Reviewed by Chun Yin Wah
Famous makeup artist Bobbi Brown (the founder of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics) has no trouble to fill an entire book with beauty tips for teenagers and young women in their twenties. In Beauty Rules: Fabulous Looks, Beauty Essentials and Life Lessons For Loving Your Teens and Twenties (2010, Chronicle Books, hardcover, 288 pages), the author gives step-by-step advice on how to apply makeup.
No complex technical or technique words appear. Brown also avoids using big cosmetics terms. Instead, she provides hundreds of photos in a “before” and “after” format.
There's even a foreword by singer and Hollywood actress Hillary Duff, who advises, “Keep in mind: We are all beautiful works-in-progress.” Elsewhere, the pictures show “real girls”, not celebrity role models.
The step-by-step applications appear easy to understand and follow. Many tips are so simple that I'm astonished at my failure to realize and know them long ago.
Since Brown founded a cosmetics enterprise, the photos and accompanying advice naturally place the author's own products and brand on display. The book makes a great promotional vehicle. But hey, if I can achieve similar looks by following the author's “step-by-step” guidance, then I have no objection to buying the products she promotes.
It's too bad I didn't get my hands on this book when I was younger. Then I'd have saved lots of time and money spent buying the wrong products.
Early on, Brown suggests a proper age “to get started” wearing makeup. She indicates that by age 12, girls can begin using “a little bit” (lip gloss and mascara). The author calls age nine much too early.
I knew nothing about makeup until age 17. What a late starter! For years, my only cosmetic was lip gloss. In those days, I thought I wouldn't need makeup until “old age” (which I perceived as starting at about 30) to cover my ancient, wrinkled face.
Beauty Rules contains good advice about what and how to apply makeup and what to avoid. Since Brown has her own products that sell globally, she understands the needs of different skin-types and nationalities. She gives relevant examples, such as Chinese, Indian, African-American and Latin.
For years, I wondered what each makeup brush did. Who knew that you can't use a lip-brush for the eyes? Trust me, I've tried. When young, I thought that I could use any brush any way I wanted. As Brown confirms, that won't work.
My main motivation to read a beauty book was to find DIY (do it yourself) product information because we need to be green these days. Fair enough that Brown has her own beauty merchandise and wants readers to continue buying in stores. But I credit her for a suggestion to avoid bottled water because the plastic bottles damage the environment. Why not go green with reusable drinking bottles?
For anyone wanting a basic beauty-and-makeup book, Beauty Rules may be a perfect choice. The language is easy to understand, and the steps easy to follow. Frankly, I'd call this a must-have guide for young women keen on the topic. It's the best book about makeup I've read.
Approval rating: 80 per cent.
For more information: www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com or www.chroniclebooks.com
(October 27, 2010)
Many tips are so simple....
The author understands the needs of
different skin-types and nationalities.
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