Alphabet of taste: 10 books about makeup
Masha Vorslav
If the format of study on schedule you are sick and want to dedicate autumn to replenishing visual baggage, perhaps the books on beauty will be well placed. We have collected 10 impressive volumes, which is worth getting acquainted with all those who are not indifferent to makeup (and the indifferent - especially).
Allure. Confessions of a Beauty Editor
In 2006, Allure turned 15 years old, and chief editor Linda Wells and other editors of the magazine poured all the accumulated experience into one illustrated book. In fact, "Confessions of a Beauty Editor" is a collection of tips for almost all occasions: ten sections cover skin, nail and body care issues; hairstyles, hair dyes and makeup. Critics point out that the book pays little attention to the peculiarities of non-European appearance and superficially covers the topic of age. However, this does not detract from the usefulness of the publication for the average Russian reader.
Makeup Is Art: Professional Techniques for Creating Original Looks
The weighty volume, even though it contains blotches of instructions (“how to draw lips-lollipops” and “print snowflakes on the skin”), would rather be called a thematic group portfolio than a reference book. Most of the content is made up of photos of makeup of different degrees of explosiveness (rhinestones, colored false eyelashes, bleached skin), and it will be equally interesting for both the sophisticated and non-savvy reader.
Beauty and Cosmetics 1550-1950
The relatively new book of the historian Sarah Downing covers an impressive period of four centuries (the age of makeup, of course, is not limited to them). The author compares the standards of beauty of different times, supports them with socio-cultural studies and explores the metaformoses of the world of cosmetics in a specific period of time: from poisonous whitewash Elizabeth to four Marilyn Monro’s lipsticks used at a time, if more specifically.
10-Minute Make-up
All the best instructions in one place. In fact, if you score the name of a book in the search bar, very similar lessons will come out of the tags. "10-Minute Make-up" tells about the basic techniques of applying blush and tonal tools; How to repeat the obvious and not very makeup and choose comfortable tools. True, the publisher, claiming the name, was somewhat cunning: for an inexperienced user, it is acceptable to stick false eyelashes on the upper one - not to mention the lower eyelid, and in 15 minutes it will not work.
Making faces
It is difficult to choose one of the books by Kevin Okuana (we believe that it is necessary to collect all of them). For the first acquaintance, perhaps, "Making Faces" and "Face Forward" are suitable: they immediately read the scale of the figure of a makeup artist who worked with celebrities of all stripes and who could make a copy of Linda Evangelista not the most feminine-looking man. By the way, Kevin is the only makeup artist who has received the CFDA Award and one of the few professionals who insisted on increasing the number of black models in the industry.
Makeup Your Mind: Express Yourself
The book of the founder of the brand NARS is built on contrasts: on its pages, girls of different ages and races are photographed before and after makeup. There are two streams of thoughts from here: firstly, once again you can see how cosmetics can change any face, and secondly, you get more into the spirit of a person, in a corner with cosmetics whose hands stretch to almost everything. Well, “Makeup Your Mind” can be used as a practical guide: because of the universality mentioned, it is relevant for people of any type of appearance.
Alchemy of beauty
"Alchemy of Beauty" is similar to the second book from the list, but is closer to us in aesthetics. In general, Bob Resin is a hairdresser, and his book is about hair, but from the first (and second) glance this is not understandable: the make-up of models is not inferior to their hairstyles. We would recommend "Alchemy of Beauty" to anyone who believes that hair is less interesting for self-expression, and have not yet seen enough of the perfect combination of hairstyles and makeup.
Everything Eyes: Professional Techniques, Essential Tools, Gorgeous Makeup Looks
Fresh book Bobby Brown - about eye makeup. "Everything Eyes" shows not only ways to make up your eyes (step-by-step instructions of various degrees of complexity in a book of ten; there are even tips for those who wear glasses), but also conveys the basic rules for the care of complex eyelid skin. The list of necessary and most convenient tools (brushes, tweezers, curlers) is included, to each - an exhaustive explanation.
Express makeup
Here it is - a real guide on speed makeup. Ray Morris is one of our favorite make-up artists, we can look at her works endlessly, but because she often works during fashion weeks, she is more willing to believe in the veracity of the book's title. In "Express Makeup" there are both general tips ("if you have 10 minutes, dye your eyes, - lipstick and tone can be applied with a rear-view mirror or a pocket mirror"), and guidelines for specific images.
Nailed: The History of Nail Culture and Dzine
Strictly speaking, nail art does not apply to make-up, but as long as the list of worthy books about manicure is not recruited, we consider it permissible to include "Nailed: The History of Nail Culture and Dzine" in the selection. This book is one of the many projects of the American artist Carlos Rolon, in which he explores the history, functions and interrelationship of manicure with fashion, music and art - from the Ming empire to modern times. The content of the book is impressive: works of Paper Magazine co-founder Kim Hastreiter, Louis Hispert, Yonehary Yasuma, Jamel Shabazza, Mikalen Thomas and Fab5Freddy were placed on 192 pages.