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Making Faces
A successful makeup artist to the stars presents more of his makeup hints and tricks in an illustrated guide that serves as a follow-up to his previous The Art of Makeup. 150,000 first printing. Tour.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
February 9, 2017
This book and I go back. The first time I was allowed to wear makeup, I was fourteen. Super excited, naturally. I recall my mom getting me this around that time. Back then I was probably more interested in the pictures than anything else this book had to offer (it has a lot!). Long story short, I learned little to nothing, arrogantly assumed I had and gave it away in the monthly book swap. Smart girl. Thankfully I repurchased a used version this summer. I'm not sure how many times I've read this book, but this was the first time I truly appreciated it.
I tried to recreate one of Kevyn's looks on Lisa Marie Presley, which has always been one of my favourites. It's a far cry from anything he could do before he passed away, but I felt like sharing for the sake of the review. I should also note that the instructions regarding application are far from ample, but personally I skimmed over these parts.
Now that I'm looking at it again, this could use a lot of work. My biggest concern here is my eyebrows. What was I thinking? Maybe if I ever redo this look I'll update the picture, but for now that's all. Overlook the resting bitch face.
I tried to recreate one of Kevyn's looks on Lisa Marie Presley, which has always been one of my favourites. It's a far cry from anything he could do before he passed away, but I felt like sharing for the sake of the review. I should also note that the instructions regarding application are far from ample, but personally I skimmed over these parts.
Now that I'm looking at it again, this could use a lot of work. My biggest concern here is my eyebrows. What was I thinking? Maybe if I ever redo this look I'll update the picture, but for now that's all. Overlook the resting bitch face.
June 12, 2008
The obvious aim of this book is to show people how to apply make up, which it does very well. What makes it worthwhile is all the ways it goes above and beyond that basic goal. The photography is beautiful (it's worth looking at just for that). Kevyn Aucoin's story of growing up, the stories of his siblings, and their role in the development of his talent is compelling and inspiring.
After the section on basics, there's a section of "looks" developed for ordinary people (male and female) alongside their own stories, which makes the book very accessible for those who might feel distant from the subject. The next section, which is entirely celebrities, is more "glamorous" but gives you the details of how to acheive those looks as well.
I got this book thinking I should wear more makeup so I won't be mistaken for an undergrad all the time, but it left me feeling like makeup is not necessary at all. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it's a book about feeling comfortable with yourself, no matter how made up you are.
After the section on basics, there's a section of "looks" developed for ordinary people (male and female) alongside their own stories, which makes the book very accessible for those who might feel distant from the subject. The next section, which is entirely celebrities, is more "glamorous" but gives you the details of how to acheive those looks as well.
I got this book thinking I should wear more makeup so I won't be mistaken for an undergrad all the time, but it left me feeling like makeup is not necessary at all. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it's a book about feeling comfortable with yourself, no matter how made up you are.
August 11, 2014
5 stars
Making Faces is the best book on make-up I have ever come across. Even though it was published in 1999, the make-up looks are very actual.
The first part of the book focuses on introducing the tools and the techniques: how to contour and highlight, how to shape the eyebrows, the different types and textures of eyeshadow, how to apply false eyelashes..., including the basic eye looks (smokey, neutral, shimmery...) that, if mastered, will allow you to create any look you want. Very useful information for anyone just starting on the world of make-up.
The second part includes detailed and illustrated step-by-step guides on how to achieve dozens of different make-up looks. From everyday and glamorous looks Kevyn Aucoin did on his friends, to the iconic looks of the 20th century: the Bombshell (Marilyn Monroe), the Flapper (Josephine Baker), the Gamine (Audrey Hepburn)...
Everyone who loves make-up or wants to learn more about it should definitely get this book.
Making Faces is the best book on make-up I have ever come across. Even though it was published in 1999, the make-up looks are very actual.
