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About Face: Amazing Transformations Using the Secrets of the Top Celebrity Makeup Artist
About Face is a compendium of everything make-up artist Scott Barnes has learned during his career working with A-list celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jennifer Aniston. About Face is packed with techniques for every area of makeup application. Part One focuses on dramatic makeovers of real women with a twist: each woman comes in looking the best she thinks she can look. The author then deconstructs and debunks their look taking them from attractive to amazing. Step-by-step photos outline makeup techniques and products while Scott provides commentary on how he pinpointed the woman’s strongest asset and built a look around it. Part Two highlights beauty rituals, must-have makeup items, and inner and outer preparations that a woman must embrace in order to look beautiful and radiate charisma. Part Three focuses on the celebrities Scott Barnes has worked with.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
7 people are currently reading
452 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 20 reviews
July 30, 2021
Soooo much make-up. Soooo much contouring. Soooo much powder! Just too much of everything. I actually thought the women looked prettier in the Before pictures. Not my cup of tea.
June 28, 2021
How sad that Barnes used make-up to erase the models' personalities and make them all look the same.
January 5, 2012
This book had a lot of potential but it just didn't pull through. Scott Barnes talks a lot about "contouring and highlighting" as well as displays the initial approach to both in the transformation pictures but fails to follow through on how to get to the next step. In one picture, the model's face is covered with highly noticeable powder and bronzer and the next picture is about eyes or cheeks. Wait, what? Also I detested the fact that the final images of the transformations looked highly airbrushed. For a makeup manual that's just wrong. The final nail in the coffin was a feature on Kim Kardashian. Sorry Mr. Barnes, you fail.
October 9, 2019
Despite Scott's expertise in the field of makeup, this book, unfortunately, does not teach much. I think the blame is both in the execution and in the medium chosen - a book is not the best medium for learning makeup compared to video lessons.
1.) There are a lot of vapid stories about what beauty is, in that magazine/motivational vein. A clear no for me.
2.) Scott wastes one page for each model wherein he talks about their life and career. No.
3.) These case studies are hard to follow because Scott just explains what he did. While this sure is lightly instructional and can teach us something, I would have welcomed a more theoretical approach with photos supporting his arguments as opposed to using like 20 models for full transformations that are briefly described.
4.) The style and imagery are mostly dated and over-photoshopped. Like to the point it looks ridiculous. It feels like the late nineties or early 2000s despite being published in 2010. Sheezus. No.
5.) The book is targeted at women. Makeup is for women only here, yet makeup has no gender. Duh. There is no discussion about and representation of men and queer people. Sheezus, this is so dated. This comes as a surprise - I would have expected a different approach from Scott. And again, the whole talk of womanhood/beauty/makeup/inner beauty/power sounds so cliché and trite, it feels like a magazine strip from the nineties.
6.) Throughout the book, there was this high-femme unifying vibe, and not a diverse representation of models and beauty. However, one can argue this is Scott's style and hence this does not have to be a clear negative, yet I would have welcomed varied models and varied makeup, from androgynous to light to heavy, even drag or how to use makeup without looking hyper-feminine, yet not masculine. Just keep in mind that everything here is basically that JLo polished hyper-feminine look, which is, of course, his prowess, yet in a book about makeup in general, I would welcome a wider approach with a stronger stress on diversity.
I'd suggest watching Scott videos on YouTube rather than reading this book.
1.) There are a lot of vapid stories about what beauty is, in that magazine/motivational vein. A clear no for me.
2.) Scott wastes one page for each model wherein he talks about their life and career. No.
3.) These case studies are hard to follow because Scott just explains what he did. While this sure is lightly instructional and can teach us something, I would have welcomed a more theoretical approach with photos supporting his arguments as opposed to using like 20 models for full transformations that are briefly described.
4.) The style and imagery are mostly dated and over-photoshopped. Like to the point it looks ridiculous. It feels like the late nineties or early 2000s despite being published in 2010. Sheezus. No.
