What's new at Dinair in 2018 - Airbrush Makeup Review

Founded by Dina Ousley and partner George Lampman in 1981, Dinair was the first airbrush makeup brand to produce beauty makeup lines designed for both professionals and consumers. The company has remained fiercely independent through the years, and it's still a family business at heart that keeps growing along with the reputation of its product. Never happy to rest on its laurels, Dinair keeps renovating its offer and updating its formulas in order not only to remain current, but to produce innovation and inspire the rest of the industry.

Last year we gave you an extensive, unbiased guide to their vast offering, which you can read here. Let's see what has changed since then. If you wish to see all these new products in action, please check out this video we recently released where we use all of them. 

A new approach to concealing: Dinair Neutralizer

Concealing Rosacea with Dinair

While normal hyper pigmentation, redness and blemishes will be perfectly covered using just your preferred foundation line, Dinair has renewed its approach to concealing more serious imperfections.

Traditional color correctors such as light green for redness or peach for bluish/purple areas usually require a high level of skill while airbrushing: they must be used very sparingly or they may show under the foundation as greyish spots. To avoid this outcome, Dinair is now directing customers to conceal using just the foundation colors from their newly renamed Neutralizer line. Formerly known as Paramedical or Camouflage, the updated Neutralizer line is water based with a percentage of  cosmetic grade alcohol, and offers high coverage power and strong resistance to water and rubbing. This line is available in all the twenty shades that make up the other foundation lines, and while it can be used on its own, it is ideal in addressing just the trouble areas, and takes the guess work out of color correcting. Simply select the same color of your foundation, and neutralize the problem spots before applying your preferred preferred line (Glamour, Soft Glow or Radiance). The Neutralizer will conceal any shade of blemish underneath and even out your canvas for a perfect foundation application.

Strenghtening your finish: Foundation Extender

The biggest Dinair innovation this year as far as makeup is concerned is the new Foundation Extender line. This product can be added seamlessly to your preferred  foundation line to improve its wear, water and rub resistance, and comes in all the 20 shades that make up the foundations range. It works by adding just two drops every 6-8 drops of foundation directly in the airbrush cup, and then mixing them through back bubbling. The composition of the product is a lighter version of the Tattoo Cover (formerly Colair Extreme), the most powerful blocking product of all. It could be used on its own to block strong imperfections under the foundation, but the end result would probably be more obvious than what you would achieve by using the Neutralizer line instead (see above). I have tested this product and I have to say it does work remarkably well. I would reserve it for special occasions when prolonged wear is crucial, or when the climate is particularly threatening to the resistance of your makeup. Or you could use it (mixed with the remainder of your foundation) for those areas that are more prone to stress, such as the chin or the forehead if you have oily skin. In any case it's a great complement to have and it could be your foundation's best ally on many occasions.

Tattoo Cover

This product is the new version of the amazing Colair Extreme, offering total blocking power and the possibility to erase any tattoo or very visible skin tonal irregularity with just a few passes and no need for color correcting.  The formula is pretty much the same as the original, the only difference I could devise is that it flows better in the airbrush than before. Two shades (black and white) have been added as adjusters for the other 14 colors that mirror the most popular shades in the foundation lines. Thankfully the colors are now called by the same name used across the other lines, and no longer by number. The serial number remains printed under the name, an this is useful to determine the undertone (Warm tones are even numbers, cool tones are odd numbers and neutral tones end in 0 or 5).  The Tattoo Cover colors seem to have a less neutral slant, so for example if you get Olive Beige you might see that it looks more yellow than its counter part in any other line, This could be a chance variation on the batch that I received, however if you are considering getting your own shade in this line, you may want to buy the closest color with the opposite undertone as well in order to mix it and balance it out if necessary.

Dinair AirStyle and One Speed Compressor

Things never stand still at Dinair even as far as equipment is concerned.  A new One Speed compressor has been added to the line for the most inexpensive kit option. The next step up is now the Pro Basic compressor, which has variable airflow, and after that the Personal Pro, which is the one I would definitely recommend for its versatility and performance. The portable solution, battery powered compressor Dinair Go is no longer the only cable free option, and a new hand held device called AirStyle is now available. This unit is completely hose and cable free, and with a higher PSI output than the GO represents a very interesting option to give personal users complete mobility. Please read the in-depth review of the AirStyle kit in our previous article. 

We will be travelling to LA in may, and we are very excited to be touching base with our amazing friend at Dinair again. We can always look forward to this legendary brand to inspire and shake up the game for the whole airbrush makeup industry.

