…what a beauty book looks like before it actually ends up on the bookstore shelf?
Here’s a side view of a beauty book manuscript I’m helping to edit. I’ve been working on it all morning long. I can’t reveal the name of the author or the book title yet (it still doesn’t have a title), but ya’ll will be the first ones to get the skinny once it’s ready. 🙂
Anyway, after an hour or so of reading the manuscript, I started getting antsy, so I grabbed my pan of MAC Parrot eyeshadow and held it for comfort. Sidenote: Yes, I am a weirdo.
With MAC Parrot in one hand and the manuscript in the other, I experienced a sudden Makeup and Beauty Blog math moment (Insert clouds parting overhead and sunlight streaming through *here*)! The width of one 400-page beauty book manuscript is approximately equal to the width of one pan of MAC Parrot. The Pythagorean theorem it ain’t, but you know what they say — knowledge is power, yo.
Speaking of powerful knowledge, here’s a list of beauty books compiled from your recommendations in the comments the other day.
Recommended Beauty Books
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Making Faces, by Kevyn Aucoin
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Face Forward, by Kevyn Aucoin
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Ultimate Makeovers: Expert Makeup Secrets for Stunning Transformations: Including Weddings and Special Occasions, by Robert Jones
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Don’t Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, by Paula Begoun
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The Beauty Bible: The Ultimate Guide to Smart Beauty, by Paula Begoun
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Beauty Confidential: The No Preaching, No Lies, Advice-You’ll-Actually-Use Guide to Looking Your Best, by Nadine Haobsh
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Body Painting: Masterpieces, by Joanne Gair
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The Face of the Century, by Kate De Castelbajac
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Bobbi Brown Beauty Evolution: A Guide to a Lifetime of Beauty, by Bobbi Brown
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Bobbi Brown Teenage Beauty: Everything You Need to Look Pretty, Natural, Sexy & Awesome, by Bobbi Brown
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Pretty: The Nylon Book of Beauty, by the Editors of Nylon Magazine
I’m psyched about expanding my makeup reference library. Thanks again for your recommendations!
How’s your morning been so far? Did ya snag some Fafi loot? Don’t be shy; share with the class.
Later this afternoon I plan to post a short tutorial on the Lancome Stylish Neutrals Eyeshadow Palette (aka my current obsession), so stay tuned!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Holly says
February 13th, 2008 at 1:26 pmIts OK Karen your not alone, sometimes when im writing a horrible essay like my current advanced contract one and I get stressed I relieve it by stroking my face with my fave Chanel brushes!! haha!
Also my favourite thing to do during a study break is a full makeup job lol! Im sure i think better when I look pretty!!
Breezy says
February 13th, 2008 at 1:40 pmUgh you feel my pain Karen, As I’m writing this, I’m avoiding writing a big ol spanish paper I’ve been putting off, seems like lookin for beauty stuff just calmes the nerves ha?
Yaay I got some Fafi, I got the Verve-Acious powder, its an awesome highlight, not too glittery but seems just perfect. And I waaas gonna get one of the lipsticks in Utterly Frivolous but I don’t do many pinks so I’m mulling it over. Weirdly enough though they gave my friend the wrong lipglass – Totally it- and I tried it on and love it, and its super pink, go figure. How about you?
Tekoa says
February 13th, 2008 at 1:55 pmIts okay, I too use my makeup as comfort objects. During my Semester of Hell (a thousand curses on multivariate statistics) I lined up items from the Antiquitease collection on my desk to calm me down.
I think I listed it already, but I got both quads, Hipness blush, Sugar Trance/ Cult Fave lipglosses, Rollickin/Cash Flow/Perky/Nice Vice paint pots and High Top/Utterly Frivolous and Fun N Sexy lipsticks. My bank account weeps!
I think Fun N Sexy is the sleeper beauty of the launch. I’m going to get a backup of it on Friday (my first ever!), and Totally It lipgloss. In other news, there is a kitten perched on my shoulders 0_o.
Lea says
February 13th, 2008 at 2:15 pmlol. You’re such a nerd Karen..a cool nerd. Did you use a liquid liner for pen? Lipgloss to highlight footnotes? Red lipstick for edit marks? Ehrrmmm…I must stop now, weido-ness is contagious!
Karen says
February 13th, 2008 at 2:49 pmHolly,
You crack me up! I am totally guilty of doing the same thing with my brushes. I have a Shu Uemura fan brush that I keep near my computer and I like to run it over my face while I’m reading, ha ha ha!
