This is a book about makeup and beauty for women of colour. Even though I rarely wear makeup (more of a skincare person), I do enjoy looking at beauty books and am interested in makeup. Also, even though I am East Asian, I am on the paler side (MAC NC20), so most of the tips in this book didn’t apply to me so much.

Having said that, I think this a good beginner book for people who are just getting into makeup as it has several looks and makeup tips for women of colour. Like Iman, I do agree there is a dirth of good makeup products and looks for these women. She doesn’t specify specific products which means it gives the reader the ability to explore her options, but maybe daunting for some beginners with no makeup knowledge. There is some excellent photography in this book too. I also picked this book up because I have always liked Iman when I see her TV appearances and interviews.

Most of the tips in this book I know from other resources, but I have some Notes and Things I took Away:

• Cold water: Iman declares it is a myth about cold water tightening your pores. This is probably true, but personally, I think cold water is beneficial to the skin. Since my teens, I’ve washed my face with cold water. Even after a steam treatment or or warm exfoliation/cleansing, I will use cold water to seal it in. I am very addicted to hot showers, but after I get my fill of it, I will turn the water to cold. I find this minimizes winter itchiness and dryness. Cold water is also good for your hair as a rinse too as it adds shine. There are other articles online about how cold water improves circulation, etc. But I do think it offers some benefit to the skin.
• Avocado Oil is listed as one of a good natural moisturizer while she lists aloe vera, lavender and green tea as good skin-soothers. Additionally, she lists tea tree, citrus oils, ylang ylang and rosemary as oil-fighters.
• Eyelash separator brush is good for minimizing clumps and blending in a bow pencil
• This book reminded me that I really should get blush, namely cream blush. Iman specifies that if one has a natural rosy finish (like I do when I blush), warm up the complexion with pale apricots or peaches or sheer corals.
• I wonder where I can get eyebrow stencils…
• For eyebrows: look straight ahead, arch should begin directly above iris. If you have thick brows, use a white eyelinr pencil under the line you want to create and tweeze in the white area. Grab at hair root and pull in direction of hair growth.
• More eyebrow tips: Before tweezing, rub ice cube on the surrounding area. Personally, I also exfoliate as this also helps with hair removal of any kind. After tweezing, swipe an astringent or chamomile tea bags on the area.
• For women who have course or super straight lashes (like me), Iman recommends using a heated eyelash curler or lightly pump the curler from the base to the ends of your lashes. I’d read this before, but with my normal curler, I have to heat it by breathing on it for a few seconds and then I pump it from base to ends lashes. It creates a very small curl. Eh, better than nothing
• Malaysian model Ling has a look that I like as they put shimmer powder/highlighter over her forehead, bridge of nose and chin. Then added some copper-rose on her lids to the brow and lilac shadow along lower lashline, line with black eye pencil, black mascara, and fill in brows. Finished it off with cherry red powder blush and brick-red lipgloss.
• A good blush stick also works as as an eyeshadow and lipstick.

There are many more tips in this book and these are the ones I wanted to take note because this was a library book. This book is so good that someone ripped out one of the makeup looks. I hate when people deface library books. Recommended beauty book as useful for tips and tricks, but not necessarily as the end all and be all of beauty books.

Read Jan 8th 2013.