Customer Reviews

The 5-Minute Face: The Quick & Easy Makeup Guide for Every Woman

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I hate to be a dissenting voice amongst the other reviewers, especially since I really like Carmindy on WNTW, but there it is. This is an okay, not great book. If you are experienced with makeup application you might find this to be a repeat of the basics, with no real new tricks added. There are many pictures of Carmindy, and even though I think she is lovely, I would have liked more (before and after) photos of other women -- I already know what Carmindy looks like.

There are a couple of lists in the back that are interesting: they detail the products Carmindy uses (and cheaper alternatives). I was pleased to see many of the same brands I like and use: Smashbox, NARS, Cargo, Dior, MAC, Lorac, Benefit, etc. and for these lists I gave the book three stars. On another positive note, if you are inexperienced with makeup or if you are a teenager, then this would probably be a useful book for you to purchase. I am 40, I have been using makeup for a long time, and was a bit disappointed by this book. I still think that Carmindy is a great makeup artist, I just didn't glean a whole lot from "The 5-Minute Face."

I am a huge fan of the show, and love the makeup Carmindy does. She always makes women look natural, beautiful, and sexy. I love the book because she gives all her teqniques, and better yet ACTUAL products, for acheiving the looks. And she does this for every age, skin tone, special occassion, and everyday look possible. Plus, it's easy to do yourself. As a young mom who no longer hits the night scene, I find myself stuck in the same old without the expendible money to try the newest products in the newest colors for my skin and hair color. That's why this book is great. It's simple, but complete. My only critique is that she stops giving advice past the 50's crew, and there's no makeup suggestions in there for us fitness fanatics (we want to look good too - hey sometimes it doesn't happen till the end of the day!). Carmindy does a beautiful job and I found the number of pics just right to give a visual to the look she was portraying. I am buying two of these books as gifts for Mother's Day. Highly recommended!

I was always so frustrated that she never seems to explain makeup application on the show! I'd think to myself, wait! Slow down!!! Now its all explained, and anyone can know how she does it whether they watch the show or not. Carmindy seems like a very sweet lady who loves all people and wants them to look their best. She has helped me, by watching What Not to Wear, to wear more age-appropriate makeup. I'm in my late twenties and was constantly wearing dark and bright lipstick, and love my red. Not that I can't wear them anymore, but she's done so many makeovers on the show, showing how making people pretty can mean a paler, pearlier lip and a smoky eye. I've been trying out her tips for women in their 20's, again the smoky eye, pearly, semi-glossy lip, and bronzer, and am finding it way sexier and age relevant. I'm also a beauty analyst at a large makeup company and am begining to take my "cheat sheet" of her tips for women of all age groups (I just apply the 50's to women 50 and above) to work with me. Not that she gives rules. I find her watercolor approach to makeup fun and revealing. I also like her tip about using a blush brush for powder application for more control of where the powder ends up (no more powder in the eyebrows) and using a powder brush for blush because she says it huggs the cheek better.

I absolutely love this book. The five minute face is easy to accomplish. I've received many compliments on how great my makeup looks using her techniques. The steps on any of Carmindy's looks are easy to follow and obtain. I loved the list in the back of all the makeup that was used throughout the book. I would hate to share how much money I've spent before this book trying to obtain this look. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to try a new a look or wants to look beautiful in five minutes.

As a fan of Carmindy's segment on "What Not to Wear", I was disappointed that this book did not follow the show's successful format. What is so appealling about Carmindy's WNTW segments is taking ducklings (real women) and turning them into swans. This book features only flawless high fashion models getting different styles of makeup. For instance when the text is discussing how to cover up under eye circles, the photos show a flawless 20-something model with no hint of under eye circles. Ditto the section on eyebrow grooming - the same flawlessly groomed creature looking no different from one photo to the next. There is also a lack of photos that explain to you what the various components in a makeup kit are used for. There are plenty of photos of makeup artfully splashed across the pages, but these photos are arty, not instructive. At least half the photos are of Carmindy staring straight into the camera looking gorgeous, or Carmindy looking gorgeous next to a gorgeous model. The book would have been light years better if she had stuck with the real people make-overs that have made her famous. It feels like a betrayal to have our heroine tneding only to high fashion models - if we looked like that models on these pages wouldn't be watching WNTW! So thumbs down to the editors of this book and to Carmindy for creating a photo spread of herself and high fashion models and not keeping it real.