The first part of the book focuses on introducing the tools and the techniques: how to contour and highlight, how to shape the eyebrows, the different types and textures of eyeshadow, how to apply false eyelashes..., including the basic eye looks (smokey, neutral, shimmery...) that, if mastered, will allow you to create any look you want. Very useful information for anyone just starting on the world of make-up.
The second part includes detailed and illustrated step-by-step guides on how to achieve dozens of different make-up looks. From everyday and glamorous looks Kevyn Aucoin did on his friends, to the iconic looks of the 20th century: the Bombshell (Marilyn Monroe), the Flapper (Josephine Baker), the Gamine (Audrey Hepburn)...
Everyone who loves make-up or wants to learn more about it should definitely get this book.
September 3, 2009
In a more leisurely and glamorous part of my life I spent HOURS studying this book. ,I in fact, went to a company halloween party as a very convincing Betty Boop using techniques I garnered from this tome. Bee-sting pucker, pin curls, false eyelashes and the exact right eye-liner, the night was magnificent. Being more of a sunscreen and lipgloss kind of woman today, I think I should go get this book again just for the pleasant nostalgia. Who knows? Maybe next Halloween may be the time to try another over the top character.
December 2, 2015
A great book by an incredible and influential legend. It focuses on makeup photography and tutorials. This book is great for beginners who want to get a brief but informative look into the makeup industry.
Kevyn Aucoin also offers tidbits about his philosophy on makeup and charming stories of his life that relates to makeup.
It includes beautiful colored pictures of Aucoin's work. The book is worth reading just to see the pictures.
Any makeup enthusiast has to become familiar with Aucoin's work and this is a must read for them.
Kevyn Aucoin also offers tidbits about his philosophy on makeup and charming stories of his life that relates to makeup.
It includes beautiful colored pictures of Aucoin's work. The book is worth reading just to see the pictures.
Any makeup enthusiast has to become familiar with Aucoin's work and this is a must read for them.
August 23, 2016
Great book. Even though it is form the 90s, the looks aren't dated at all. I also love that he uses the least amount of products necessary to create the looks.
September 14, 2011
I picked up this books from a friend. I really liked its big size and full color photos. I did not just glace at the photos, I actually read the entire book.
Kevyn does a really great job of encouraging the reader to experiment with makeup, and not just with colors, but also with the way you apply it, location, tools, and more. He does a GREAT job of summarizing styles throughout the decades and gives you step-by-step instructions with color and makeup suggestions for you to replicate the looks. I especially loved the history of the "Eyebrow" (30s thin brows)and "lip" (50s full lip). I really loved the "film noir" and "hollywood bombshell" looks.
What was REALLY great about this book is the expansive amount of celebrity photos that Kevyn used, everyone from Vanessa Williams, to Drew Barrymore, to Demi Moore. If I had not seen the step by step directions for some of the looks, I would have NEVER guessed who it was! He REALLY surprised the reader about what can be accomplished with the correct and playful application of makeup.
His "transformations" of normal people to make-up styles were really inspirational.
Also, a BIG plus, is that Kevyn was not afraid to use women of all colors, black white, asian, whatever.
What I found a bit boring about the book is how similar many of the looks are. He had a lot of browns, peach, tuapes. I would have loved to see more vibrant looks, like Green eyeshadow, blue lipstick, a mardi gras look, vampire costume look, punk or goth, and some REALLY fun, maybe even halloween-inspired looks. I'm not saying he had to go nuts with special effects makeup, but a bit more diversity in coloring would have been nice. More FUN stuff and more color.
This is still a FANTASTIC book that I recommend to ANY makeup lover.
Kevyn does a really great job of encouraging the reader to experiment with makeup, and not just with colors, but also with the way you apply it, location, tools, and more. He does a GREAT job of summarizing styles throughout the decades and gives you step-by-step instructions with color and makeup suggestions for you to replicate the looks. I especially loved the history of the "Eyebrow" (30s thin brows)and "lip" (50s full lip). I really loved the "film noir" and "hollywood bombshell" looks.
