Originally published in 1956, this rare makeup, beauty and hairstyling book contains all of the information needed to create the glamorous movie-star look of the 1950s. Beginning with a self evaluation beauty questionnaire, the book will show you how to analyze, transform and perfect your own beauty by learning how to know and accent your best features while playing down and concealing your imperfections. Using this book, you'll discover the 1950s how-tos for: MAKEUP: cosmetics, foundations, face powders, rouge, lipstick, eye shadow, mascara, eyebrows, lips, cleansing creams, nourishing creams, skin fresheners, beauty problems; HAIR: custom home permanents, blocking, cutting, shampooing, pin-curling, bleaching, tinting, dyeing, hairstyles; PERSONALITY: poise, social graces, beauty and health, psychology of beauty; EXTRA-SPECIALS: photographic makeup, beauty progress chart, beauty aids, beauty bonuses, beauty budget, daily beauty routine, complete makeup procedure, questionnaires, charts, diagrams, pictures, comprehensive index. The authors of this book were the Westmore brothers who all worked in the motion picture industry as Directors of Makeup and Hairstyling at various movie studios. Their combined experience and knowledge of beauty, makeup and hairdressing culminates in this book which offers guidance and advice just as the Westmore's gave to some of the world's loveliest movie stars. The Westmore's explain with simple, easy-to-follow text and illustrations every aspect of beauty care and answer every beauty problem that may be yours -- all from a genuine 1950s viewpoint by those who created the makeup and beauty trends that defined the decade. With over 400 illustrations and step-by-step instruction, you'll have access to the Westmore's magic secrets, makeup tips and charts. Sample book contents and pages are shown at the top of this page.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This AMAZING book has been out of print for decades. It figures - I spent years hunting down a copy for $100 and then suddenly they reprint it for $20. Buy it while you can! This book has exact how-tos for makeup selection, application, haircutting, hairsetting, exercise, and even marvelous studio-invented cheats you can recreate for pennies, like the "Instant face lift" you can make with rubber bands and surgical tape, the telltale gadget hiding under your hair and wiping ten years off your face in seconds. This book even has instructions for making a pair of paper calipers to measure your face so you can see exactly where your features vary from the ideal, and how to fix the problem. As your teachers, you couldn't do better than the Westmore brothers: Talented, competitive brothers who worked their magic at every studio and on every face of Hollywood's Golden era. No modern makeup artist can recreate what these men INVENTED, so don't trust your face to anyone else. There's no way you'll ever use ALL the information in this book, it covers such a dazzling array of situations and techniques, and if you're interested in how the Studio System created STARS out of actors, the knowledge in this book will demonstrate just how much work went in to making a Bette or Marilyn or Elizabeth.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The authors of this book, the Westmore brothers--- Wally, Perc. Frank, Bud and Mont---- originally published this book in the mid-1950's, it had been long discontinued, but now, here it is re-released in an exclusive, limited publishing. The Westmore brothers are legendary in American cinema history for doing the hair and cosmetics of the greatest film stars of the period. In this book they reveal the many tricks, techniques and secrets they employed to make the faces of Hollywood actresses so stunning and memorable. The faces of these actresses would've been seen splashed in closeup on the silver screen before millions; so they had to be "perfect".
A huge cornucopia of hairstyling and cosmetics tips--- in a distinctly Midcentury aesthetic--- awaits you here: everything on how to apply makeup differently on different women to yield the optimum beauty effect; which hairstyles (1950's vintage of course) are most flattering to which face types. The Westmores show how the "flaws" of any face.... can be made up into an asset. Beginners of midcentury makeup will learn that, in those days, cosmetics was not simply about adding some fetching color to the face; no-no-no, it was about basically "erasing" your face first (with powders and foundations), then literally "re-writing" your new face.... exactly as you'd want it to appear.
The book is useful as an amusing glimpse into feminine beauty of the pre-MAD MEN 1940's and 1950's, but it also is chock-full of step-by-step methods for yielding the makeup look and hairstyles of this period... important when accurate period verisimilitude is sought.
To those interested in replicating the hair and beauty looks of the 1950's--- whether for film, TV, theater, pop music, boudoir photography, swing-dancing, etc.--- this book will be of enormous use. For this subject, one simply could not find more authoritative sources than the original texts of the Westmore brothers; the entire book is presented exactly as it appeared in 1955, down to the very font face, and it now contains no modern annotations, updates, comments or postmodern "winks" whatsoever. Illustrations are in B&W photos and line-drawings only, but this shouldn't prove a problem to the serious aspirant.
Women of color needn't feel left out, because the Westmores are approaching beauty from a holistic point-of-view, applicable to every woman. Dorothy Dandridge and Rita Moreno would have received the same hair and cosmetics techniques presented here as Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell and Grace Kelly.