I felt so cheated by this book. This book can be summed up by simply saying that you can do your makeup in 5 minutes by simply cutting out half of your makeup routine. For example, instead of using lip liner and lipstick, just dab on some lip gloss. And if you have to do anything special--like curling your lashes, concealing blemishes, or a night out on the town, that's not included within the allotted 5 minutes.
I bought this book because the description mentioned that it can teach you how to conceal freckles. The secret?: Learn to live with them.
Instead of recommending colors for certain eye and hair combinations, she gives one set of colors for women in their 30's, one set of colors for women in their 50's, etc. I don't know about you, but I can't wear orange blush and lipstick.

This is one of the best written, do-it-yourself makeup books out on the market. No elaborate tricks, no special lighting, no hard-to-find products. No cookie cutter look of the same color makeup applied to different women.

This book will quickly and easily help you find the best makeup products and colors based on your age, hair and skin color.

PROS
* It takes you step by step, from skin care, to picking the right foundation, to getting perfect brows, to the 5-minute basic make-up routine that is great by itself and/or becomes the basis for more other looks (black tie, holiday, vacation, wedding).
* Only 3-7 beauty products are needed, usually available at your local drugstore or department store.
* There's a complete list of recommended products in back - each with a splurge ($$$) or inexpensive option ($). It would be useful to know about this up front instead of finding it in back by surprise as not everyone would read the book all the way though.
* There are wonderful pictures and how-to instructions to follow specifically for redheads, brunettes or blondes. For light skinned, Asian, mocha skinned, dark skinned, or olive skinned. For teenagers, and for women in their 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50s (grey hair). Special looks - smoky eye, retro, bronze goddess, jewel tones.
* For each section, there are tips and a list of makeup products/ colors to achieve the look shown.
* The book more than pays for itself as you get specific product recommendations based on your coloring from a top makeup pro. Don't panic - the colors suggested sometimes look unusual (pearly highlighter, eggplant eyeshadow, light peach blush) but once applied they look great and very natural.

CONS:
* The routine is so simple and the list of best products so small, it's almost minimalist, but it works! You might see all the makeup you bought in the past (and barely used) and regret it.
* There seems to be a look for anyone and everyone, so a lot of it won't apply to you. Nonetheless, there are useful tips throughout - as well as wonderful pictures - it's worth reading it all the way through.
* There are no "before" pictures, although the makeup is so natural looking that you don't notice the makeup, you just see that each woman looks great.

In all, a great buy if you're looking for simple makeup routine that's easy and inexpensive to duplicate at home.

Carmindy, from "What Not to Wear", goes details for creating your own five minute face, but the book goes far beyond that. She breaks down makeup application by skin colors, age, and special events. She gives product suggestions so you can find the exact makeup and color she uses based on hair color or age. She even gives the brand name for both an expensive and inexpensive spray foundation. I enjoyed reading the book as an addition to the show, which often only devotes a few minutes to makeup. This expands what she does in the show and is well worth buying. I really enjoyed reading it. This is practical approach to applying makeup. I'm glad I purchased it.

I was hoping the book would spill the tools, cosmetics and the accessories that Carmindy uses in her shows and videos. Was very disappointed in her list of suggested products since some of the ones she uses look nothing like the ones she suggests. I wish she had given more information on the brand name of brushes she uses, the exact makeup used for the faces shown in the book. The book was too generic on the subject and was totally useless for me at least.

I enjoyed this book a lot and found much of the information useful. The photos are very good too except for the fact that all the models have flawless skin! The step by step guide for eyebrows is fantastic. The main let downs I feel it had was the limited information on Blondes and Brunettes particularly. Firstly, not all blondes are cool-toned - some actually need warm toned makeup to look their best. Secondly, not all brunettes are medium skin toned. There are many fair skinned brunettes such as myself and I feel there is no specfic information for us! Also lacking is information for women over the age of 50 which may disappoint a few ladies out there, I am sure.