What was REALLY great about this book is the expansive amount of celebrity photos that Kevyn used, everyone from Vanessa Williams, to Drew Barrymore, to Demi Moore. If I had not seen the step by step directions for some of the looks, I would have NEVER guessed who it was! He REALLY surprised the reader about what can be accomplished with the correct and playful application of makeup.
His "transformations" of normal people to make-up styles were really inspirational.
Also, a BIG plus, is that Kevyn was not afraid to use women of all colors, black white, asian, whatever.
What I found a bit boring about the book is how similar many of the looks are. He had a lot of browns, peach, tuapes. I would have loved to see more vibrant looks, like Green eyeshadow, blue lipstick, a mardi gras look, vampire costume look, punk or goth, and some REALLY fun, maybe even halloween-inspired looks. I'm not saying he had to go nuts with special effects makeup, but a bit more diversity in coloring would have been nice. More FUN stuff and more color.
This is still a FANTASTIC book that I recommend to ANY makeup lover.
November 23, 2018
A friend gave me this book when I first came out 12 years ago.
I've kept it through several moves, including a period of my life where all my belongings were split between the three friend's houses I was couchsurfing on. I've never completed one of the looks featured in the book. That's not what makes the book so valuable to me.
So many beauty resources aimed at trans women seek to assimilate us into a cisheteronormative view of beauty; we are enticed with the promise that we too, if we learn how to use blush, can ascend into unremarkability.
This was the first book on beauty I encountered that suggested to me that makeup can be used to express a feeling, a facet of yourself, an aspiration of who you wish to be in the moment.
I will never part with this book, even if it goes unread. I will espouse its qualities to strangers, even when inappropriate. I will insist other people read it so they can tell me what it says and how we could all learn from it.
In this sense, this book is my Bible.
I've kept it through several moves, including a period of my life where all my belongings were split between the three friend's houses I was couchsurfing on. I've never completed one of the looks featured in the book. That's not what makes the book so valuable to me.
So many beauty resources aimed at trans women seek to assimilate us into a cisheteronormative view of beauty; we are enticed with the promise that we too, if we learn how to use blush, can ascend into unremarkability.
This was the first book on beauty I encountered that suggested to me that makeup can be used to express a feeling, a facet of yourself, an aspiration of who you wish to be in the moment.
I will never part with this book, even if it goes unread. I will espouse its qualities to strangers, even when inappropriate. I will insist other people read it so they can tell me what it says and how we could all learn from it.
In this sense, this book is my Bible.
November 10, 2024
i love this book so much i wish i could ingest it and come out looking beautiful
June 23, 2025
This was fucking lovely. This is the Kevyn Aucoin I grew up with and who was a major influence more in philosophy than technique (although his techniques are truly unmatched) he really was the Leonardo DaVinci of the makeup world. It’s been interesting seeing how makeup has shifted throughout the years. I grew up going to Miami a lot and was heavily influenced as a kid, seeing my Aunt apply her signature black rimmed eyes and classic red lip, my other Aunt who is Russian who would apply a red lip so perfect I was mesmerized, and of course, my biggest role model and my whole world my Mother, an icon, who was a goth as a teen in the 90s in New York City.
Makeup was always so much more than a means to hide insecurity. For that I turned to calisthenics ironically. Makeup was a way of expression, an art form, a social experiment. Makeup was an outlet that I truly found empathy, kindness, boldness and ultimately confidence. I’ll never forget going with my Aunt to Sephora and seeing one of the models on a campaign with the perfect teal lipstick. It made a deep impression on me and frankly I think of it quite often.
The makeup world has shifted so drastically I can’t begin to imagine what Kevyn would have to say. Makeup has become weaponized, it’s become divisive and complex. The makeup community who I hold dear in my heart has always been messy in terms of drama within the creators, but nothing like this. The “Clean Girl” trend originally intended to showcase a different way to approach makeup while embracing one’s features has become a means to tear down and judge one another. And that is never what it was supposed to be about.