5.) The book is targeted at women. Makeup is for women only here, yet makeup has no gender. Duh. There is no discussion about and representation of men and queer people. Sheezus, this is so dated. This comes as a surprise - I would have expected a different approach from Scott. And again, the whole talk of womanhood/beauty/makeup/inner beauty/power sounds so cliché and trite, it feels like a magazine strip from the nineties.
6.) Throughout the book, there was this high-femme unifying vibe, and not a diverse representation of models and beauty. However, one can argue this is Scott's style and hence this does not have to be a clear negative, yet I would have welcomed varied models and varied makeup, from androgynous to light to heavy, even drag or how to use makeup without looking hyper-feminine, yet not masculine. Just keep in mind that everything here is basically that JLo polished hyper-feminine look, which is, of course, his prowess, yet in a book about makeup in general, I would welcome a wider approach with a stronger stress on diversity.
I'd suggest watching Scott videos on YouTube rather than reading this book.
June 13, 2010
:)
الكتاب هذا يجننننننننننننننننن
أولاً : سكوت بارنز هذا له رؤية خاصة وأسلوب متفرد في المكياج
ثانياً: الكتاب جامع لكل شي يعتبره هو ضروري في هالعالم...وبصراحة أنا اقدر اقول إنه قايل أهم الأشياء الي ممكن ان الواحدة تحتاجها...يعني من قراءاتي السابقة لأصحاب الحرف مثل الطباخين وخبراء التجميل...لاحظت إنهم يتكلمون عن كتبهم بأنها جامعة لخبراتهم وإنها كتب قيمة...ولما تقرأين الكتاب تجوفين إنهم قايلين شي عادي جداً وإنتِ أصلاً تعرفينه...وكأنهم خايفين إنهم إذا علموكِ الأسرار ...خلاص كل الناس بتعرف تحط مكياج مثلهم أو كل الناس بتعرف تطبخ مثلهم أو أو أو ...وطبعاً هذا ضعف ثقة في النفس
في هالكتاب حسيت العكس...الرجال قايل بعض من أسراره في التجميل ...ويعلمنا شنو هو يحب وشنو المفروض برأيه وشنو الغلط...وهذا يعكس إنه رجل واثق من شغله
لمجموعة مختلفة من look ثالثاً: الكتاب جامع كذا
النساء في مختلف الأعمار ومن مناطق مختلفة من العالم...وكل وحدة لها ذوقها واحتياجاتها الخاصة ومشاكلها الخاصة...وعلى الرغم من إن الاساسيات وحدة إلا إن كل
وحدة منهم كانت لها إطلالة مختلفة بعد المكياج...وإسلوب المكياج كان مختلف
رابعاً:الكتاب مليء بالصور :) والصور مهمة جداً في مثل هالنوعية من الكتب
بصراحة عجبني الكتاب جداً...وحسيته من الكتب القيمة في مجاله
:)
الكتاب هذا يجننننننننننننننننن
أولاً : سكوت بارنز هذا له رؤية خاصة وأسلوب متفرد في المكياج
ثانياً: الكتاب جامع لكل شي يعتبره هو ضروري في هالعالم...وبصراحة أنا اقدر اقول إنه قايل أهم الأشياء الي ممكن ان الواحدة تحتاجها...يعني من قراءاتي السابقة لأصحاب الحرف مثل الطباخين وخبراء التجميل...لاحظت إنهم يتكلمون عن كتبهم بأنها جامعة لخبراتهم وإنها كتب قيمة...ولما تقرأين الكتاب تجوفين إنهم قايلين شي عادي جداً وإنتِ أصلاً تعرفينه...وكأنهم خايفين إنهم إذا علموكِ الأسرار ...خلاص كل الناس بتعرف تحط مكياج مثلهم أو كل الناس بتعرف تطبخ مثلهم أو أو أو ...وطبعاً هذا ضعف ثقة في النفس
في هالكتاب حسيت العكس...الرجال قايل بعض من أسراره في التجميل ...ويعلمنا شنو هو يحب وشنو المفروض برأيه وشنو الغلط...وهذا يعكس إنه رجل واثق من شغله
لمجموعة مختلفة من look ثالثاً: الكتاب جامع كذا
النساء في مختلف الأعمار ومن مناطق مختلفة من العالم...وكل وحدة لها ذوقها واحتياجاتها الخاصة ومشاكلها الخاصة...وعلى الرغم من إن الاساسيات وحدة إلا إن كل
وحدة منهم كانت لها إطلالة مختلفة بعد المكياج...وإسلوب المكياج كان مختلف
رابعاً:الكتاب مليء بالصور :) والصور مهمة جداً في مثل هالنوعية من الكتب
بصراحة عجبني الكتاب جداً...وحسيته من الكتب القيمة في مجاله
:)
April 4, 2016
