05/04/2016
Red-be-Gone Airbrushing Powder
1 tbsp arrowroot starch (or cornstarch or wheat starch)
1 tbsp sericite mica
½ tsp silk peptides
½ tsp zeolite clay (or kaolin)
¼ tsp cucumber extract
1/8 tsp magnesium stearate
15 drops isopropyl myristate (or jojoba oil)
Red iron oxide, as needed
Yellow iron oxide, as needed
Brown iron oxide, as needed
Green iron oxide, as needed
For this project I’d really recommend working in a dust mask so you can avoid breathing fine powders, which is never a good idea. The final product is weighed down with the isopropyl myristate, but when you’re initially blending the dry powders they really pouf up when you take the lid off the coffee grinder, making them very easy to inhale. So—get a dust mask, and always leave the lid on the grinder for a few minutes after you’re done grinding.
Blend the starch, sericite mica, silk peptides, clay, cucumber extract, and magnesium stearate together in your DIY coffee grinder.
Drop in the isopropyl myristate and blend until you have a nice, velvety powder.
Start adding your oxides. If your complexion is somewhat similar to mine you’ll need mostly yellow, and just a bit of red and brown (the teeniest of specks, not even a nip). Work slowly, take notes, and test the powder on your skin between additions, checking in a mirror to make sure you’ve got a match. Remember—we want to match parts of your face or skin that aren’t really red, so don’t go adding tons of red to the powder, that defeats the point!
Once you’ve got a good match for your not-very-red skin, it’s time to start adding the teeny-tiniest amounts of green iron oxide. Test the powder on red bits of your skin—preferably bits that border on not-too-red parts. You’ve got a match when the powder neutralizes red areas to not-so-red areas.
Transfer the powder to a sifter jar. To use, buff the powder into your skin with a kabuki brush. If you find the powder looks dry on your skin try applying argan oil beforehand, and/or follow up with a setting spray. Enjoy!