 

100% Dinair Airbrush Makeup, Unfiltered Skin

Dinair AirStyle Airbrush Makeup Kit Review and video tutorial

Dinair Airbrush Makeup: AirStyle Kit

Dinair AirStyle is the first all-in-one, hand-held rechargeable applicator to feature an actual airbrush.  The device debuted on the market at the end of 2017, and is now available on Dinair's webiste within a kit bundle or just by itself .

What is it?

Dinair AirStyle Airbrush

The AirStyle was conceived to allow Dinair users to apply makeup with total freedom, regardless of the location and independent form a power supply. As you can see from the images, it basically consists of a handle with an airbrush on top, and there is no air hose or power cord to stand in the way. The "handle", which houses the micro compressor, features an off/on button and a charging port at the bottom where you can plug in the charging cable, which features USB connectivity. According to the instructions the unit charges fully in about an hour, and a single charge provides over a half hour of continuous use. This means that if you remember to switch it off when you are not spraying (for example when you are loading colors) a single charge may last you up to five days for personal use. The airbrush on top is just 5'' (12 cm) long, and is a continuous airflow model with a classic screw-on nozzle wide enough for all of Dinair's colors and lines. The strength of the airflow is proportionately adequate, and while I have no way to measure it exactly I would estimate it at a good 10 PSI. The pressure output is not adjustable and remains constant throughout the battery life, and the unit simply stops working when the charge has run out. It will of course work while it is plugged in, so if  users miscalculate the time left on the charge all they will have to do is find an outlet to finish their application. The AirStyle is not a very quiet system. It produces a level of noise comparable to that of an average hair dryer. Not a major issue, but one to keep in mind if you wish to use it in the same room with someone who is sleeping.

Kit Contents

Dinair AirStyle Kit

The Airstyle Kit comes with the unit itself housed in a sleek white box with a molded velveteen tray inside, an elegant packaging solution reminiscent of Apple's devices. There is also a small clear pouch filled with goodies that are selectable from the options listed on the website page. You will get three foundation colors in your chosen color range and in your preferred line (Glamour, Soft Glow or Radiance are the options that Dinair offers based on their finish, please see this article for full explanation). You also get a blush, a highlighter and an eyebrow color, automatically selected to complement your choice of shade range, and of course you will be able to use these colors also as eye shadows. Also present is an eyebrow stencil set, a bottle of practice color for your exercises on paper (sheets are provided along with an operating instruction sheet), a sample of post-application moisturizer Moist and Dewy and one of cream concealer. Finally, a bottle of Dinair cleaner and a set of cleaning caps, with a bonus anti-spill cap. The small clear pouch housing these products is also the ideal size for your AirStyle. While it offers no shock protection, it is perfect for carrying the device and the few products you might need when going outside, which is what the kit is intended for in the first place.

Who it is for?

Dinair Airstyle in clear pouch

The Dinair Airstyle is intended explicitly and solely for Dinair product users. You will NOT be able to run products by other brands, at least not comfortably and without major clogs,  as the nozzle size and pressure output are designed exclusively to run with Dinair lines. This might sound strange to professionals who are used to thinking, as I do, that after all "an air source is an air source and an airbrush is an airbrush", but trust me, in this case the caveat does apply. A very good ally in using the product smoothly will be found in the Cleaning Cap system, which is included in the kit. The cleaning system works and works well, and it is crucial for optimal performance.

My experience and thoughts

I have been using the AirStyle system for a while now and I have to say it gets easier every time. Please view the video below to see it in action as I conceal prominent rosacea spots on a model. The ergonomics of the design may require a little getting used to if  you are used to traditional airbrushes, but the commodity of being unencumbered by cords and hoses makes me reach for it much more often than I expected for personal use.

On a technical level I find the idea of a a truly hand-held, cable and hose free compressor with a real, full-fledged airbrush nothing short of genius, and I highly commend George Lampman (Dinair's CEO and co-founder) for this remarkable innovation.

I think personal users will find the AirStyle to be a very interesting alternative to their table top system for all those occasions when mobility and speed are important. I do wish it came with a CX airbrush on top instead of the current one, because that is a superior quality airbrush and an easier one to maintain and deep clean. I also hope that future versions will feature charge indicator lights, a stand or base that would allow me to keep it on my desk upright, and a reduced noise output.

On a professional level I think the AirStyle has an enormous innovation potential.  With the addition of a few features such as a selectable pressure output and a quick-connect adapter (to allow you to connect any compatible airbrush), this  tool would represent a total game changer not only the airbrush makeup industry, where everyone would want one, but I suspect for airbrushing as a whole. I was fortunate enough to meet George Lampman, and I wouldn't be in the least surprised if he came up with exactly that product in the future.