Beautiful illustrations, good layout, many interviews, but is it really about face? I think that it`s rather self-advertisement. I never doubted Scott is a very tallented person but it`s hard to find perfect makeup secrets in his book. Real secrets stick in mind, technique is the result of many years of practice, experience and skill but a book is only a substitute for what average reader would like to know. The only one secret here is blending. But it`s good that presented models have different types of beauty, facial features snd skin colors because each of us can find something for ourselves.
September 30, 2012
This man is amazing! I love his technique with contouring/highlighting and the introductory philosophy behind cosmetic makeovers.
P.S. Don't leave it lying around if you have children - there are a couple of photos that aren't appropriate. Nothing worse than the cover of Cosmo they see in the grocery store, but not something you want them staring at. :)
P.S. Don't leave it lying around if you have children - there are a couple of photos that aren't appropriate. Nothing worse than the cover of Cosmo they see in the grocery store, but not something you want them staring at. :)
January 18, 2015
I really enjoyed the tips in this book. I must point out that the author's statement about saliva being the best makeup remover is absolutely false. You NEVER put your saliva on a client!!!!
August 11, 2023
I really did not like this. I felt that a lot of the material was mansplaining, such as the page about how to soften a Maybelline pencil...with a cigarette lighter! Many of the pictures were exactly the same - his hand holding a pencil up to a woman's eye. There were interviews where he asked several models how many times they get to the gym and what they do to stay in shape. The title of this book is "About Face". One of the pictures was supposed to be of a woman reacting to her transformation, but it was a posed picture photographed from the side. I don't recommend this at all.
September 2, 2015
I did enjoy reading this and the step-by-step photography was beautiful and extremely helpful. I would recommend this for more "pro"/makeup enthusiasts than people who just wanted to know how to do basic makeup. My only issue with this was that the transformation descriptions did become repetitive and I wish he'd featured more actually products or tools he recommended.
May 28, 2010
I enjoyed this makeup how-to which included wonderful photos and great tips. I now know how to line my inner eyelid and discovered that I'm supposed to line the top one as well. Live and learn...
Want to read
October 21, 2010i love makeup do i think id like to read this
October 31, 2011
I finished this in one sitting and took notes...Great for ideas for new ways of applying make-up and good for a boost of self-esteem...I really liked it...
March 6, 2014
Love this book, the man is amazing at what he does! #inspirational!
July 25, 2015
Great advice but marred by highly photoshopped images. I believe Scott's work would've been better represented with less photoshopping of the models in this book.
July 26, 2016
Full of information, pictures and step-by-steps, with practically everything anyone has to ever know about makeup.
October 10, 2016
Classic Scott Barnes book. A staple in my library of course. Every MUA should consult this book at least once in their careers.
October 30, 2010
This was sooo insightful.
November 20, 2013
I should keep this in the bathroom not on the bookshelf!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 20 reviews