I’m at the book store right now picking up some required reading. Got any fave beauty book recommendations for me?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Tonight’s Reading
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kevyn aucoin books are wonderful!!!
Oh yeah! I am going to get his first one, Making Faces, from Amazon. I can’t believe I don’t have that one in my library, yowza!
What is the first book in the picture you posted?
Ha! I was going to recommend Making Faces too! Love it!
That Makeup Makeovers book you have up there is good. The InStyle one is ok but my favorites are Making Faces and Face Forward by Kevyn Aucoin.
I have that Robert Jones book! It’s okay, but I love his Wedding book better 🙂
Hi Alicia,
That’s “Makeup Makeovers” by Robert Jones. 🙂
Hi Jennifer!
I have Face Forward, too. That’s one of my faves…I love seeing the transformations.
Have you tried any of Kevyn’s makeup? It’s supposed be really good.
Hi Kimie,
Oh, I didn’t know he had a Wedding book, thanks for the info. My best friend is getting married and I think this would be a nice present for her.
Hi Glosslizard,
Thanks for the rec…got any others that you like, too?
Hi Karen,
I’ve been reading your blog for a few weeks now, and I absolutely love your posts, the fact that you share your personal experiences together with the love of MU is fantastic and says a lot of your kind self.
Back to the books, that Robert Jones’ one is great, found helpful information in it, and the Kevin Aucoin’s ones are simply inspirational !
I recommend “don’t go to the cosmetics counter without me” and “the beauty bible” both by Paula Begoun. And – great blog btw – just stumbled upon it 🙂
Hi Karen,
Kevyn Aucoin’s book “Making Faces” is the must-have book for all beauty fanatics. Although the book was published more than 10 years ago, the techniques are still very “in” today. Kevyn is more than a genius, I’m telling you.
That’s about the only beauty book I have, except that I recently got Nadine Haobsh’s “Beauty Confidential” which I enjoyed (no photos like Kevyn, but a kinda fun beauty editor view of the world)! I can send my copy your way if you like!
Hi Aura!
Nice to meet ya, girl! Thank you for the book recommendations. I ended up buying both the Robert Jones and the In Style books. Next on the list (getting this one from amazon) is Making Faces, for sure.
I’ve been dying to try Kevyn Aucoin’s makeup and found out that I can buy it in San Francisco! I can’t wait to try it 🙂 Have you heard of it before? What are your fave makeup brands?
Thanks Ditte!
I’ve seen those titles but haven’t really looked through them…I’ve heard a lot of folks like Paula’s books! I love books so getting those titles are just an excuse to grow my library a bit more. 🙂
I hope you’re having a good day so far. Whatchu up to this Tuesday?
Hi Dao!
Great recs! I’ve thumbed through Kevyn’s first book and I really wish that he was still around. He has a really warm, personable voice and seemed like somebody I’d want to hang out with and just talk shop with. Do you actually use the techniques from the book still? Just curious. 🙂
Hi Glosslizard,
Oh yeah, I’ve thumbed through that one at the book store cafe once or twice (as the wheels of my brain turned and churned about getting a book deal!). Funny, I noticed a lot of the products she recommends I don’t like! The writing’s good though. 🙂
What you got going on this Tuesday?
Hey Karen,
Kevyn was a master and in my world he is truly missed! Here are a few more books that I use and love:
Body Painting Masterpieces by Joanne Gair — she is a make-up artist/body painting artist — famous as Madonna’s make-up artist during her Blonde Ambition Tour and while filming the documentary Truth or Dare. She is amazing!
The Face of the Century by Kate De Castelbajac — great reference book and history of make-up.
5 Minute Face by Carmindy — even though she is on TV — I love this book — really great tips for every woman.
Hope these help.
Yes, I do use the techniques in “Making Faces”. In fact, I found that many of MAC’s face charts are similar to those in that book. I actually learned how to do smoky eyes from “Making Faces” too, and when you recently blogged about that topic it was the same technique in the book. A lot of people after reading through his books were so inspired, they became makeup artists. I just read it so that I can do my makeup better.
Nice blog btw!
Hi Karen,
Ok, so, I’ve never bought a makeup book before (gasp)! However, I am an avid reader and one of my favorite authors right now is Jennifer Lancaster. She’s written two books: Bitter Is The New Black and Bright Lights, Big Ass. If you’re looking for some “laugh-out-loud” time you’ve got to get these! Did I just channel LeVar Burton from Reading Rainbow?
Hi Karen!
Nada mucho today! Just going to take the wee beasties out to the park this afternoon and enjoy the sun while it lasts!
Hi Melissa!
Cool, I’ve gotta check out The Face of the Century! Hope you’re having a good week! 🙂
Wow, thanks Melissa. I’m all over these! More books to add to my amazon wishlist, hooray!
Hi Dao,
Oh great! I have thumbed through his book so many times but have yet to really sit down and work through it. Can’t wait to do it; I really hope it improves me technique (there’s always something new to learn!).
Hi Kirsti,
LOL, I loooved Reading Rainbow back in the day. I am an avid reader, too. Right now I’m going through a teen fiction phase. Weird, I know. I was just speaking to my boss today (she’s a book agent) and she told me that one day she believes that a teen fiction book will just spew out of me. I’m crossing my fingers that it happens soon, LOL!!!