Some sticklers will moue their lips at the implied sexist attitudes presented herein, but, hey, that's all part of the nostalgic, Midcentury fun, right?
P.S. Impress your artsy friends by knowing that Perc Westmore pronounced his name "purse"--- short for Percival, of course.
A huge cornucopia of hairstyling and cosmetics tips--- in a distinctly Midcentury aesthetic--- awaits you here: everything on how to apply makeup differently on different women to yield the optimum beauty effect; which hairstyles (1950's vintage of course) are most flattering to which face types. The Westmores show how the "flaws" of any face.... can be made up into an asset. Beginners of midcentury makeup will learn that, in those days, cosmetics was not simply about adding some fetching color to the face; no-no-no, it was about basically "erasing" your face first (with powders and foundations), then literally "re-writing" your new face.... exactly as you'd want it to appear.
The book is useful as an amusing glimpse into feminine beauty of the pre-MAD MEN 1940's and 1950's, but it also is chock-full of step-by-step methods for yielding the makeup look and hairstyles of this period... important when accurate period verisimilitude is sought.
To those interested in replicating the hair and beauty looks of the 1950's--- whether for film, TV, theater, pop music, boudoir photography, swing-dancing, etc.--- this book will be of enormous use. For this subject, one simply could not find more authoritative sources than the original texts of the Westmore brothers; the entire book is presented exactly as it appeared in 1955, down to the very font face, and it now contains no modern annotations, updates, comments or postmodern "winks" whatsoever. Illustrations are in B&W photos and line-drawings only, but this shouldn't prove a problem to the serious aspirant.
Women of color needn't feel left out, because the Westmores are approaching beauty from a holistic point-of-view, applicable to every woman. Dorothy Dandridge and Rita Moreno would have received the same hair and cosmetics techniques presented here as Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell and Grace Kelly.
Some sticklers will moue their lips at the implied sexist attitudes presented herein, but, hey, that's all part of the nostalgic, Midcentury fun, right?
P.S. Impress your artsy friends by knowing that Perc Westmore pronounced his name "purse"--- short for Percival, of course.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By raquel
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Seriously. This book is everything I could have asked for and more. Besides fashions. Ok, so not EVERYTHING, but seriously everything besides fashions. First you figure out what shape your face is and how you should style your brows, then on to make-up (sure the pictures are a little scary, but they're also funny... so..), hairstyling to flatter your face with tips on how to cut, perm, pin curl, and dye your own hair, finding flattering glasses, and manicure help. My favorite part of this book, and something I was not expecting, was 1950's exercise routines! I've been searching high and low for them and finally stumbled upon them in this delightful book! Now, while I wouldn't advise taking this book's advice totally to heart, I still love reading it. I have a feeling this book would be a delightful resource to those looking to reproduce make up of the 50's for stage or screen.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must have
This book is great! It covers make-up based on the shape of your face and doing your hair to physical exercise (a mixture of yoga and military drills) and feeling confident about... Read more
Published 2 months ago by yogo1212
5.0 out of 5 stars
a fun vintage book
Of course since this book was written some years ago, some of the advice in it is too dated. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. Read more
Published 5 months ago by altanticcityfiftyshades
5.0 out of 5 stars
As advertised!
If you're in the market for a vintage (50's) beauty book (how to apply makeup, what shape glasses are best for your kind of face, that sort of thing), this hits the mark! Read more
Published 5 months ago by fab 50-something
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fun from an historical perspective
As per the title, fun and quirky from an historical perspective. Completely irrelevant from a modern skin care and products overview perspective.
Published 6 months ago by JAL
5.0 out of 5 stars
Solid book of timeless beauty advice
I was surprised at how relevant this book is over 50 years later. The hairstyle section is the most "dated"--but that's why we're buying this book, right? For those old techniques. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Siansonea
3.0 out of 5 stars
If you really want a truly vintage approach...
I bought this book in attempt to further my knowledge of vintage hairstyling and makeup tricks. The only thing is that I don't necessarily want an old time practice, which is what... Read more
Published 11 months ago by tcarte11
5.0 out of 5 stars
so neat!
I thought this was going to be like a magazine type reading but it isnt! its a great vintage beauty school book that is fabulous for a budding pin up model or someone who just... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Clare
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome!!
This book is incredible, I am an insatiable beauty and personal grooming reader, it's my hobby. This book has got it all and more. Read more
Published 12 months ago by A.S.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Buy it
This is an absolutely MUST HAVE book for women. Seriously. It's not just for the rockabilly and retro girls out there, it's for all the gals that want to apply makeup PROPERLY and... Read more
Published 14 months ago by MWK
5.0 out of 5 stars
loved this book
I think watching Man Men has made me fall in love with the retro look. Why not check out a book from the time, and employ the advice in this book? Read more
Published 14 months ago by Stephanie Manley
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