Carmindy

This is absolutely NOT the sort of book I would ever buy or pick up on my own as 1) I use a bare minimum of make-up 2) I find cosmetics rather intimidating, and I'm self-conscious about shopping for them. However, I won this in a gift pack earlier this year, and after a few days of feeling like I look bleh, I figured it was as good a time as any to read it.

Actually, I was pretty impressed with the book. It lives up to the title, emphasizing that THINKING positively will reflect in a person's show more face and empower them more than make-up alone ever could. True, that. Carmindy (who does make-up on the show What Not to Wear) also emphasizes focusing on good facial features rather than covering up the bad. The book has chapters on each part of the face - lips, eyes, skin, cheeks - and shows techniques on how to handle different shapes/textures/colors. I especially liked the examples of how to apply eye shadow for different shapes and times of day; it makes me feel like actually trying out eyeshadow for the first time in, oh, three years. There's a chapter on tools, explaining different sorts of little brushes and thingamajigs. The back of the book shows real women of all ages and ethnicities and how they look before and after. Carmindy is very good at her job.

That said, sometimes the positive-emphasis was a bit overdone. Almost ever paragraph had sentences like: Fabulous! Gorgeous! The book also isn't bound for friendly use in a bathroom. It's hardcover and oversized like a coffee table book. Pages don't stay open on their own. As far as functionality, it would have been more prudent to make it glossy and spiral-bound. Those are the only gripes, though. It's a nice book for gals like me who might want to dress up every now and then, but don't exactly know how. I actually went out and bought a lip liner and pencil eye liner today. Whoa. show less

Perfect for : Personal Use, Great gift for a girl getting into makeup (promotes positive self image), Professionals in beauty/makeup field

In a nutshell: I absolutely love Carmindy Vision! She has a great way of encouraging the reader to think positively about their unique beauty, and to focus on what sets them apart from others, she even includes Mirror Mantras throughout the book to help reinforce the positive thinking. She shows the reader how to find their best feature and how to make it show more shine! She has provided beauty tips for everything! For the eyes: How to best compliment your eye color, what to do for the shape of your eye, different types of products, how to use them and when to use them. She also covers the skin, lips, cheeks. She has a great (and very helpful) chapter for beauty tools too! Then my favorites - beauty tips for each season, different moods and special occasions! I've wanted to learn that smokey eye look for quite a while - thanks Carmindy!

This is a great new book for a girl just starting to become interested in beauty and makeup (I highly recommend it!) as it will help instill a positive self image and teach good beauty essentials. It would also be great for anyone wanting to update their look, or for beauty professionals.

Extended Review:
The first paragraph (and all the ones that follow) really help to set a positive tone for the entire book. Add to that the wonderful Mirror Mantras throughout the book, and you really will start seeing yourself in a more positive light! The book is filled with great information, vibrant colors and great tips for everyone!

Content: The book starts with helping the reader to create a more positive self-image, and proceeds to help you find your "Feature Focus", or the thing that is unique to you, that makes you beautiful. Carmindy provides different chapters to address the eyes, skin, cheeks, and lips. She then moves into beauty tools. Finally, she showcases how to change your look with the changing seasons, and how to create different looks for different moods (romantic, seductive, strong, fabulous and carefree). And who doesn't like beauty makeovers? There is a section dedicated to before and after pictures, with explanations for each transformation. At the end of the book, she provides a Shopping Guide which covers each section and gives suggestions for each product with a range of prices.

Format: The books starts with a positive message, then does a good job of progressing through the different areas of the face and beauty.

Readability: Very easy to read, with clear pictures and easily understood instructions. The pictures show real people, and how they look with the different techniques.

Overall: A wonderful book for all women from girls just discovering makeup, and women wanting to re-do their look, to the beauty professional who wants to redo their technique and incorporate a more positive outlook to beauty! I highly recommend this book! show less

Get Positively Beautiful by Carmindy of What Not To Wear fame is a make-up manual that covers every aspect from skin care to what tools to use. She says, “I believe looking good starts with feeling good,” and she emphasizes the positives. She goes over how to sustain your look when you travel and through all seasons. There are quite a few makeovers in the back of the book that are fun to look through. The best part of this book, in my opinion, is Carmindy’s attitude. She says we show more should:

* Drop The Flaw Focus
* Kick Away Corrosive Comparisons
* Revel in Your Fantastic Features
* Embrace the Beauty Ritual
* Change the Game and Win Every Time

Carmindy admits that changing your mindset isn’t always easy, but her infectious attitude rubs off on you as you read this book. Throughout the book she stresses forgetting your negatives and accentuating your positives. She says you need to “commit to thinking differently about your beauty.” I think this would be an excellent book for a teen just learning to use make-up. show less

I was surprised that the book opened with a focus on inner beauty and finding your best feature, but was glad for it. It really separated it from any other how-to books out there. The next part of the book is a how-to and there were a few new tricks that I plan on adding to my makeup routine. At the end are before-and-after photos of various women to show "Carmindy vision" and the transformations are amazing.