Customer Reviews

About Face: Amazing Transformations Using the Secrets of the Top Celebrity Makeup Artist

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Scott Barnes may indeed be an amazing make-up artist, but I found the book a bit disappointing. The description for the book states, "Part One focuses on dramatic makeovers of real women with a twist: each woman comes in looking the best she thinks she can look. The author then deconstructs and debunks their look taking them from attractive to amazing." In the first set of makeovers four out of five were models. In total, nine of the "real" women were models, and two more have worked in television. Yes, models are obviously real women, but not the kind I expected in this book. I expected the everyday women to be made over, not just the five that were in the book. And, except for some lipstick or gloss and perhaps eye shadow it didn't look like they were wearing much make-up to begin with by the look of their skin and under-eye circles. Certainly, they did not present themselves as the best they could make themselves up on their own. Nor was the book in sections as mentioned. My favorite "real women" make-over was Katherine. Barnes took her from the everyday women to a beautiful women who reminded me of Julia Roberts. Throughout the book several actresses spoke about their experiences with Barnes. The remainder of the book did provide some interesting and useful information.

I am a sucker for transformations. I love seeing the ugly duckling turn into the beautiful swan. The more drastic the transformation, the better.

The premise of this book is that real women, looking their best, would be redone by master make-up artist Scott Barnes. The women are "real" in so far as they exist but they are far from average in looks. The bulk are models or otherwise in fashion or show business. Like most models on assignment, they are bare faced when they arrive for their transformation. I doubt that is how they look their best unless it is the best they look when biking to their Pilates classes.

That being said, some of the make overs are amazing. Katherine went from pretty to polished and professional. Danielle went from everyday to exotic. The remainder are standard model shots, unmade up to smoldering eyes and pouty mouths. However, sometimes the transformation is different not better. Lauren,a beach bunny type is morphed into an ice queen. Different, perhaps. Better, not really. Others, Louisa and Linda were unimpressive. And then there was Elizabeth the only senior citizen in the bunch. She was also the only one who looked like she took some time with her makeup before shot As for the after, well her makeup was beautiful. perhaps it was the full front shot, but I thought she looked better before.

The photographs are gorgeous and the transformations are displayed photographically, step by step. Note that the text instructions do not always correspond to the photo. This book assumes a certain degree of experience with makeup application. If you are lacking that, there are many fine books on makeup application including the classic Way Bandy, also check out Robert Jones and Jemma Kidd.

The text of the book is forgettable. Included
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ are gushy essays to and from celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Mariska Hargitay, Judith Light and Kim Kardashian(why?). There are also interviews with the models that are totally inane. IN the center the author interview two doctors about skin care and skin cancer. The author lost his brother to skin cancer. Included is an interview with a teenager who has stage 3 melanoma and her mother. Again the detail was lacking and I found the mother insensitive when she said that her daughter was not one of those people who fried herself or used tanning beds. Most people I know who use tanning bed and still fry themselves are young teenage girls. I don't think people who do not appreciate the risk should be condemned to die of a terrible disease and this woman's statement was ignorant.

I enjoyed looking at the pictures in this book. I have begun using some of his techniques, ie, putting on highlighter and concealer before the rest of the makeup and relying more on brushes for application. The man is an artist with an appreciation of light and color. His emphasis is on bringing out the best of each of the models as opposed to changing them. This book was refreshingly devoid of the hide your big nose, draw over your thin lips and make your face a perfect oval mentality. Still,it would have been better had the models been everyday people of different ages not associated with fashion or show biz. As it was they were pretty ducklings who turned into prettier ducklings.

I could tell by the cover what type of book this was going to be. See J.lo on the cover..she dosent look like that in real life with even the best make-up! its all air brushing. A peak inside reveals mostly white women( I think i saw one Asian woman, and an Ethiopian woman, and a Brazillian woman..ooh exotic!) with their faces covered in contour powder. Its not real women make up..its photo shoot make up...so just be warned..the women get make overs and the end photo is with them covered in this make-up and digitally enhanced and modified..i quickly put the book down...

