Beauty411

Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual: Essential Reading

Bobbi Brown has authored a new Makeup Manual that is so good, you feel like she is right next to you giving expert guidance.  In the Makeup Manual, you get the benefit of Bobbi's years of experience as a makeup artist and teacher.  She writes in a style and voice that is her hallmark: simple, direct, easy to understand--and not over your head.  This is the makeup book that Bobbi Brown fans have been waiting for: her 25-plus years of makeup styling experience translated into one complete, gorgeous book.

The Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual includes a Ten Step Guide to Perfect Makeup that teaches you how to apply your makeup in ten minutes or less.  The book is comprehensive, covering everything from skincare to brushes, to how to choose the right shades and colors of makeup.  That chapter is worth the price of the book alone.  Not only that, but the business side of the beauty industry--what it takes to become a makeup artist, the tools you need and how to put together a portfolio.  The pictures are so well done; closeups of the products used and great, detailed, instructions on how to get each look.

Want to take a peek inside the book? 

As a beauty fanatic, I'm always looking to learn new tips and techniques and I honestly couldn't put the Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual down when I got it.  This isn't a book that is meant to sit on a shelf; it's a book meant to be a working manual.  Keep it near your makeup, because you will want to refer to it often.

The Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual (hardcover $32) is available now at Bobbi Brown counters, online at BobbiBrown.com and at booksellers nationwide. 

Anastasia All About Brows Kit

Anastasia All About Brows Kit contains everything you need for creating and grooming the perfect eyebrow.  This brilliant kit contains tweezers, a Brow Powder compact, four Brow Stencils, a Duo Brush (angled cut on one end, a "spooley" on the other), Clear Brow Gel and a Matte Camille Highlighter.  I've been using this eyebrow kit for about 4 weeks now and have really come to love it, especially the Camille Highlighter pencil. 

Anastasia Soare has developed a complete and well-thought out line of eyebrow products, using her Eyebrow Salon in Beverly Hills as a working lab.  To consistently have well-shaped brows, use one of the stencils in the kit that aligns with both the front and tail end of your brow.  You then use the angled brush to apply the Brow Powder, filling in where necessary.  Using the tweezers, pluck hair that falls outside of the line created by the stencil.  Apply Highlighter under brows (I also apply on inner aspect of eye area to brighten). Apply the Brow Gel, then using spooley brush, use upward strokes to hold brow into shape.  Step back and marvel at perfect brows!

The Anastasia All About Brow Kit is available at Sephora and Nordstrom.  Expert services are also available at at Anastasia Brow Studios at Nordstrom locations throughout the U.S.

 Meeting Anastasia and watching her actually demonstrate her technique using the All About Brows Kit was one of the highlights of the Total Beauty Summit that I attended in May.  Check out the video that Laurie from Beauty's Spot shot that day:

The Smokey Eye: Updated

The smokey eye trend continues to be strong this season.  Yet doing a "good" smokey eye look takes alot of practice.  As with any good technique, the right tools are essential.  I recommend the Sephora Smokey Eye Kit.  This kit provides 5 brushes--the wide smudge, all over shadow, small domed-smudge, detail and dual sided brow brush/comb, plus a full size volumizing mascara. To change up your look, instead of a dark, smokey eye, lighten it up using the new Bleu Celestes eyeshadow quad from the Spring '08 Chanel collection. Gorgeous! To further assist with the lesson, Beauty 411 turns to the experts at Sephora.  Check out this video tutorial: