Your coffee table never looked this good

Vanessa Williams by Scott Barnes - Face To Face

Hey everyone, if you are one who loves beauty in jar...you probably have makeup artists that you follow for go to tips, yes? if no here is one to look up.

Do you remember Jeniffer Lopez aka J Lo in 2010, where she had this ethereal radiance that was visible every where she went?....and she exuded radiance from the red carpet to her videos? - Well the man behind her look was Scott Barnes. The famous "J Lo Glow" was a signature look that everyone was dying to imitate....Scott created a product called Body Bling, which he started using on her because his belief  is that "looking expensive is the sexiest thing a woman can do. It beats the h*ll out of looking cheap." 

Personally, his books are must haves - they are a compendium of everything makeup artist Scott Barnes has learned during his 22 year career - packed with techniques for every area of makeup application. Like Kevin Aucoin (not comparing, but he is my fave), his books feature step-by-step photos outlining makeup techniques and products. He also provides commentary, on how he pinpoints a woman’s strongest asset and then build around it. I especially like that he highlights beauty rituals, must-have makeup items and inner and outer preparations, that a woman must embrace in order to look beautiful and radiate charisma...those my beautiful ones are key!

Body Bling is described as a “semi stain” that acts like a self tanner, when applied its like applying a heavily pigmented moisturizer all over your body.

Barnes creation was made to cover - covers age spots, spider veins, and freckling. He is also a strong advocate for self tanners, as he lost his brother to skin cancer (Melanoma) five years ago. It protects and saves your skin from the sun and can be easily washed away after it has been worn.

His other book is out, which features the symmetrically correct Kim Kardashian on the cover, and just like his first book is a good reference guide. Lovely coloured photos showing beautiful transformations, celeb features and of course instructions and techniques that were used. His books are good for mid level expertise and higher but its definately a must have. If you would like to have semi intimate lessons from him, he will be a featured blogger on People.

Here are some books that are on my coffee table, that you could look up if you like:

 

Kevin Aucoin

Sam Fine

Bobby Brown

Other reads:

Laura Mercier

Gucci Westman

Jackie Tyson

Pat MacGrath 

Lisa Eldridge, these are just a few. 

And because photography walks hand in hand with makeup, here are a few books to source:

Robert Avedon

David LaChapelle 

Thiery Le Gous

I also sometimes research interview snippets done by artists from old Hollywood...just love the old glamor. Allan 'Whitey' Snyder, Marilyn Monroe's makeup artist, had some tips that to this day I think were very evolved for that time....he was very good at "creating" a look.    

Go and devour!

Have a happy Tuesday.

xxo

G