The last several months leading up to this release have been a lot like the road trip my family took each summer to get to our vacation spot in Maine. Every few minutes, a chorus of kids would ring out from the back seat, asking my Dad, "Are we there yet?!" When he shook his head "no", we'd sound off in unison with the predictable refrain, "How much longer?!" It was a 9-hour drive from Connecticut to Maine, and, for my sibs and me, that was an interminable amount of time to be penned up in the car with each other, especially when we were bursting with excitement about the vacation that lay ahead.
And so it was with this release. It was extremely difficult for me to keep a lid on my new airbrush system for as long as I did. Soon after Ken Schlotfeldt, CEO of Badger Air-Brush Co., asked if I'd be interested in partnering with him, which was over a year ago, the initial design began to take shape. And, ever since then, I've been bursting with excitement too. You see, I knew early on that certain features of this system were going to revolutionize airbrushing for many of you.
But, there were other important details to work out before the system could be released - pricing, packaging, instructions, and distributor relationships, to name a few! It's not enough to have a great product; all of the other elements that define the customer experience have to be as wonderful as possible too! So, long story short, "Are we there yet?" became a familiar tune sung by both me and Ken over the last few months. Likewise, I received a lot of eager "How much longer?"s from many of you! 
I thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for sticking with me and waiting so patiently. I sincerely believe this system will be worth your wait. Also, a HUGE thank you to my partner Badger Air-Brush Co. for working so tirelessly with me over the last year to turn this dream into a reality!
Before I tell you why this system is so special, let me first tell you what it contains and where you can purchase it.
- JULIA dual-action airbrush (105-JU) with quick-connect adaptor (51-038) and barbed fitting (50-026)
- 5-foot clear quick-connect air hose with inline air regulator (JU-5018)
- JULIA on-demand air compressor, 43 psi maximum operating pressure and both 110/220V options (JU-180)
Where to get the JULIA: We're launching on my stencil partner Confection Couture Stencils' site, but we'll be expanding our distribution to more sites in the coming months. Please note that Confection Couture will ship anywhere (though check with them, not me, for shipping estimates, especially outside of the US). However, they only have 110V systems/compressors available at this time; 220V systems/compressors will be coming soon to another site. Confection Couture is also selling the airbrush separately from the compressor*.
* Important note about compressors: The JULIA airbrush has been specially configured and tested with the JULIA compressor to ensure optimum system performance, and so I strongly encourage you to get my full system. Because the JULIA airbrush has a dual-action trigger, which doesn’t release air unless depressed, it is best used with an on-demand compressor (like the JULIA compressor) as opposed to a continuous-flow compressor (which pushes out air constantly). The JULIA airbrush will work with either type of compressor, and comes with fittings to adapt to either type, but a continuous-flow compressor is more likely to overheat with heavy use.
Now, why is the JULIA system so special? In short, it's a dual-action airbrush, which inherently offers more control than the single-action airbrushes currently marketed for cookie decorating. It also resolves many of the typical headaches often involved with other airbrushes - overspray, speckled spray, and clogging with white and metallic colorings. You won't experience any of these things if you handle and maintain your JULIA airbrush system properly. What's more, routine cleaning of the airbrush can be done entirely from the outside, without taking anything apart. But, best of all, the system comes with a lifetime labor warranty from my partner Badger Air-Brush Co.
Let's look more closely at the JULIA airbrush (just the "gun", if you will).
I've summarized the key airbrush features in bullet-point format below, but, if you're more the visual type, please check out this video that explores ten key JULIA airbrush features, as well as essential dual-action airbrush operating tips:
2. Finer spray, due to smaller needle tip
3. Less overspray, due to small (0.3 mm) nozzle opening
4. Works well with all mediums, including white and metallic food colorings, due to unique nozzle configuration
5. Large (1/4 oz/7 ml) coloring cup, for everything from small to large jobs
6. Easy-to-remove coloring cup cap, to avoid coloring spills
7. Quick-connect adaptor, to quickly and easily swap in different airbrushes
8. Easy to clean - minimal to no disassembly required! There is no airbrush simpler to clean - I guarantee!
9. No tools required after any initial disassembly
10. Ergonomic weighting toward nozzle end
11. Reversible nozzle guard for greater needle visibility or more needle protection – the choice is yours!
And, last but not least, onto the too often overlooked compressor. It's a vital part of any system, as it's what supplies air to the airbrush. If a compressor doesn't deliver the air with enough force, as is typical with some smaller compressors, you're more likely to see speckled results. And, of course, you won't be able to quickly and uniformly cover larger products, like cakes. The maximum operating pressure of the JULIA is almost double that of most cookie compressors on the market, so you're always assured of having enough pressure for any job. Further, the air flow control is fully variable, allowing you optimum control for areas large and small!
Key compressor features:
1. 43 psi maximum operating pressure - not just for small jobs!
2. On-demand activation, meaning it operates only when the airbrush trigger is depressed, which also means it's very quiet!
3. Fully variable air flow control, for everything from close-range detail work to broad coverage
4. Air flow controlled with an inline air regulator (dial), conveniently located on the air hose rather than the compressor
5. Clear air hose, to easily detect any moisture accumulation
6. Long (5-foot) air hose, for flexibility in setup
7. Convenient carrying handle
And that concludes my intro to my new JULIA airbrush system (barring my recap of key links below)! I hope you love my system as much as I loved designing it for you! If you have any airbrushing technique questions, please don't hesitate to ask me at any time. (Just email sweetlife@juliausher.com.) Service and warranty questions, however, should be directed to Badger Air-Brush Co. at CustomerService@BadgerAirBrush.com.
Recap of key links:
- To purchase the new JULIA system: Confection Couture Stencils' site
- For in-depth video tutorials: Julia's YouTube channel
- For service and warranty questions: Badger Air-Brush Co.
Thank you for reading to the end, and happy airbrushing!
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