Thanks for your recommendations! I got the bookstore a few times a week so I will look for those next.
Hope your Tuesday is going well!
Hi Glosslizard,
An afternoon at the park, how fun! What’s funny to me is seeing all the children going nuts at the playground – it’s like being at the club, but for tykes, not 21-year-olds.
And I’m all over Face of the Century, too, LOL.
Hey Karen!
You have to check out Bobbi Brown’s Beauty Evolution and Teenage Beauty (I’m not a teen but this is good). I always refer back to Bobbi’s books for tips but these two are the stand-outs!
Hi Karen! I’ve been reading your blog for a few months now, and I LOVE it. You are the reason that I can properly blend my eyeshadow :P.
Anyway, I really like Pretty: The Nylon Book of Beauty. It’s really cool, because it lists iconic fragrances, scents, hairstyles and women. I use it for inspiration more than anything else…it’s not really a how to kind of book, but that’s why I like it. It’s open to interpretation :).
Hi Brittany,
Okay, thanks! I have the first Bobbi Brown Beauty book floating around here somewhere, and I remember it being pretty good, so I’ll check these out too (it’s also another excuse to go to the bookstore, yay!).
Hiya Andrea,
Yay! Blended eyeshadow is always a good thing 🙂 Do you have a favorite blending brush? Every gals gotta have one in her arsenal.
Thanks for the book rec. I think I may have seen that one on the shelf yesterday…it’s by Nylon magazine, right?
I actually have just been using a crappy brush that’s part of a set that I’ve had forever. Do you have any recommendations for when I graduate from makeup grade school?
Yup, it’s by Nylon magazine…if you don’t want to buy it, you could always just look through it at Barnes and Noble for ideas :).
Hi again Karen,
working – and reading through your blog at work too 😉
I like your writing style – so informative and professional but informal and funny too.
Keep up the good work,
Ditte (from Denmark)
Hi Karen!
I’m real glad to see your reply! I’m a bit sad at the moment, I’m looking for a job, was expecting a call, and they just called telling me they had decided to go with another candidate =(, but hey I digress from MU ! 😉
My favorite brands are Dior, which I just read you’re now a fan of their concealer, Lancome, Chanel, Guerlain (bronzer), of course MAC, and the list goes on and on. I also like MUFE, I did a MU course with them last year, excellent foundations (lift, and face & body), and concealers.
If I may, I highly recommend you the Dior e/s quints and duos, in case you haven’t tried them yet. Great texture, and colour payoff. Night Out quint, is sort of a must-have for smokey eyes, and it’d look great on you! 😉
Take care,
Aura
Hi Aura,
Oh, sweetie…so sad to hear about the job! I know it’s stressful, and can be an emotional roller coaster. Right when I got out of college I moved back home; there was a period of like six months when I was job hunting and it was awful (I lump it in the “worst times in my life” categories), so I feel ya pain.
I hope you hear some good news soon and that you get a job that you really want! *sending you good job hunting vibes*
You and I like a lot of the same brands. I just became a Lancome fan (wow, the shadows are fab!) and can’t wait to discover more of the line. Oh, thank you for the Dior shadow recommendation! I’ll definitely check that out. 🙂
Hi Andrea,
LOL, I have a few brushes that I love for blending. The MAC 217 is a famous blending brush and VERY multi-functional. You can use it apply dry or cream-based eyeshadows, use it as a crease brush, use it to apply concealer…ahh, if I could write odes to it I would.
I like the MAC 224 for blending, too (although this one has the rep of being a crease brush, I’m not crazy about it for that purpose).
Next time I go to the book store I’ll look for it! I can’t wait to sit down and thumb through it was a cup of coffee…ahhh, good times.
Hi Ditte,
Thanks, girl! I read blogs at work too sometimes, LOL. :)What do you do?
By the way, Denmark is on my list of places to travel. I hope I make it there someday. 🙂
Hi Karen,
I work at a directory company – a very succesful one. Actually, my old workplace was bought out and taken over by another directory company. My old company was named Krak – so I use to joke with the fact that I used to work for Krak and now I work for the buyer of the Krak 🙂
You are welcome to drop by my house when you come to Denmark – just moved into a big house that I have for myself for the time being 🙂
I’m still obsessing that I finally got my hands on an urban decay eye primer potion 😮 (they’re not sold in Denmark).
Hope you’re having a great time in Vegas,
Ditte
And btw – about trying out testers at make-up counters:
http://www.wulffmorgenthaler.com/default.aspx?id=ea5086de-f43f-4b09-82a3-f1e358bc3bbe
*LOL*
LOL, Ditte! That cracked me up 🙂
That’s so sweet of you to invite me! Hopefully one day I can make it out there (so many places to travel, so little time, argggghhh!).
Ahhh, the Urban Decay Potion Primer. How are you feeling about it? It’s one of those products that you’re either going to love or hate.
Today was my first day here in Vegas! I lost 10 bucks gambling (boo) but did manage to hit up the Dior makeup store (newly opened) without doing too much damage, ha!