Years ago I mentioned on this very blog that I'd love to see makeup/beauty books from Lisa Eldridge, Pixiwoo and Caroline Hirons; all highly skilled in the industry and loved by many.
Up until last month I only had Lisa's Eldridge's book, Face Paint, to swoon over but finally I have another book of my dreams in my hands and I couldn't be more excited. Pixiwoo sister, Sam & Nic Chapman have finally released an in depth makeup and skincare book sharing both the basics and more pro tips.
This is a sturdy practical yet coffee table worthy book for all Pixiwoo fans to enjoy and as most will come from watching their videos they have cleverly created an exclusive app! The free app unlocks exclusive video tutorials to watch along side each chapter and really is a nice extra.
Face by Pixiwoo is currently in hardback with 171 pages and is available from Amazon for only £9.99 HERE.
What's in the Face by Pixiwoo book?
List of contents - Introduction, biographies, tools of the trade, skin, brows, eyes, Q&A, lashes, finishes, lips, before & after and acknowledgements
The start of the book is all about makeup basics with a good look at tools you may need, in particular brushes and then it's onto colour theory that is made less complex with the help of a colour wheel on the Pixiwoo app. This first section seems like it's wrote for budding makeup artists but anyone that's into makeup can still pick up tips and tricks here.
Skincare is the first main chapter that covers skincare products and base makeup. First going over cleansing basics and how to identify your skintype with an easy to follow checklist. It also covers skin disorders such as cold sores, dermatitis and psoriasis. Plus a nice section on how to look after the eye area. Next it's onto a detailed section about foundation for different skin types and what you should be looking for when buying foundation which is pretty helpful.
Next it's onto all things brows and eyes with a huge 40 pages with lots of practical tips, images and supporting videos in the app that I actually watched and found complimented the text really well. The type of brow products on the market are covered first which does seem a little basic but then it's onto choosing the correct brow colour for your hair colour which if like me you go for a standard brown shade if pretty helpful. To finish of the brow section there's an easy to follow application tutorial along with a supporting video to watch on the app, plus 'Pixi Tips' which end each section. As for the eyes chapter this is my favourite part of the book as there's some wonderful eye looks and makeup photography of both Sam & Nic. The section also doesn't scrimp on detail and though I already knew most of the information I feel a lot of people could learn how to blend eyeshadow and apply eyeliner just from Pixiwoo's help!
The next two chapters cover lashes and finishes both of which include more helpful tutorials along with some lovely images. The lashes section covers all the lash treatments that are available which is helpful if you've been wanting to do more with your lashes and even includes a DIY lash growth idea that I will be trying out! I'm personally not a false eyelashes type of person but as I would like to try them I was glad to see a photo based tutorial plus an exclusive video from Nic which has given me more confidence to try out a few cheap pairs soon! The finishes chapter covers all types of powder products from pressed and loose powder to brightening powder, bronzing and mineral powders which I found out quite a bit I didn't know and I like to think I know quite a lot already from beauty blogging for 6 years! Nic also shows the basics of contouring but in a more natural way which is refreshing to see - not going over the top with baking the under eyes!
The book ends with a chapter all about lips, from what types of products can be worn on the lips along with an interesting read on how to correct the lip shape. This is maybe the weakest chapter as it's mainly covering types of products. I would personally liked to have seen a tutorial on possibly creating a lasting red lip and how to pick the correct red lip for your skintone... something I still struggle with!
Testing out the Face by Pixiwoo App
Never in my life have I scanned a QT code (Is that what they are called? Who knows!) or used an app along side a book before, but as I love watching Pixiwoo on YouTube I decided to give it a go.
Downloading the app is simple whether you are on iPhone, iPad or Andriod, just simply search 'The Face App Pixiwoo' and it will come up. As mentioned there's a colour wheel to the app which I think would only be of interest to aspiring makeup artists but the best part of the app is the exclusive videos that can be watched by scanning each chapter cover. These are around 3-4 minutes long and are exactly like the Pixiwoo videos we all love, they nicely supports each chapter and gives a personal feel. Also there's a special video to be scanned and watched at the start of the book featuring both Sam & Nic talking about the book and thanking you for buying it which is a really genuine thing I think. Oh, and if you are a fan of Sam & Nic's then you will enjoy the exclusive personal photos that appear when you scan certain pages, which you can kind of see in the above left image - a cute touch!
I really wasn't sure if I would enjoy scanning the various pages but I ended up watching all the videos and will be going back to the eyelash application video by Nic very soon.
My Favourite Face by Pixiwoo Tips
- To carry your favourite lipstick with you or to use on jobs/shoots, slice off the lipstick bullet at the base and use a brush handle to scoop the remaining lipstick from the base. Put the scrapings into a clear pot and replace the orginal lipstick.
- A makeup stippling brush can stand in for a tanning mitt (perfect for the face I'm thinking!)
- For a DIY lash growth serum apply castor oil using an old mascara tube, first giving it a good clean out.
- For extremely fair eyelashes, use a fine liner brush dipped into your mascara to paint product at the root of lashes - genius!
Sam & Nic Biographies & Exclusive images
The book also includes two full page biographies of both Sam & Nic plus an insightful Q&A. I longed for more sections like this as I find them so inspiring and full of knowledge but hey ho, I guess they needed to appeal to people just buying the book as a guide to makeup. However there are some gorgeous coffee table style images dotted throughout the book that show off Sam & Nic's beauty and also skill at makeup artistry -really just stunning!
Likes & Dislikes about the book
Favourite sections of the book
- Exclusive video content
- Q&A section
- Full page artistic makeup photography
- Detailed tips
- Lack of makeup product recommendations. Mention of a few brands but that's about it!
- Some sections definitely feel aimed towards aspiring makeup artists but it's never clearly marked - a bit confusing at times.
At £9.99 Face by Pixiwoo is certainly worth picking up whether you're obsessed with makeup or you're just getting into it; it's a solid makeup bible to learn from and enjoy. I think it's a given that all Pixiwoo fans need this in their life!
I can imagine this book will be on a lot of Christmas lists this year!
Fee xo.
