Whether you’re a beauty beginner or a cosmetics whiz, videos are the newest and one of the best ways to learn makeup techniques. Not only are you not being pressured (at least in person) to buy anything, but a videotape can be rewound if you don’t understand something and you can refer to it whenever you want.
Among the latest offerings:
“You Can Too”
Purveyor: Exclusives by Georgette Mosbacher.
The look: Polished and professional.
Format: Mosbacher narrates while women apply their own makeup. She begins with a nine-minute comprehensive makeup lesson, including a makeover, a day-to-evening “changeover” and a one-minute touch-up. The remainder of the tape discusses makeup for eyes, cheeks, lips and day-to-evening in more depth.
Best features: Mosbacher makes difficult techniques-applying foundation and concealer, lining eyes and lips-easy. Because the video comes with makeup geared to individual coloring, there’s no guessing about colors.
Blemishes: Even though Mosbacher has a line for dark-skinned women, there is no advice specifically for them.
Sales pitch: You have to buy the makeup to get the video. At the end of the tape is a commercial for the whole line of products.
Length: 30 minutes.
Cost: $98.85 (plus $6.95 shipping) for the video and a complete makeup “system” including 23 products.
To order: 800-762-9200; for information: 800-777-5003.
“Colour Intelligence II”
Purveyor: Aveda.
The look: For day, the look is fresh and natural. The evening look is more dramatic, but not overdone.
Format: Four women with different coloring are made up for day and evening.
Best features: The segment for red-haired women highlights the model’s natural coloring, and her freckles still show, but she has a more polished look. The fundamental makeup principle-“The secret to cosmetics is to never overapply”-is repeated througout the tape. It also demonstrates beautiful eye makeup techniques, showing how to blend eye shadow and pencil.
Blemishes: All colors are referred to by their in-house name instead of the generic, which can be confusing. Also, no women with dark skin are featured.
Sales pitch: Heavy-duty.
Length: 29 minutes.
Cost: $40.
To order: Call 800-328-0849 for the salon nearest you or for mail-order information.
“Face to Face with Barbara Daly”
Purveyor: The Body Shop.
The look: Understated, natural.
Format: Daly explains makeup application as she makes up two blue-eyed blonds, a young (20s) and an older (50s) woman.
Best features: Tips for using various brushes, matching foundation to skin tone are simple and easy to follow.
Daly acknowledges that every woman doesn’t wear full makeup all the time, and gives good advice on the best ways to look good wearing only a few products. Also, her tips for minimizing lines and wrinkles are excellent.
Blemishes: Like all of the tapes, Daly doesn’t address the concerns of women with darker skin.
Sales pitch: None, though she uses Body Shop products.
Length: 55 minutes.
Cost: $14.95.
To order: Available at all Body Shops, or call 800-541-2535.
