shade an undertone so that you can find your perfect shade, and if you’re in-between shades, airbrushing makes it super easy to combine colors. Once you’ve got your combination or ‘recipe’, it’s super easy to re-create it each time.  The foundation was a little more sheer than I’ve experienced with other formulations. It felt nice on the skin, but I found I had to use more drops (about 12-15) to cover my face and then still needed a bit of concealer afterwards (for comparison I usually use 8-10 drops of Dinair).  The foundation lasted all day on my skin and had a nice natural finish which I liked.

Luminess Air Airbrush Foundations

Luminess Air Airbrush Foundations (Left to right) Shade 2, Shade 3, Shade 4, Shade 5

The kit also comes with a moisturizing primer, blush, bronzer and highlighter which all work nicely as well.  The G1 Highlighter is very yellow, but it goes on sheer. The Tulip blush is gorgeous- a beautiful peachy-pink shade that looks good on al skin tones and the Bronzer was nice, but I’d prefer one without shimmer (especially because I can add shimmer where I want).  It was a little orange for my liking as well.  Overall, I’m not the biggest fan of airbrushing color- I prefer to add regular cosmetics after airbrushing my foundation and concealer.  The kit also comes with a re-fillable water bottle to clean the airbrush (since the makeup is water-based, all you need is water to clean it).

Luminess Air (left to right) Primer, Highlighter, Blush, Bronzer

Luminess Air (left to right) Primer, Highlighter, Blush, Bronzer

Luminess Air Water Bottle

The System

The system is very basic and simple- which is good for a lot of people.  I think many people get overwhelmed by airbrushing systems, so it’s good to have something that will give you just what you need, nothing more, nothing less.  The DVD is very helpful, as is the book.

I think this set is good for a beginner or someone who wants the very basics. Having said that, it’s at a very similar price point to Dinair, which I like better for someone who wants more options (air pressure being the biggest one), and the quality of the makeup I enjoy more (I find I don’t need to use as much and never need concealer afterwards).  I would also suggest Dinair if you want to use it as a professional system as well.  I do like the look and feel of the Luminess compressor and airbrush gun more, but you really need to keep in mind the functionality and what you want it for.

See More

• Look Book: Red, Red Wine

Summary

• Price: $229.90 USD
• Availability: Luminess Air
• Overall: A decent starter system for someone who wants the very basics.  I like the look and feel of the compressor and air gun a lot, but I found the makeup to have less coverage than similar airbrush makeup brands.  The compressor has only one air pressure setting, which makes it easy to use however really limits your ability to customize it for common changes that I find I use all the time.  I would say it is very much a personal system, and if you wish to have more flexibility or have the possibility of using it in a professional manner, I would look more towards comparable systems such as Dinair.
• Rating: B+