Making Faces is a stunning masterpiece, the in depth tutorials, the personal anecdotes sprinkled throughout and the way it reads like a love letter to makeup in all its forms. This book was so refreshing, empathetic and bursting with creativity.
Makeup was always so much more than a means to hide insecurity. For that I turned to calisthenics ironically. Makeup was a way of expression, an art form, a social experiment. Makeup was an outlet that I truly found empathy, kindness, boldness and ultimately confidence. I’ll never forget going with my Aunt to Sephora and seeing one of the models on a campaign with the perfect teal lipstick. It made a deep impression on me and frankly I think of it quite often.
The makeup world has shifted so drastically I can’t begin to imagine what Kevyn would have to say. Makeup has become weaponized, it’s become divisive and complex. The makeup community who I hold dear in my heart has always been messy in terms of drama within the creators, but nothing like this. The “Clean Girl” trend originally intended to showcase a different way to approach makeup while embracing one’s features has become a means to tear down and judge one another. And that is never what it was supposed to be about.
Making Faces is a stunning masterpiece, the in depth tutorials, the personal anecdotes sprinkled throughout and the way it reads like a love letter to makeup in all its forms. This book was so refreshing, empathetic and bursting with creativity.
Read
September 27, 2016This review is being written for Mrs. Orona’s 2A English class. The book I read throughout the 6 weeks is “Making Faces” by Amy Harmon. “Making Faces” has 308 pages and is self published. I read this book because my mom read it and strongly recommended it.
The main characters of the book are Fern Taylor and Ambrose Young. Fern is a girl who was “small and pale, with bright red hair and forgettable features”. She laid low in school and loved romance novels. When Rita liked Ambrose, Fern was the one writing back and forth with Ambrose and signing rita's name. Through that Fern learned how deep and caring Ambrose really was and made her love him even more. Ambrose Young was tall and muscular with long luxurious hair that brushed his shoulders. He was good at everything he did and was loved by everyone. He did not like Fern solely because of the way she looked. He like Rita was beautiful but he found out who was really writing the letters to him he was upset.
Bailey is Ferns cousin, he has muscular dystrophy which causes him to be wheelchair bound. Rita is Ferns best friend, she had a crush on Ambrose through high school but grew up into a bad situation. Couch sheen is Fern's uncle/ Bailey's dad, he couched ambrose before the incident then couched him back to his old self after. Beans, Jessie, Paul, and Grant are Ambrose’s best friends that died in war while serving alongside Ambrose.
“Making Faces” is a romance novel set in present day Hannah Lake, Pennsylvania. Fern Taylor really like Ambrose but Ambrose only made jokes about about her looks. When Ambrose and his 4 best friends were sent to Iraq, a tragic deed was done. There vehicle was blown up and ended up killing everyone except for Ambrose. Fern was terrified because when she got the news she didn't know what had happened to him and in all that had happened she still loved him.He was okay but was scared inside and out, half of his body was burnt and rough. When Fern approached him so passionately he felt as if he was not good enough for her and she was doing it out of pity. But in time her learned to love her as much, if not more, than she had loved him all those years.
In conclusion, “Making faces” is a deep novel that with reel in your interest. I like that it follows war veteran through his recovery. It's a fiction novel but it relates to a lot of realistic situations.
The main characters of the book are Fern Taylor and Ambrose Young. Fern is a girl who was “small and pale, with bright red hair and forgettable features”. She laid low in school and loved romance novels. When Rita liked Ambrose, Fern was the one writing back and forth with Ambrose and signing rita's name. Through that Fern learned how deep and caring Ambrose really was and made her love him even more. Ambrose Young was tall and muscular with long luxurious hair that brushed his shoulders. He was good at everything he did and was loved by everyone. He did not like Fern solely because of the way she looked. He like Rita was beautiful but he found out who was really writing the letters to him he was upset.
Bailey is Ferns cousin, he has muscular dystrophy which causes him to be wheelchair bound. Rita is Ferns best friend, she had a crush on Ambrose through high school but grew up into a bad situation. Couch sheen is Fern's uncle/ Bailey's dad, he couched ambrose before the incident then couched him back to his old self after. Beans, Jessie, Paul, and Grant are Ambrose’s best friends that died in war while serving alongside Ambrose.
“Making Faces” is a romance novel set in present day Hannah Lake, Pennsylvania. Fern Taylor really like Ambrose but Ambrose only made jokes about about her looks. When Ambrose and his 4 best friends were sent to Iraq, a tragic deed was done. There vehicle was blown up and ended up killing everyone except for Ambrose. Fern was terrified because when she got the news she didn't know what had happened to him and in all that had happened she still loved him.He was okay but was scared inside and out, half of his body was burnt and rough. When Fern approached him so passionately he felt as if he was not good enough for her and she was doing it out of pity. But in time her learned to love her as much, if not more, than she had loved him all those years.
In conclusion, “Making faces” is a deep novel that with reel in your interest. I like that it follows war veteran through his recovery. It's a fiction novel but it relates to a lot of realistic situations.
June 25, 2023
i can’t believe i found a secondhand copy of this book for 119 pesos (around 2 USD)!!! i’ve ‘read’ this from cover-to-cover but have yet to practice the techniques generously detailed in the book (it’s the first makeup book to really show contouring to the public, though drag queens had already been way ahead of all of us during this time). kind of moved by how makeup is used as a tool and treated as an art to transform people and how everyone has so much beauty in them… what if umiyak na lang ako!!!
July 19, 2019
Before YouTube tutorials, you actually had to search out different ways to do make up. I got this when it came out in 1997 & revisited it this week. There are a couple things that are a little out of date but still some great tips and lessons. The pictures in this book are gorgeous. You are missed, Kevyn!
April 26, 2015
Kevyn Aucoin was truly an artist. I was blown away by the transformations he made with so few beauty products. It really is all about application. Very informational. If your interested in make up at all you can learn something from this book.
June 17, 2009
I love this book.... it has mostly been used to get ready for Halloween Parties... since he looks are so transforming, but tamed down.... his tips can be used for everyday.
June 2, 2022
Read this in The Internet Archive. I'm sure the original coffee table book must be more impressive with larger and clearer pictures. But I'm glad I read it anyway. Kevin draws faces with expertise. I liked reading about his past as well and feel very proud that he survived his turbulent adolescence growing up as a closeted gay teen in a conservative small town. Now, he is one of the most notable makeup artists of our generation and seeing him live his truth and release such popular makeup products is very inspiring. The book would be a great introduction to beginners of makeup and fans of Aucoin.
Still, I feel some concepts were a little dated such as using the exoticness of Asian women as a makeup look and picking a white model to illustrate this beauty. There weren't that many Asian models or black models which feels quite a missed opportunity for me. The typical bombshell looks would have been more memorable and groundbreaking if Kevin used untypical and diverse models instead of simply sticking a blonde wig on a white model and recreating the spitting image of Marilyn Monroe. We only get a total of 3 or 4 male models in this book too.
According to Kevin, he argues that makeup can make anyone any race they want, saying he can be Asian one moment and Spanish the next. I think that the climate of today's cancel culture would definitely not let him get away with saying that so this book definitely shows it is from another era.
It does make me think more about the idea of makeup seen through the lens of white people. People of colour want to look white and white people want to look more "exotic". It's really quite a complex topic and there are no right answers to this. On the other hand, it is good to know that people can explore their creativity with makeup and bridge the gap of being someone other than themselves. Arguably, Kevin's comment about makeup changing races isn't inherently wrong. We can take inspiration from makeup looks from different cultures and imitate the looks of different races. I mean, look at the "influencer face" of today. It is an ambiguous blend of different facial features from different races: the uptilted eyes of East Asians, the full lips of black women, golden tan skin of Latinx people, sharp cheekbones of Native Americans, long dark lashes of Middle Eastern women etc.
Beauty has become more international and ironically more homogenous because more and more people are trying to look like a Snapchat filter. Plastic surgery is more accessible than ever too. Seeing a book by Kevin Aucoin written in the early 2000s reinforces the fact more than ever: lines are blurring and boundaries in beauty are disappearing. We have always been chasing perfect, beautiful faces since the dawn of time.
I have yet to see a makeup book that truly incorporates diversity in beauty or showcases ordinary women with skin problems. Maybe in the future, we will have that.
Still, I feel some concepts were a little dated such as using the exoticness of Asian women as a makeup look and picking a white model to illustrate this beauty. There weren't that many Asian models or black models which feels quite a missed opportunity for me. The typical bombshell looks would have been more memorable and groundbreaking if Kevin used untypical and diverse models instead of simply sticking a blonde wig on a white model and recreating the spitting image of Marilyn Monroe. We only get a total of 3 or 4 male models in this book too.
According to Kevin, he argues that makeup can make anyone any race they want, saying he can be Asian one moment and Spanish the next. I think that the climate of today's cancel culture would definitely not let him get away with saying that so this book definitely shows it is from another era.
It does make me think more about the idea of makeup seen through the lens of white people. People of colour want to look white and white people want to look more "exotic". It's really quite a complex topic and there are no right answers to this. On the other hand, it is good to know that people can explore their creativity with makeup and bridge the gap of being someone other than themselves. Arguably, Kevin's comment about makeup changing races isn't inherently wrong. We can take inspiration from makeup looks from different cultures and imitate the looks of different races. I mean, look at the "influencer face" of today. It is an ambiguous blend of different facial features from different races: the uptilted eyes of East Asians, the full lips of black women, golden tan skin of Latinx people, sharp cheekbones of Native Americans, long dark lashes of Middle Eastern women etc.
Beauty has become more international and ironically more homogenous because more and more people are trying to look like a Snapchat filter. Plastic surgery is more accessible than ever too. Seeing a book by Kevin Aucoin written in the early 2000s reinforces the fact more than ever: lines are blurring and boundaries in beauty are disappearing. We have always been chasing perfect, beautiful faces since the dawn of time.
I have yet to see a makeup book that truly incorporates diversity in beauty or showcases ordinary women with skin problems. Maybe in the future, we will have that.
September 16, 2019
while i love and respect kevyn aucoin and what he has done for makeup artistry, and i loved hearing about his thoughts and experiences in this book, it is truly such a mess. the graphic design within is not only dated but so poorly executed that it's painful to look at parts of the pages at times. it contains what feels like a great number of fonts, one of which is the most difficult to read that ive ever encountered in a book before?? the instructional parts constantly oscillate between different tenses and passive and active voice. generally, if you already wear, enjoy, and have at least a bit of a youtube education with makeup, this book wont teach you much new information. it would be most ideal for complete beginners with makeup, but even then i dont feel the tutorials accurately describe how the looks were actually achieved, so for true beginners there would be a bit of guesswork involved to get the actual final product. multiple times very important steps are not mentioned or just not explained enough in the instructions in order to simplify them and i guess make them more accessible, as not everyone wants to spend as long doing their makeup as it actually took to achieve the look for the photoshoot, but it makes some of the tutorials feel rushed or dishonest. the photos and actual makeup looks in this book are stunning, and as i said i really enjoyed hearing kevyns thoughts, which are mostly the books saving graces for me and keep its rating two stars, but with all its deficits in mind, i wouldnt recommend this book to as many people as i thought i might.
