A Review of Era Everyday Foundation

I have a crush! Is it weird that it's on an inanimate object? Of course not! It's foundation. 
I have wanted to try Era Everyday Foundation ever sine my friend and makeup artist, Ro Puchal, recommended it to me. 

So what is Era? Era Everyday Foundation is an airbrush foundation in a can. Similar to Dior Airflash but a fraction of the cost. (Dior cost $62 for 2 oz). Era comes in 10 shades (mine is R4-Pink Champagne) and gives you the most natural skin finish, without settling into lines. It is the perfect combination of matte and dewy if that makes any sense. Exactly what skin should be.

I have said it before and I will say it again, the finish you get from airbrush foundation is unlike any other foundation I have tried. It is as close to a true skin finish as you're gonna get. In order for the foundation to pass through an airbrush machine, or in this case a nozzle, it has to be thinned out considerably and therefore allows you to achieve a much more natural, skin-like finish. It is not a thick formulation like a traditional foundation. I always say I want it to cover everything and look like nothing. That's never going to fully happen but this sure comes close. 

Pros

• The finish
• Good coverage
• Good staying power (I don't like to powder)
• Quick application
• Price ($33 for 2.25 oz although I purchased it for $25 during a sale)

Now the cons. The thing I dislike so much about airbrush makeup, is the actual act of airbrushing. I do not like spraying makeup on my face, whether from a can or a machine. I do not like the feeling of air hitting my face, I do not like the feeling that I may be inhaling some of the makeup, I do not like holding my breath as I am applying the makeup. I am a traditional gal when applying my foundation, so the spraying on the face is not pleasurable. You can experiment and spray on your hand first or into a sponge or beauty blender. 

If you watch the demonstration video from their website, they suggest spraying the makeup on your face in a Z pattern. Then take a velour powder puff and blend it in with downward strokes. I have been applying it in a Z pattern, then taking my Real Techniques Buffing Brush and blending it in using downward strokes. I then spray a little on the back of my hand, take a concealer brush and dab it on wherever I may need a little extra, such as blemishes, discoloration, dark circles etc. Then I take a tissue and press onto my skin to absorb any oils (this prevents having to powder). 

Cons

• Application
• When I spray it on my face, I notice a little gets in my hairline
• Choc full of parabans. I know it is impossible to avoid them all the time, however I do try. I am not sure if this will be a repurchase because of this. Keep this in mind if parabans are of any concern to you and you are considering purchasing.

So time will tell if my crush will turn into a full blown love affair. So far, I am very happy with the results and if you were thinking of trying airbrush makeup, this is a great option to start with.  

Now scroll on down and subscribe to this blog!

 My photos have disappeared from my older post! I have not had time to reapply them, sorry for any inconvenience~

 

Subscribe to Little Goddess Cosmetics by Email

Dinair Beauty Basic Airbrush System Review

Oh my gosh, the holidays get the the way of everything! I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday and got everything they wanted! (and not what they deserved, wink wink)

I wanted to tell you all about my Dinair Beauty Basic Airbrush System that I bought. I wanted to use it for a while to make sure I got a good feel for it before I gave my review. 

First let me say that I did not intend to purchase a Dinair system. I was very interested in trying airbrush makeup and a makeup artist friend who's opinion I respect suggested I try a company who is very well known for their airbrush makeup in a can. I decided to try them first before investing in anything else. After a few days of the product I wanted to try being out of stock, I emailed them to inquire how long it would be before the product was restocked. I received no response so I called them and left a voice message again asking when they would be restocked. They responded by leaving me a voice message with a bit of attitude, explaining that I should email them as they have no idea what product I am asking about. I guess the initial detailed email and the phone message were not enough. So I re-emailed them as well as leaving another detailed voice message asking about the products. Still no response. 

So guess what I did? 

I ditched them and purchased the Dinair system. 

Moral of the story? 

Customer service is very important, especially when you are not the only trick in town. 

Ok, so on with it! There are many pros and cons to this product. First, it is relatively inexpensive for an airbrush system. It cost $99 which is a steal compared to the $299 for their pro system. You do receive a lot more in the pro system but for a starter kit, it is a great price (Temptu's basic system is $149 in comparison).

For $99, you will receive the air compressor, the airbrush gun, an air hose, a power pack, 3 bottles of airbrush foundation, 3 bottles of color makeup, 1 bottle of moisturizing mist, 1 bottle of airbrush cleaner, a travel case for the gun, travel caps and a rubber band to hold the needle back. 

There are many pros and cons to this system and airbrush makeup in general. 

First, the biggest pro of all: The finish is unlike anything you will ever achieve with a traditional foundation.

 It looks very smooth and natural. It honestly looks like your skin, just better. There is no heavy foundation look and it is very sanitary as there are no sponges or brushes to worry about cleaning. Also, you can perfectly match your skin by mixing multiple shades together. The foundations cost around $12 to purchase separately. Dinair's formulation is water resistant, silicone free, paraben free, and not tested on animals.

Now some cons. It does take a little getting used to and you do have to retrain yourself on how to apply this foundation. This is not a huge con but will take some getting used to. Instead of placing the makeup on your skin and blending, you are spraying and the formulation is so thin, all you are going to see is your skin change. You are not going to see makeup so you do have to train your eye a bit. 

There are 2 big cons for me: first, I sometimes feel like I am not getting enough coverage. I really like the finish but sometimes, I cannot get it to cover redness I occasionally have. I am afraid of going too heavy and ruining that beautiful airbrushed look but if I can't get full coverage, what's the point? Maybe I have it on the wrong setting, like I said there is a learning curve so I'm not sure. 

Second and more importantly, I have noticed that lately I have been feeling a bit asthmatic. I have felt like an asthma attack is on the verge of happening but then doesn't. The last time I felt this way, I realized I had applied my airbrush makeup earlier that night. I may be breathing it in and it is irritating me. This is a big concern for me. It is probably best to apply it in a well ventilated area or next to an open window. I am not sure if it is the makeup or the cleaner. Honeybuns (who has been airbrushing for the past 25 years) thinks it's both and he always wears a mask when he is airbrushing his paintings.  

Also, the whole process can be a bit of a pain in the butt. Although you no longer have to worry about cleaning a makeup brush, you do have to clean this machine. Every. Single. Time.  or you will ruin it. So after every use you have to make sure you spray all of the makeup out, you then have to run some cleaner through it (which they recommend you do not spray in the air, this may be the cause of my irritation even though I am spraying it into a tissue), you have to take the needle cover off, wipe down the needle and the inside of the cover (as well as the foundation well). Then I fill the makeup well with water, cover with the travel caps and hold the needle back with the rubber band. 

 I would like to keep at it but I am not sure this will be my main foundation choice. I am not sure the purrty finish is worth feeling like I am asphyxiating myself. 

I would suggest this to anyone who has a little money to invest and  would like to try something new. Just make sure you do not do it in an enclosed space.

Any airbrush ladies (or gentlemen) out there who have any tips for me or any of their own experiences, I do appreciate hearing from you!

Until next time!

~Jessica~