I have yet to bust a full-makeover yet during a writing session but have a feeling that will happen very soon. 🙂
Lilan says
February 13th, 2008 at 3:01 pmHey Karen,
If you ever decide to bust out a full-on makeover during one of your writing sessions, you bet we’d want to know what kind of beauty looks emerge! And I bet they’d run the gammit too! Frustration, utter elation knowing that you’re almost done? Or something in between?
Oh LORD, you do NOT want to know how much I hauled from Fafi today. I wholeheartedly expected to walk away with a paint pot or two and MAYBE one or two lippies. Dangit, I bought:
– 4 paint pots
– 3 lipsticks
– 2 lipglasses
– 1 blush
– and both eye palettes
Can you say, WTF????? LOL 😀
Karen says
February 13th, 2008 at 3:24 pmBreezy! You better get the Espanol paper done! Vamanos!
Yay, loot. I didn’t get to go to the MAC counter this morning but will pop by this afternoon to see where fate will take me, LOL!
Karen says
February 13th, 2008 at 3:27 pmAwww, cute, Tekoa!
I wish I had a nice kitten on my shoulder (jealous!). Right now I can see a white and grey cat outside my window sitting on the hood of my car. It’s the same one that lurks about when it’s sunny. He totally chills on the car and leaves paw prints all over the windshield. Whenever I go out there to pet him he meows a few times, then lets me pet him once (maybe twice) and then runs away! He’s such a user!
Karen says
February 13th, 2008 at 3:28 pmHey Lea,
I would totally mark up manuscripts with makeup if I could! A MAC technakohl here, a Spice lipliner there…LOL!
Karen says
February 13th, 2008 at 3:37 pmHi Lilan,
Yay, how fun! I am psyched about your haul! Aren’t the characters so cute? I totally want to be a Fafinette for Halloween now!
Lilan says
February 13th, 2008 at 3:45 pmOoo, it would be soo cute to be Fafinettes for Halloween! Although I don’t think Big Daddy is going to let me walk around trick or treating with a dress like that on, LOL 🙂
Can’t wait to see what you pick up today too Miss Karen! And I can’t wait to go home and play with my new makeup. I kinda wished they beauty powders were a little finer – too corse for me, boo!
Mrs. Lynne says
February 13th, 2008 at 3:58 pmI can imagine that! You know, I don’t remember where I saw it, but someone actually brings the Paula Begoun book with them to the counter when shopping. I wonder what kind of magic is in there! Lol.
Holly says
February 13th, 2008 at 4:05 pmHi Karen,
You have to try the makeover as a stress buster technique!
My friends find it hysterical that they drop round on a day they know im staying in studying all day and im in full makeup including a full on smokey eye and im like ‘no im not actually leaving the house, just practicing!’ I think the problem is I never really got over that 13 yr old having fun doing makeovers stage of life!
Anna22 says
February 13th, 2008 at 5:28 pmWell i hope the book will be a success!!And as far as i am concerned since you had to do something with it, it will be!as for me everytime i had an exam since i was 18 i would be fully makeuped, i’m talking smokey eye at 7 in the morning,so i know what you mean.
Melissa says
February 13th, 2008 at 7:07 pmHi Karen,
Just wanted to pop in and say hi. I haven’t got to check out Fafi yet (boo) because of the most horrendous cold and a random case of (not cute) pink eye. I could just see myself at the MAC counter…”What colors do you think would look good with this pink eye?”
I’m glad I’m not the only one who finds makeup comforting.
Thanks for the recs!
PeeChee says
February 13th, 2008 at 7:41 pmHey Karen…
I got my taxes done this morning and since I got a return…I figured it wouldn’t be to bad to get a little thing or two of the Fafi line. ha ha.
I went after work (with my two crazy boys) which is like an olympic event in itself. 🙂 I was gonna test the items but there were some gals oogling the display and my boys started going crazy since they were probably thinking “there goes mommy again”. I heard the MUA say they were sold out of a lot of the items already. Next thing I know I just said, “I’ll just get all the paint pots!” To my luck…they still had them!! I’m a bit scared to go back (especially the freestanding MAC store) to try the other items as I may buy them all!!
Hope your doing well!
Live Fabulously says
February 13th, 2008 at 8:03 pmoh, how i miss kevyn aucoin. 🙁
Karen says
February 13th, 2008 at 10:18 pmHi Lilan,
Did you pick up any of the Barbie Beauty Powders last year? Now those are the sh*zz. I snagged both of ’em and kinda wish that I bought backups.