I've never really read a make-up book before, so this was my first.
I am a one trick pony when it comes to make-up and usually stick to just blush. The book was quite interesting as the makeup artist went through a range of different faces, from having literally no eye lids to far set eyes and all these awesome tips to bring out different features.
The models in the book also give their opinion after the makeup is applied as well.
A good read sprinkled with good little tips.

I love Scott Barnes' work!!!! BUT this book is a huge disappointment. Not a single makeover was wearable in everyday life. Great in theory but not realistic. Not the book for real women wanting to learn about makeup!!!!!

When I first picked up this book, I wasn't really that excited. It just seemed like way too much makeup to apply on the average day. I love makeup and I love to get glammed up sometimes, but I don't have the lifestyle to wear a lot every day. I revisited the reviews since the book is now available on Kindle and I decided to take a chance. I'm so glad I did. If you actually take the time to READ the book, there is a whole lot of wisdom. Scott's way of preparing the face/doing foundation is worth the cost of the book alone. The same contouring technique can be used with a light or a heavy hand. I did my face this morning using his face technique and one of his eye techniques (as simple as it gets) with some peach cream blush and I love it.

The interviews with the women are also fun to read, and often inspiring. The them of enhancing your beauty to harness the power of your womanhood is prevalent, and it's wonderful. If you are hesitant to buy this book, look beyond what seems to be pictures of perhaps heavily made-up women. You'll be surprised at the interesting and simple techniques used and the wealth of information in the book. I'm not sure I will ever do my face makeup again using a different method.

I have purchased several makeup books, and I have always loved the traditional Bobbi Brown's and Kevin Aucoin, but this Scott Barnes book shares so clearly the technique application that I definitely suggest you MUST buy it if you are a makeup artist.

I'm such a big fan of all of Kevin Aucoin's books (RIP). This book however really disappointed me. First, the makeup application is very old school heavy stage makeup. Second, the photos in the book were very dark and not very well lit. Third, I disliked how the instructions were laid out making it cluttered and confusing. Lasty and most importantly, I didn't really like most the looks in the book. Save your money cause I regret spending mine.

The title of the book is truly what the book is about, transformation. Most of the women were practically unrecognizable after all the makeup and airbrushing of the photo. My reactions are mixed to the book, it's nice and I learned some really great tips on applying makeup. The section on skin care is great as well too. Scott Barnes is an amazing makeup artist and has true talent, which is why I was excited to get this book.

And this is where my enjoyment of the book ended. Its a big book, much bigger than other makeup books out there currently. I felt most of it was simply filler. Each transformation was accompanied by an interview between Scott and the model, this I feel could have been totally left out. It wasn't necessary to know this fashion/tv model has dreams of being a political figure or whatever it is they want to do. I simply do not care, I did not purchase the book to read about a model's life ambition. Some of the models looked even older with their makeup on, like Katherine, but then once the photo was airbrushed she looked much younger. When you're looking at the untouched photo, it appears he has a very heavy hand with powder, or the camera picked up on every single pore, wrinkle, and grain on their face. Makeup shouldn't look caked on. For me, I was able to pick up eye makeup tips on one model, Danielle, because of her hooded eye shape. There were some other women who had a slight hood to their eye but I noticed the makeup was the same, not as intricate like the other eyeshapes were. I didn't see the need for any celebrity interviews. And lastly, the actual photos of the transformation were so small compared to the photos of everything else.

I, unfortunately, feel this book wasn't worth the wait. It could have been so much better considering the amount of skill Scott has, his skill definitely shows but I think there was just too much unnecessary things thrown into the book.

Fantastic book....exactly what I was looking for. A book that introduce a person to makeup,shows how to apply makeup and also talks about beauty but most importantly how beauty starts from the INSIDE!! I bought the book for my daughter who has a love for makeup and she thinks this book is "very cool".