Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual

Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual: £20 approx (amazon may be cheaper).

What it says: "This is the book that all women have been waiting for... one complete, lavishly produced volume... that shows you how to put your make-up on like a pro"

The book is split into 2 parts; Basics and Artistry. The basics section covers chapters on equipment, skin preparation, eyes and 'special applications' for women who may be pregnant, teenagers etc. The artistry section covers professional kit essentials, info on how to 'break into the business' and has an interesting section at the back on the history of makeup.

I really liked this book because of it's simplicity - I'm not convinced that professional make-up artists would find this particularly useful as it really doesn't stretch much farther than basics, colours, face charts etc, but for someone who is a beginner or who doesn't have much confidence in their techniques or abilities, then it would be great. It has a section on bridal make-up and I suspect it might be more useful for a bride who is planning to do their own make-up rather than an MUA who is planning on branching into bridal makeup. It might also make an excellent present for a teen who is starting to express an interest in make-up.

The basics section goes into some detail on different skin conditions, adjusting colours/blending colours to suit different tones, how to balance your face by changing the shape of your eyebrows, or lip colour. Also a comprehensive step-by-step instruction on false eyelash application.

The section on 'becoming a pro' is good - I like the fact it doesn't make you feel like it's an impossibility and the tips on listening, building your portfolio etc are good.

Best bits: It's simplicity, ease of use and overall likeable tone used throughout. Also, the photography is ace.

Bad bits: Hardback - grrrr, I don't know if you can get this paperback, but the hardback makes it difficult to reference whilst actually trying to do your makeup! I think it probably could've been a little bit more diverse too in terms of 'special applications'.

Overall: excellent book for novices and for those wishing to improve their basic skills, not so much for someone looking to develop their technical abilities.