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I have a huge selection of beauty and makeup books that I have collected over the years working in the industry and as a professional makeup artist. I have referred to a lot of these time and time again, and they can be absolutely invaluable to help educate you, help you and give you the tips and tricks you never knew you needed.
Don’t have any beauty books but think you may need?! Then here are a few of my hand-picked favourites that are a great place to start and ease your way in. There are SO many great books and it can be a minefield. I have some VERY old ones here but I think they are timeless and still relevant aka the Kevyn Aucoin books.
I also have lots on my wish list like Lisa Eldridge Face Paint and the Marco Antonio x Rankin so I would also love any recommendations below of your go-to beauty education and reference books. We are always learning!
BACK CHAT BEAUTY by Lisa Potter Dixon & Sophie Beresiner.
LOVE LPD!! I’m happy to call her a friend and she is such an incredible and inspiring makeup-artist and general all-round FAB person. She has had a fantastic career, is full of knowledge and ideas and is simply a breathe of fresh air in the makeup world.
The perfect book for anyone who wants to know the secrets to always looking fresh-faced with minimal effort. Beauty and Style Director at Buro and formerly of ELLE magazine, Sophie Beresiner, and makeup artist Lisa Potter-Dixon join forces to share their knowledge of skincare products and makeup brands, offering advice for every issue in a fun and insightful way!
SKINCARE by Caroline Hirons.
Again, I’m so proud to call Caroline a friend and someone I have looked up to for MANY years. We know each other from the old school beauty world and I have LOVED following her journey and seeing her successes over the years. This book in INCREDIBLE and it needs to be on everyone’s bookshelf. Easy, no-faff and tells you just what you need to know, ya know?
Aside from the incredible, no-nonsense skincare information and facts, I have a habit of scrolling through the like skincare porn pictures and guessing products and spotting my faves…..is it just me?! Get it ; it lives up to the hype and is a book you will keep referring back to over the years.
MAKING FACES by Kevyn Aucoin
Tips, tricks, breath-taking makeup looks and techniques from the absolute DON of makeup.
Pretty every single professional makeup artist I know has this book and will include Kevyn Aucoin in their top makeup idols and source of inspiration. He is absolutely iconic in the makeup world and pioneered SO many of the modern makeup trends we use every single day. My most-referred-to makeup book I’ve own. Timeless.
MAKEUP MANUAL by Bobbi Brown
Now I have a VERY old makeup book by Bobbi Brown (Living Beauty), but it really gave me some incredible advice and tips when I was training as a makeup artist way back when. Bobbi is the queen of skin and incredible, beautiful and classic makeup. Perfect if beauty and bridal is your *thing*. I’m linking a more updated book from her which is the Makeup Manual which I can imagine is a little better for the modern makeup artist.
THE SKINCARE BIBLE by Dr Anjali Mahto
‘We all know that taking good care of our skin is the key to any effective health and beauty regime. But with so much conflicting information, the path to healthy skin can seem far from clear.’
Dr Anjali Mahto is one of the UK’s leading consultant dermatologists. Equipped with years of expertise and the most up-to-date evidence, she sets out to cut through the noise and distinguish the nuggets from the nonsense! Tackling common complaints such as acne, dryness, rosacea and aging, The Skincare Bible is your definitive companion to your body’s biggest organ. Clear, concise and packed full of tips on the best products and routines, it will help you discover what works for you and find confidence in your own skin.
THE KOREAN SKINCARE BIBLE by Lilan Yang, Leah Ganse, Sara Jiménez
We are all kinda obsessed with Korean skincare and regimes, no? It’s always been a *thing* in Korea ; and us slow-coaches are just catching up!
The Korean Skincare Bible is much more than a beauty product guide it is a lifestyle, a ritual and a philosophy. This K-bible is the ultimate no-nonsense guide to daily Korean beauty care, in it you will find advice, step-by-step guides and tricks to take care of your skin and make it look great even if you don’t know anything about science, cosmetics or have troublesome skin. This breaks it down and seems to simplify what can be a very confusing concept to many.