Karen says
February 13th, 2008 at 10:20 pmHi Mrs. Lynne,
Ha! I guess some people take the title literally. Hey, it never hurts to be informed I say (although I would’ve left it in the car…I don’t want to trek that book around the mall.)
Karen says
February 13th, 2008 at 10:22 pmHi Holly,
LOL, that’s so cute! That’s happened a few times with El Hub, ha. He’ll come home for work, and I’ll be playing with colors just for fun, and when he’ll walk through the door I’ll be in full on Night-on-the-Town makeup.
Forget deep breathing – makeup stress relief all the way!
Karen says
February 13th, 2008 at 10:25 pmThanks Anna! LOL, smokey eye at 7:00? You’re my hero. If I was a morning person I’d probably do something like that, but since I’m not I don’t forsee it happening any time soon!
Karen says
February 13th, 2008 at 10:28 pmHi Melissa,
Great to hear from you! Sorry to hear about your cold and the (not cute) pink eye, boo. I hope you’re taking good care of yourself and that you get better soon.
Maybe holding some MAC eyeshadow in your palm will heal you! 😀
Karen says
February 13th, 2008 at 10:36 pmHi Peechee!
How old are your boys? You know, it just hit me…you’re a mom. Wow. One of my earliest memories ever is of us hanging out in your living room and dancing and singing along to the song “Upside Down” with your mom, LOL.
And I also remember watching Prince’s “Purple Rain” at your slumber party and being slightly confused during the entire movie, ha!
It’s amazing how time flies by, and how now we’re the grown ups (although truthfully, I still feel like a kid masquerading as an adult).
I am so psyched for your Paint Pot haul! I think you’ve got the strength to hit the freestanding store…you can do it! The trick is to tell yourself that you’ll just go and just go in and “look”.
Did you get to see any of the dolls? I know you’ve got l
Karen says
February 13th, 2008 at 10:37 pmHi Live Fabulously,
Me too. He was very talented and seemed very loved by many people.
Mrs. Lynne says
February 13th, 2008 at 11:26 pmYah, I would have left it in the car also. If it’s pocket size it might be able to come with, but I’m imagining a book like that ain’t small.. or is it?? *scratches head*
What’s the plans for tomorrow yo?
Karen says
February 13th, 2008 at 11:30 pmI gotta go and earn my keep for half the day. The other half will be spent getting ready to leave for my trip – going to Vegas this weekend to hang with a gang of Hawaiians. Yes, they will be at THE CALIFORNIA HOTEL. I need to find my stretchy pants because my in-laws like to eat!
How about you?
Mrs. Lynne says
February 14th, 2008 at 12:55 amAh, the good ‘ol California Hotel. I’ve never been but I bet the buffets there are mad! Too bad you weren’t hanging out here on the island. That would have been waaay spiff hun!
I definitely wouldn’t mind a trip SOMEWHERE though! But we probably won’t do anything special and just make up for it during the weekend. Even at that, I’m sure it’ll be something low key. We’re married, have kids… you can say we’ve really simplified special occasions, hah. But I’m really a cheap date. I just enjoy us having time together. And since Hubbo has a 3-day weekend, it’s always a treat to have him around an extra day 🙂
Karen says
February 15th, 2008 at 9:45 pmHi Mrs. Lynne,
So I experienced the California Hotel first hand today and it was surreal…it was seriously like being on the island. There’s even an ABC store, holy crap!
Hope you and your lovely family have a great, relaxing looooooong weekend together!
Mrs. Lynne says
February 15th, 2008 at 11:08 pmThey done unleashed the ABC in the hotel, eh? How about THAT! Are there Plumerias, Hibiscus’, and Birds of Paradises all over the place too? Do they have any famous statues there of like King Kamehameha? Or Queen Liliuokalini? I’m so intrigued! I must see for myself!!! Hah.
Karen says
February 17th, 2008 at 8:16 pmOh yeah, it’s like a slice of Hawaii out in the middle of the desert. You can even get a big ole lunch plate (complete with a scoop of mac salad) at restaurant in the middle of the hotel. Almost every person speaks pidgin, too. It’ll be like you never left the island 🙂
Mrs. Lynne says
February 17th, 2008 at 9:11 pm“Ah, you know dakine?” Its funny because I’m a total Cali that when I talk to my friends now, they said they can hear an accent, lol. I think it just depends who I’m around. Like if it’s broken English all around, I can talk short sentences too, dip my voice, and end the sentence with “yah?”.
Oh.. did they have Korean BBQ there? Or like an L&L?