Making Faces

Making Faces is a makeup manual by renowned makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin, first published in 1997. The book combines step-by-step beauty techniques with photographs of celebrity transformations and personal stories from Aucoin's career. The content includes detailed instructions for makeup application, from basic skills to advanced techniques used by professionals. Aucoin demonstrates his methods through before-and-after photographs featuring both celebrities and everyday people, with clear explanations accompanying each look. The text covers fundamental topics like skin preparation, color theory, and tool selection, while also teaching specific techniques for eyes, lips, and face contouring. Photographs document the transformation process with multiple steps, allowing readers to follow along with precision. Beyond its practical instruction, the book stands as a statement about beauty's role in self-expression and identity. Through his work, Aucoin presents makeup as both an art form and a means of personal empowerment.

Readers appreciate the detailed makeup techniques, step-by-step photos, and transformative before/after images. Many note the book works for both beginners and professionals, with clear instructions for recreating iconic celebrity looks. Readers highlight: - High-quality photography - Clear explanations of face structure and bone manipulation - Inclusive approach to different skin tones/types - Personal stories and industry insights from Aucoin Common critiques: - Some techniques and products feel dated (published 1997) - Limited focus on everyday/natural makeup - Advanced looks require professional-grade products - Physical book quality issues (binding breaks easily) Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 4.3/5 (3,900+ ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (1,200+ ratings) "This book taught me more about makeup application in one chapter than years of YouTube tutorials," notes one Amazon reviewer. Several Goodreads reviews mention the book remains relevant despite its age: "The fundamentals of face structure and highlighting/contouring are timeless."

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🎨 Released in 1997, this groundbreaking beauty guide became a New York Times bestseller and remains influential in professional makeup artistry decades later 💄 Kevyn Aucoin transformed celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Janet Jackson into other famous faces within the book, including Marilyn Monroe and Josephine Baker 📸 The book features before-and-after photographs of 25 women of different ages and ethnicities, celebrating diversity in beauty years before it became an industry standard 👑 Prior to writing this book, Aucoin did makeup for over 200 Vogue magazine covers and was earning up to $6,000 per makeup session with private clients 🎓 Making Faces is used as a textbook in many professional makeup schools and was one of the first mainstream beauty books to include detailed technical information about color theory and facial anatomy