Item of the week - February 2013

This weeks item is a book that every makeup artist should have on their book shelve, everybody who's getting into makeup, or has an intrest in makeup. This book by world famous makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin shows unbeatable tips on the basics of makeup application. Then he shows you how to use these fundamentals in all kinds of interesting and unconventional ways with step-by-step directions for dozens of different looks. I have this book for years, and I always grab back to it for inspiration or reference. This must have book is still available on www.amazon.com, or check your local book store.

Kevyn Aucoin (14-02-1962 / 07-05-2002 )

Born in Shreveport Louisiana Kevyn Aucoin was adopted and had 3 siblings who were adopted as well.

From when he was a kid he was interested in makeup and frequently did his sisters makeup to practice.

At 18, Aucoin worked in a small corner of an exclusive women's store in Lafayette. But the women were uncomfortable with a man doing their makeup. Thelma Aucoin recalled, "It was $30 for a makeup lesson, and these were women who paid $3,000 for a dress, but they'd never let him."

When he first arrived in New York, Aucoin was putting makeup on test models for free to build up his portfolio before he was discovered by Vogue.

In September 2001, Aucoin was diagnosed with a rare pituitary tumor. He had been suffering from acromegaly resulting from the tumor for much of his life, but it had gone undiagnosed. He died at the age of 40 in 2002.

For me these are THE BEST foundation brushes available at the moment! I use the round top kabuki brush every day to apply my foundation. With these brushes it is very easy to get an even and quick application for your liquid foundation. On the Sigma beauty website the description for the flat top kabuki brush (the F80) says this one is for liquid foundation, and that the round top kabuki brush (the f82) is best used for mineral powders, but I think you can use both for liquid foundation or mineral makeup. I personally prefer the round top kabuki brush, but I can see that the flat top kabuki brush could be easier to use with liquid foundation, to apply the foundation on the edges and the corners of the eyes and around the nose. It's just what you prefer, both brushes are great, are very dense, and because they are synthetic, they are great with liquid products, making them also easy to clean.

In this line there are different products available: there are 5 large brushes, the flat top (F80), the round top (F82), the angled kabuki for cream blush or bronzer (F84), the tapered kabuki (F86) and the angled flat top kabuki (F88)

All brushes can be bought separately for $18.- (US), or the whole set of 5 brushes can be purchased for $76.- (US), or in a set of 4 brushes (F80, F82, F84 and the F86) for $62.-

For more information on these brushes visit the website of Sigma Beauty