March 23, 2025
A blast from the past and the glory days of Kevyn Aucoin and Allure Magazine (the two will forever be combined in my mind). There're tons of pictures and well-done step by step instructions. I don't wear much makeup now, but love looking at Aucoin's work. There's a little something for everyone in this book. I particularly liked Jay's professional look (men are embracing skincare more but still mostly fail to appreciate that a little makeup can make them look better but still natural). The only thing that bothered me was that most looks called for no foundation and concealer used sparingly. Winona Ryder couldn't have been his only subject with freckles. Everyone else had flawless skin. I can't help but think the concealer was used with a heavier hand than implied by the text.
March 12, 2019
Interesting for any aspiring make-up artist or anyone interested in make-up application. The book contains beautiful photos and a lot of useful tips. The application process is explained really concisely and in a step-by-step fashion. Aucoin also outlines several fashionable make-up looks of the 1900s per decade. Despite all this, the actual content and tips provided me with no new knowledge, being a make-up lover and fervent viewer of many YouTube make-up artists. However, it's good to be reminded of the theory behind make-up application and it will certainly be of good use as a reference for make-up looks of a certain decade.
April 29, 2021
- There are no other skin care routine that could be as permanent as changing life habit: exercise, good diet and practice "safe sun"
- Plastic surgery often does wonders, but it's what's inside that's important: plastic surgeon often suggest people to use makeup rather than hoping plastic surgery can boost a person's confidence
- When applying foundation, make sure the face and the neck are evenly balanced. Otherwise face would look like a mask
- Liquid foundation can create a more "natural" look than others
- Plastic surgery often does wonders, but it's what's inside that's important: plastic surgeon often suggest people to use makeup rather than hoping plastic surgery can boost a person's confidence
- When applying foundation, make sure the face and the neck are evenly balanced. Otherwise face would look like a mask
- Liquid foundation can create a more "natural" look than others
April 30, 2022
Timeless advice, brand- agnostic, totally ignores the gimmicks, and has something for everyone. Holds up, even in today's influencer culture and heavily politicized, unregulated cosmetics industry. Aucoin's gift was seeing the beauty in everyone and in bringing it out by being present and highlighting what's already there, and that is something which is simply not bound by time; it's just pure artistry. I did at times wish that he went more into the color and art theory behind his thought processes, but I suppose that would be a different book.
February 16, 2019
I recently saw the Netflix documentary about Kevyn Aucoin and was interested in seeing his books. Even though I never have and never will wear makeup, I thought this book was excellent. First, if you do wear makeup, the instructions here are clear, well designed, and friendly. Second, the book contains interesting side bar memories and reflections. Third, it is easy to see this as art, and faces as canvases, and Aucoin as a skilled and generous artist.
March 20, 2018
A very informative, quick read with detailed pictures and instructions. very useful for beginners, but people that have loved doing makeup on themselves for a while will also find a few useful tips and tricks.
July 8, 2019
I was hoping it would be more how-to and not just a picture book. The book preview is misleading. However, it is an interesting book and it's fascinating seeing the difference between the before and after pics and seeing the stars and models portray beauty icons of the past.
September 28, 2020
I loved seeing all the "behind the scenes" of Aucoin's work but what really made this great was that he made it very clear you don't need makeup in order to feel beautiful, it's simply a fun thing to do which is how I feel about my own makeup application
October 16, 2019
90s makeup at its best.
November 15, 2019
Wonderful ,simple sketches of faces and display of make up technique. Kevyn's kindness and artistry shines.
January 1, 2020
Wonderful book full of lots of tips and information about Kevyn alongside. Would recommend this book if you are a fan of beauty or would like to learn some skills.
February 2, 2020
This is THE book for makeup lovers. Kevyn Aucoin was certainly a genius and a visionary. This book explores and breaks down iconic looks from previous decades. A great book for anyone who wants to improve their application technique.
March 11, 2020
Beautifully photographed and illustrated, some great tips from a master.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews