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Make Up: Your Life Guide to Beauty, Style, and Success--Online and Off
Michelle Phan has believed in makeup since the first time she was allowed to try eyeliner. When she looked in the mirror and saw a transformed version of herself looking back, she fell in love with the sense of confidence that makeup could give her. Ever since she posted her first makeup tutorial on YouTube, she has dedicated herself to inspire millions by using makeup as a tool for transformation and self expression.
Now, Michelle has compiled all of her best wisdom into Make Up: Your Life Guide to Beauty, Style, and Success--Online and Off. From creating a gorgeous smoky eye to understanding contouring to developing an online persona, Michelle has advice to help you transform every facet of your life. Make Up is packed with Michelle’s trademark beauty and style tutorials, stories and pictures from her own life, and advice on the topics she is asked about most, including etiquette, career, entrepreneurship, and creativity. From the everyday (such as how to get glowing skin) to the big picture (such as how to turn your passion into a profession), Make Up is a practical and empowering resource to help anyone put their best face forward.
Now, Michelle has compiled all of her best wisdom into Make Up: Your Life Guide to Beauty, Style, and Success--Online and Off. From creating a gorgeous smoky eye to understanding contouring to developing an online persona, Michelle has advice to help you transform every facet of your life. Make Up is packed with Michelle’s trademark beauty and style tutorials, stories and pictures from her own life, and advice on the topics she is asked about most, including etiquette, career, entrepreneurship, and creativity. From the everyday (such as how to get glowing skin) to the big picture (such as how to turn your passion into a profession), Make Up is a practical and empowering resource to help anyone put their best face forward.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published October 14, 2014
About the author
Michelle Phan
7 books139 followersMichelle Phan is a Youtube beauty guru and an entrepreneur. She has worked with companies such as
Lancôme and L'Oreal and has been featured in numerous magazines. Michelle Phan has come up with her own makeup brand emCosmetics and has almost 7 million subscribers on Youtube as of September 2014.
Lancôme and L'Oreal and has been featured in numerous magazines. Michelle Phan has come up with her own makeup brand emCosmetics and has almost 7 million subscribers on Youtube as of September 2014.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
December 27, 2014
I would like to start out by thanking Michelle Phan for providing me with an ARC of her new book in exchange for an honest review! xoxo <3
I have so much to say about this wonderful book that I have by some miracle been able to narrow down to two bullet points about why I enjoyed this book as much as I did.
- The Background
From the very start of the book Michelle explains how she came to where she is today. I enjoyed getting to know a little bit about her early life, and being able to get a peek inside the life of a woman who has been such a great success in the beauty world was very neat. Looking at all of the project she has launched and currently has going on is remarkable and I believe readers will enjoy getting to see just how much she has in store.
- The Advice
After the introductions to who Mish is, the book is primarily composed of tips that helps the modern woman (or teenager even) with simple tricks on how to care for skin, nails, and even on the topic of interviews AND table manners!
From what I can tell from her book, I'll be more than likely NOT to make this mistake again ... :P
All in all it was a fairly shorts read with beautiful illustrations and the occasional trivia on the side.
I'd recommend this book to young adults as it provides insightful tips on many of the things that are popular topics in today's fashion/beauty world.
I have so much to say about this wonderful book that I have by some miracle been able to narrow down to two bullet points about why I enjoyed this book as much as I did.
- The Background
From the very start of the book Michelle explains how she came to where she is today. I enjoyed getting to know a little bit about her early life, and being able to get a peek inside the life of a woman who has been such a great success in the beauty world was very neat. Looking at all of the project she has launched and currently has going on is remarkable and I believe readers will enjoy getting to see just how much she has in store.
- The Advice
After the introductions to who Mish is, the book is primarily composed of tips that helps the modern woman (or teenager even) with simple tricks on how to care for skin, nails, and even on the topic of interviews AND table manners!
From what I can tell from her book, I'll be more than likely NOT to make this mistake again ... :P
All in all it was a fairly shorts read with beautiful illustrations and the occasional trivia on the side.
I'd recommend this book to young adults as it provides insightful tips on many of the things that are popular topics in today's fashion/beauty world.
January 19, 2015
Nothing exceptional. It just contained information that we can find on the internet. The only new thing for me the personal life of Michelle Phan, that was probably known all over the internet anyway. Her life story was quite impressive but it didn’t make me go all gaga about her. I didn't even feel the sudden need to watch all her videos. However, I did learn a trick from the resume making section that is to save the document as pdf. Common sense as it was, I honestly never thought of that. She also mentioned there might be some skills in real life that we might not aware can be counted as job experiences, and it opened my eyes a bit. For example, I never knew driving grandma to the pharmacist / doing laundry / babysitting etc was actually something worth mentioning in a job interview. I'll be sure to keep that in mind next time.
The book was awfully long, and while I kinda knew it wasn't meant for a one sitting read, and most probably meant as a reading material for the rest of my life as a young woman, I didn’t see anything special here. So, while Phan's connection with big prestigious brands like L'Oreal, Google, Vogue and Anna Wintour were indeed impressive, she didn’t feel genuine to me. There was constant mention of how she got rejected for the job as Lancome's sales person, and it got tiresome after the third time. For God's sake, you only got rejected for that one time and whoa, girl definitely sounded bitter about it after so many years. Then there was a kind of smug satisfaction when she was all Lancome counter rejected me, but then the Lancome executive from New York approached me to be their spokesmodel and flew me all around the world. I was like, k.
Phan also talked about a wide range of subjects from skin care to makeup basics (of course!) to hair and nails to fashion tips and tricks (for all occasions), digital dos and don'ts, on finding a job you love to turn your passion into a profession. She even talked about modern manners like table manners etc. I would recommend this if you’re a fan of Michelle Phan or just a beauty enthusiast in general.
The book was awfully long, and while I kinda knew it wasn't meant for a one sitting read, and most probably meant as a reading material for the rest of my life as a young woman, I didn’t see anything special here. So, while Phan's connection with big prestigious brands like L'Oreal, Google, Vogue and Anna Wintour were indeed impressive, she didn’t feel genuine to me. There was constant mention of how she got rejected for the job as Lancome's sales person, and it got tiresome after the third time. For God's sake, you only got rejected for that one time and whoa, girl definitely sounded bitter about it after so many years. Then there was a kind of smug satisfaction when she was all Lancome counter rejected me, but then the Lancome executive from New York approached me to be their spokesmodel and flew me all around the world. I was like, k.
Phan also talked about a wide range of subjects from skin care to makeup basics (of course!) to hair and nails to fashion tips and tricks (for all occasions), digital dos and don'ts, on finding a job you love to turn your passion into a profession. She even talked about modern manners like table manners etc. I would recommend this if you’re a fan of Michelle Phan or just a beauty enthusiast in general.
August 9, 2016
I won a shiny, new copy through Goodreads.
I always read others' reviews before posting my own, and the main complaint seems to be that this book is targeting young adults in their 16-20s. I don't understand why anyone would expect a different demographic; of course this book is for young adults! Michelle just finished that part of her life and people write (and should) about what they know. Michelle is extremely knowledgable but some of the makeup tips weren't that clear. Regardless, I'm giving this 5 stars because of the vibrant photos and easy-to-read writing.
I always read others' reviews before posting my own, and the main complaint seems to be that this book is targeting young adults in their 16-20s. I don't understand why anyone would expect a different demographic; of course this book is for young adults! Michelle just finished that part of her life and people write (and should) about what they know. Michelle is extremely knowledgable but some of the makeup tips weren't that clear. Regardless, I'm giving this 5 stars because of the vibrant photos and easy-to-read writing.
October 23, 2014
As a self-proclaimed make-up junkie, I couldn't resist a book by Michelle Phan who is well known in beauty circles! And, overall, this is a really solid book. Unfortunately, I think it's targeted towards a different demographic than me. I'm 40 years old and very savvy (ok, obsessed) with makeup. I think this book is more geared to those in their late teens, early 20s. And, for that demographic, this book is fantastic!
This book focuses on the following things - 1. Michelle Phan's story - growing up, makeup, going into business, etc. 2. Skin Care 3. Makeup 4. Hair/Nails 5. Fashion 6. Digital 7. Jobs and 8. Manners. All really great for someone still learning about makeup, skin care and beginning to think about finding their style and future profession. I'd highly recommend this for ladies in their late teens and 20s. It's a very good book for those beginning to think about who they are and who they want to be. Michelle Phan has written a fantastic starter manual for the modern girl!
The book itself is high quality - the photos and the design are quite good. Lots of great tips and tricks are included.
Although I don't think this is really a book that those who are a little further along their journey might get a ton out of, I still enjoyed it quite a bit. It was a nice, easy read. If you are obsessed with makeup or a big fan of Michelle Phan, I think you'll enjoy this one. Or if you are looking for a book for a high school or college graduate, this might be something to consider.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.
This book focuses on the following things - 1. Michelle Phan's story - growing up, makeup, going into business, etc. 2. Skin Care 3. Makeup 4. Hair/Nails 5. Fashion 6. Digital 7. Jobs and 8. Manners. All really great for someone still learning about makeup, skin care and beginning to think about finding their style and future profession. I'd highly recommend this for ladies in their late teens and 20s. It's a very good book for those beginning to think about who they are and who they want to be. Michelle Phan has written a fantastic starter manual for the modern girl!
The book itself is high quality - the photos and the design are quite good. Lots of great tips and tricks are included.
Although I don't think this is really a book that those who are a little further along their journey might get a ton out of, I still enjoyed it quite a bit. It was a nice, easy read. If you are obsessed with makeup or a big fan of Michelle Phan, I think you'll enjoy this one. Or if you are looking for a book for a high school or college graduate, this might be something to consider.
NOTE: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.
November 4, 2014
I picked this up because I subscribed to ipsy for a few months and thought it might be interesting to know more about the woman behind what was, for me, a gateway drug to subscription box dependency.
There's a lot going on here: Ms. Phan's actually very interesting life story, a pretty thorough skin care guide, some haphazard makeup tutorials (I found the apples of my cheeks as instructed and still don't know how to apply blush, because that is not actually explained, for instance), plus tips on manners and business. The writing is okay, but the tone seems to be geared pretty young, and the rah-rah-rahness of it all wore thin for me fast. Phan has many die-hard fans who will love this I'm sure. In terms of non-fans, I think this would be an okay pick for a 16-20ish woman, maybe a young business major who really loves makeup. For adults? Eh, probably not.
There's a lot going on here: Ms. Phan's actually very interesting life story, a pretty thorough skin care guide, some haphazard makeup tutorials (I found the apples of my cheeks as instructed and still don't know how to apply blush, because that is not actually explained, for instance), plus tips on manners and business. The writing is okay, but the tone seems to be geared pretty young, and the rah-rah-rahness of it all wore thin for me fast. Phan has many die-hard fans who will love this I'm sure. In terms of non-fans, I think this would be an okay pick for a 16-20ish woman, maybe a young business major who really loves makeup. For adults? Eh, probably not.
July 25, 2015
In Make Up, Michelle Phan, beauty blogger and creator of the make up subscription service ipsy, discusses everything from the basics of a good skin care regimen to how to dress for a job interview to how to conduct yourself on social media.
The book is, honestly, a little disjointed. It hops from one topic to the next with little to no transition. But it means well. Michelle Phan means well. It's admirable that she's set out to create a modern guide to living your best life.
At 24 years old, having held the same steady job for over two years, and never really having been a social media oversharer, I don't think I was the target audience for her book. I did read all of it, including the tips on how to get a job, the importance of an internship, and entrepreneurial tips. Her endlessly positive attitude is a little grating, but, again, she means well. The best parts were definitely at the beginning, when she discusses her background and how she went from being denied a job at the Lancome counter to being one of the best known names in make up. I also have to admit that she taught me how to properly apply retinol, which is only slightly embarrassing, seeing that I work for a dermatologist.
In my mid-twenties, this book didn't do it for me, but I would have loved it as a young teen.
Thanks to Goodreads and the publisher for the free copy.
The book is, honestly, a little disjointed. It hops from one topic to the next with little to no transition. But it means well. Michelle Phan means well. It's admirable that she's set out to create a modern guide to living your best life.
At 24 years old, having held the same steady job for over two years, and never really having been a social media oversharer, I don't think I was the target audience for her book. I did read all of it, including the tips on how to get a job, the importance of an internship, and entrepreneurial tips. Her endlessly positive attitude is a little grating, but, again, she means well. The best parts were definitely at the beginning, when she discusses her background and how she went from being denied a job at the Lancome counter to being one of the best known names in make up. I also have to admit that she taught me how to properly apply retinol, which is only slightly embarrassing, seeing that I work for a dermatologist.
In my mid-twenties, this book didn't do it for me, but I would have loved it as a young teen.
Thanks to Goodreads and the publisher for the free copy.
June 20, 2015
I loved this book so much.
Not only does it deal with the basic makeup and hair tutorials and advice but it does so much more. It has a section on manners; honestly it was so refreshing to see this because manners today have become almost extinct.
This book was so much more than what I was expecting and I'm happy it was.
Not only does it deal with the basic makeup and hair tutorials and advice but it does so much more. It has a section on manners; honestly it was so refreshing to see this because manners today have become almost extinct.
This book was so much more than what I was expecting and I'm happy it was.
September 13, 2020
Michelle’s been a constant inspiration to me for many years. I wish I had this book to read when it came out, I was much younger back then. Reading it now feels like I’ve learned nothing new but it’s a great book for my little cousins. Would definitely recommend them to grab it as it talks much more about building self-confidence in young people than just make up. This can be a friend and a guide to help one tackle any new endeavour during their school days.
November 16, 2014
I'm not subscribed to Michelle's youtube channel now but I've seen a lot of her videos and always liked them and her personality. Through this book I could clearly hear her voice and I really liked how it was written in such a nice way like she was talking to a friend. There was a lot of light humor here and there that made me smile.
I haven't read the whole book, I skipped some parts that were totally not for me (like dating on the internet - I'm already married). My favorite topics were about skin care and make up because I know some basics and take care of my skin but I want to know and try more things. It was very helpful and written in an easy and understandable way.
This book would be a great source of advice for young girls who are still trying to find themselves.
I haven't read the whole book, I skipped some parts that were totally not for me (like dating on the internet - I'm already married). My favorite topics were about skin care and make up because I know some basics and take care of my skin but I want to know and try more things. It was very helpful and written in an easy and understandable way.
This book would be a great source of advice for young girls who are still trying to find themselves.
October 26, 2014
I received a copy of Make-Up for review from Blogging for Books. I expected the normal, ordinary photo-filled book of make-up tips. Anyone purchasing this book just for that will be disappointed. Far more than a make-up tutorial, this beautifully illustrated book covers topics such as wardrobe, finding jobs, and MANNERS!! It's sad to realize just how much this last lesson is needed.
She does a great job laying skin care, etc. routines out in easy to follow steps. It is a little intimidating to have tons of bottles in front of you and not know where to start. If I have any complaints about this book, it is that she packs a lot of information in such a little book - makeup, fashion, job interview tips, online behavior. It also seems that she hasn't really chosen an audience: is it for young teens or young adults? However, there is useful information for everyone.
I think Michelle Phan is a wonderful role model for young people. She has worked hard to be where she is now; her family sacrificed for her education. I completely respect her. I hope that the young people who get hold of this book really read her life story. Ms. Phan has become successful because of her hard-work and talent She has wonderful life lessons to teach.
She does a great job laying skin care, etc. routines out in easy to follow steps. It is a little intimidating to have tons of bottles in front of you and not know where to start. If I have any complaints about this book, it is that she packs a lot of information in such a little book - makeup, fashion, job interview tips, online behavior. It also seems that she hasn't really chosen an audience: is it for young teens or young adults? However, there is useful information for everyone.
I think Michelle Phan is a wonderful role model for young people. She has worked hard to be where she is now; her family sacrificed for her education. I completely respect her. I hope that the young people who get hold of this book really read her life story. Ms. Phan has become successful because of her hard-work and talent She has wonderful life lessons to teach.
October 24, 2014
I remember years ago when my friend sent me a link to one of Michelle's YouTube videos to learn some basics about everyday makeup wear. It's nice to see that she has become so successful and has gone on to make a career out of something she enjoys. The book is a good intro that covers all the basics. I skipped most of the other chapters that dealt with internships, careers, etc. as I had no interest in reading her tips on these subjects, and also am at a point in my life where I have had enough experience job-hunting and working that I no longer need to read the basics of how to get started out in the "real world". However for young adults just getting started, this is a nice read.
March 26, 2015
I was hoping for a little more insight into the success of the vlogging movement, of which Phan is a huge part. Sadly some pithy tips about keeping your face clean and scratching the surface of adulthood, you're going to get a job, wear what others wear. Ugh.
January 9, 2016
Me gusto mucho este libro, la manera de explicar las cosas de Michelle es fantástica realmente me ayudo, tiene mucho consejos útiles para la vida diaria y obviamente también para maquillarse.
Tiene mi recomendación segura :)
Tiene mi recomendación segura :)
April 22, 2022
Um livro datado! Um livro de 2014 que fala basicamente de internet em pleno 2022 e com um “faça isso e não faça aquilo” irritante… poucas dicas diferentes do que se acha na internet… sinceramente, a única coisa boa foi praticar meu inglês 😬
January 31, 2015
Mostly basics. I found a few good tips and some ideas for altering my usual routine. I didn't find the style, digital etiquette, or career advice particularly helpful.
May 28, 2019
Half of my students are planning to be professional Youtubers (because middle school), so I’ve been looking for books written by some successful Youtubers. I don’t think that this is quite what I’m looking for, but I personally found it interesting.
November 14, 2014
Make Up is touted as a go-to manual for beauty and digital entrepreneurship. Both of these topics are things Michelle Phan is an expert in, being one of the most popular beauty gurus on YouTube and having built her business from the ground up. The book covers many different issues relevant to girls- taking care of your skin, hair, and nails, how to decide if you need certain cosmetic products, how to make great first impressions, and even how to get a job and manage your own business. Special sections on digital dos and don'ts and modern manners explain the best way to keep up appearances in today's era of social media. Michelle explains how she created her online persona, how she keeps readers interested in her content, and how often to post to keep people engaged.
I was particularly interested in reading this book from the perspective of a potential digital entrepreneur. I'm interested in blogging (obviously) and in people, especially women, who eventually make a living simply doing what they love online. Michelle Phan is one of the great ladies of this generation who is doing just that. I was really excited to see if some if the tips she had would help me. Unfortunately, I didn't find anything useful to me within these pages.
First, the good things about the book:
1) It's gorgeous. The book is really quality and heavyweight, with beautiful glossy pages, a pretty, colorful design, and cute endpapers. There is lots of photography throughout the book, along with little sketches and info bubbles defining different terms. The colors and the typography all go really well together, and the whole thing is very well laid out to make this an attractive book you could feel proud to display on your coffee table.
2) It feels personal. You can feel Michelle's voice coming through, with the stories she tells about her childhood, and her own distinct way of speaking. It's cute, informal, and feels like having a chat with an older sister.
Now on to the things I was disappointed about:
1) Generic beauty info. For anyone who's ever read a women's magazine, a lot of the beauty information contained in this book might be redundant. There are no specific tutorials on makeup looks (you'll have to watch her videos for that) and a lot of what Michelle talks about is very generic information that most of us know already. Unless you have never looked at a piece of makeup in your life, you probably know where your t-zone is, what foundation is, and what it means to pluck your eyebrows. This book does cover the absolute basics well, so it might be a great resource for tweens and teens who are just being introduced to the world of taking care of themselves and trying makeup. But if you're already a fan of makeup or Michelle's videos, which I assume most people who buy her book are, you won't find anything new or noteworthy here.
2) Wrong medium. There are a few beauty things mentioned in the book that I don't know how to do yet (for example, a good blowout or a fishtail braid), but a book is not really the medium to learn these things from. Describing a pattern to me just leaves me hopelessly confused. There weren't even pictures or diagrams to help on these parts. It would be much better suited to a video tutorial, which Michelle is already fantastic at anyway.
3) Generic business info. The section I was most excited about, "Turn Your Passion into a Profession", was also very simplistic. The tips provided were common sense things like, "Buy an IP address", "Get money to start your business", "Get on social media". Once again, I think if a teen was reading this and it sparked some interest in them to start their own business, these could be good, valid starting points. But the book doesn't really explain HOW to do these things, or give any information that couldn't be yielded with a quick Google search. If someone has any previous interest on these topics, they will already know these things, and will find nothing new or groundbreaking here.
Overall, I was really hoping to get some unique and useful information from this book. Michelle Phan is a great example of turning what you love into a business, and her story is inspiring, but the book doesn't have anything practical to help others follow in her footsteps. I would recommend this book only to complete makeup novices, tweens or early teens, or someone who just wants a pretty book to display on their table. If you want more than that, stick to Michelle's videos. She really is a fantastic vlogger, but I just don't think a book is the proper medium for what she has to share.
I received this book from Random House, through the service Blogging for Books, in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the content of my review and all opinions are my own.
I was particularly interested in reading this book from the perspective of a potential digital entrepreneur. I'm interested in blogging (obviously) and in people, especially women, who eventually make a living simply doing what they love online. Michelle Phan is one of the great ladies of this generation who is doing just that. I was really excited to see if some if the tips she had would help me. Unfortunately, I didn't find anything useful to me within these pages.
First, the good things about the book:
1) It's gorgeous. The book is really quality and heavyweight, with beautiful glossy pages, a pretty, colorful design, and cute endpapers. There is lots of photography throughout the book, along with little sketches and info bubbles defining different terms. The colors and the typography all go really well together, and the whole thing is very well laid out to make this an attractive book you could feel proud to display on your coffee table.
2) It feels personal. You can feel Michelle's voice coming through, with the stories she tells about her childhood, and her own distinct way of speaking. It's cute, informal, and feels like having a chat with an older sister.
Now on to the things I was disappointed about:
1) Generic beauty info. For anyone who's ever read a women's magazine, a lot of the beauty information contained in this book might be redundant. There are no specific tutorials on makeup looks (you'll have to watch her videos for that) and a lot of what Michelle talks about is very generic information that most of us know already. Unless you have never looked at a piece of makeup in your life, you probably know where your t-zone is, what foundation is, and what it means to pluck your eyebrows. This book does cover the absolute basics well, so it might be a great resource for tweens and teens who are just being introduced to the world of taking care of themselves and trying makeup. But if you're already a fan of makeup or Michelle's videos, which I assume most people who buy her book are, you won't find anything new or noteworthy here.
2) Wrong medium. There are a few beauty things mentioned in the book that I don't know how to do yet (for example, a good blowout or a fishtail braid), but a book is not really the medium to learn these things from. Describing a pattern to me just leaves me hopelessly confused. There weren't even pictures or diagrams to help on these parts. It would be much better suited to a video tutorial, which Michelle is already fantastic at anyway.
3) Generic business info. The section I was most excited about, "Turn Your Passion into a Profession", was also very simplistic. The tips provided were common sense things like, "Buy an IP address", "Get money to start your business", "Get on social media". Once again, I think if a teen was reading this and it sparked some interest in them to start their own business, these could be good, valid starting points. But the book doesn't really explain HOW to do these things, or give any information that couldn't be yielded with a quick Google search. If someone has any previous interest on these topics, they will already know these things, and will find nothing new or groundbreaking here.
Overall, I was really hoping to get some unique and useful information from this book. Michelle Phan is a great example of turning what you love into a business, and her story is inspiring, but the book doesn't have anything practical to help others follow in her footsteps. I would recommend this book only to complete makeup novices, tweens or early teens, or someone who just wants a pretty book to display on their table. If you want more than that, stick to Michelle's videos. She really is a fantastic vlogger, but I just don't think a book is the proper medium for what she has to share.
I received this book from Random House, through the service Blogging for Books, in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the content of my review and all opinions are my own.
November 13, 2014
2.5 stars
This was a cute and informative book...but if I could go back in time, I probably wouldn't pick it up from the library again. Basically, it's a part-memoir, but mostly-advice book about...literally everything. Makeup, hair, nails, jobs, manners, education, fashion — you name it, it was in here.
It wasn't exactly the same, but it really reminded me of Lea Michele's book Brunette Ambition that came out earlier this year. I actually didn't like that book very much, mostly because it came off really preachy, so I was glad to see that Phan's book, although similar in content, was much more inclusive and less arrogant. But, at times, I did feel like she came off almost too nice. She prefaced practically everything she said with stuff like "I don't want to offend anybody" or "I don't mean to assume things." After a while, that became annoying and I wished that she would've been a little more assertive.
My other problem with the book was that it is very much geared towards teenagers. This book covered the basics of a lot of things, versus maybe going a bit more in-depth into different kinds of makeup looks, etc. for the more experienced. I can understand wanting to make sure that people know what you're talking about, especially if you think that young people will make up the majority of your readership, but there were a lot of times that she would make a side-note explaining the most fundamental concepts — it was seriously confusing that she thought people didn't know these things. Like telling us that three dots (...) are called an "ellipses," step-by-step instructions on how to do a french braid, and not to wear white to a wedding. I mean...are there really people out there that don't know stuff like that? And the book was filled with these little tidbits of "useful information." I get where she's coming from, but it did feel kind of condescending at times.
I just wish that the book would've contained more information about Phan's own life (I find her job very interesting, but she didn't go much into detail about what it's like to be her on a day-to-day basis) and different kinds of makeup tutorials, instead of choosing to have such a broad focus. Because it contained advice on so many topics, each section was very short. For example, the makeup chapter was only 30 pages long! I was really surprised that there wasn't more to it, as that was pretty much the only reason I'd added it to my to-read list. I ended up skimming a lot of the other stuff that I wasn't as interested in...although the skin care section was really informative for me, and I'm excited to implement a few things that I learned from her.
Overall, while there were a few really great pieces of advice in this book, I was disappointed that it wasn't more makeup-focused and I wish that I'd realized how teenager-geared it would be. Adults might find a couple interesting tidbits in here, but I think that this book would serve best as a gift for a high school student or college freshman who's just starting to make their way in the world. I probably would've LOVED this book as a teen...but, unfortunately, I just don't think that I was the desired target, and I wish that I'd realized that in advance of picking it up.
This was a cute and informative book...but if I could go back in time, I probably wouldn't pick it up from the library again. Basically, it's a part-memoir, but mostly-advice book about...literally everything. Makeup, hair, nails, jobs, manners, education, fashion — you name it, it was in here.
It wasn't exactly the same, but it really reminded me of Lea Michele's book Brunette Ambition that came out earlier this year. I actually didn't like that book very much, mostly because it came off really preachy, so I was glad to see that Phan's book, although similar in content, was much more inclusive and less arrogant. But, at times, I did feel like she came off almost too nice. She prefaced practically everything she said with stuff like "I don't want to offend anybody" or "I don't mean to assume things." After a while, that became annoying and I wished that she would've been a little more assertive.
My other problem with the book was that it is very much geared towards teenagers. This book covered the basics of a lot of things, versus maybe going a bit more in-depth into different kinds of makeup looks, etc. for the more experienced. I can understand wanting to make sure that people know what you're talking about, especially if you think that young people will make up the majority of your readership, but there were a lot of times that she would make a side-note explaining the most fundamental concepts — it was seriously confusing that she thought people didn't know these things. Like telling us that three dots (...) are called an "ellipses," step-by-step instructions on how to do a french braid, and not to wear white to a wedding. I mean...are there really people out there that don't know stuff like that? And the book was filled with these little tidbits of "useful information." I get where she's coming from, but it did feel kind of condescending at times.
I just wish that the book would've contained more information about Phan's own life (I find her job very interesting, but she didn't go much into detail about what it's like to be her on a day-to-day basis) and different kinds of makeup tutorials, instead of choosing to have such a broad focus. Because it contained advice on so many topics, each section was very short. For example, the makeup chapter was only 30 pages long! I was really surprised that there wasn't more to it, as that was pretty much the only reason I'd added it to my to-read list. I ended up skimming a lot of the other stuff that I wasn't as interested in...although the skin care section was really informative for me, and I'm excited to implement a few things that I learned from her.
Overall, while there were a few really great pieces of advice in this book, I was disappointed that it wasn't more makeup-focused and I wish that I'd realized how teenager-geared it would be. Adults might find a couple interesting tidbits in here, but I think that this book would serve best as a gift for a high school student or college freshman who's just starting to make their way in the world. I probably would've LOVED this book as a teen...but, unfortunately, I just don't think that I was the desired target, and I wish that I'd realized that in advance of picking it up.
July 25, 2016
isinya tidak 100% make-up ya. 20%-nya aja kayaknya.
ada 2 bab yang berisi kisah hidup Michelle, 1 bab tentang skin care, 1 bab tentang makeup, 1 bab tentang fashion dst.
penasaran baca ini karena tertarik di bagian makeup-nya tapi ternyata pas bagian kisah hidup Michelle juga menarik. Tentang bagaimana dia menjadi orang Asia sendiri di daerah tempat tinggalnya, lalu berusaha berubah seperti teman2nya. seperti, membuat rambut keriting agar bisa diterima di lingkungan amerika-afrika, membuat kulitnya coklat agar bisa diterima di lingkungan orang asli amerika,dll. Pada akhirnya dia lelah dan memilih untuk menjadi dirinya sendiri. dan ajaib, ketika dia menerima dirinya, orang pun akhirnya ikut menerima dan mau berteman dengannya. ini mengingatkan saya pada seseorang,hhe.
penjelasan di bagian makeup dan skincare-nya mengecewakan. minim ilustrasi. kebanyakan tulisan dan bikin puyeng. katakanlah saya sudah tau bedanya foundation dan conceal, tapi foundation dan conceal bagus menurut dia, saya tidak dapat penggambarannya dengan baik karena hanya lewat tulisan.
di bab akhir ada tips seputar pekerjaan, membuat cv dan resume juga tata krama di dunia online serta pentingnya personal branding. bagus.
secara keseluruhan bagus cuma agak mengecewakan karena diluar ekspetasi saya. untung gak beli versi cetaknya wq
ada 2 bab yang berisi kisah hidup Michelle, 1 bab tentang skin care, 1 bab tentang makeup, 1 bab tentang fashion dst.
penasaran baca ini karena tertarik di bagian makeup-nya tapi ternyata pas bagian kisah hidup Michelle juga menarik. Tentang bagaimana dia menjadi orang Asia sendiri di daerah tempat tinggalnya, lalu berusaha berubah seperti teman2nya. seperti, membuat rambut keriting agar bisa diterima di lingkungan amerika-afrika, membuat kulitnya coklat agar bisa diterima di lingkungan orang asli amerika,dll. Pada akhirnya dia lelah dan memilih untuk menjadi dirinya sendiri. dan ajaib, ketika dia menerima dirinya, orang pun akhirnya ikut menerima dan mau berteman dengannya. ini mengingatkan saya pada seseorang,hhe.
penjelasan di bagian makeup dan skincare-nya mengecewakan. minim ilustrasi. kebanyakan tulisan dan bikin puyeng. katakanlah saya sudah tau bedanya foundation dan conceal, tapi foundation dan conceal bagus menurut dia, saya tidak dapat penggambarannya dengan baik karena hanya lewat tulisan.
di bab akhir ada tips seputar pekerjaan, membuat cv dan resume juga tata krama di dunia online serta pentingnya personal branding. bagus.
secara keseluruhan bagus cuma agak mengecewakan karena diluar ekspetasi saya. untung gak beli versi cetaknya wq
November 11, 2018
Kalau saya katakan saya punya idola, Michelle Phan adalah salah satunya! Saya suka sekali dengan kesederhanaan dan gaya artistik yang khas dari dirinya. Saya mengenalnya tentu via Youtube. Saya mengikutinya menonton hampir semua videonya. Salah satu yang saya sukai (sangat) adalah karena Michelle memiliki banyak nilai-nilai yang ia pertahankan dan ia bagikan. Pengalaman di masa lalunya karena keluarga yang tidak harmonis membuat saya terharu pada usahanya untuk membahagiakan sang Ibu. Saya masih mengikutinya dengan EM Cosmetics (saya bahkan membeli produknya) hingga saat ini (masih) masa-masa hiatus dari Youtube. Buat saya, ia adalah salah satu content creator yang paling menginspirasi, karena ia fokus untuk menginspirasi orang lain dengan suara lembutnya itu, bukan sekedar menunjukkan apa yang dipakai. Buku ini adalah salah satu buku yang benar-benar saya inginkan untuk miliki, kemudian ternyata berkesempatan. Buku dengan halaman muka yang cantik yang kemungkinan besar akan saya baca lagi di waktu yang akan datang.
Ps: saya tidak benar-benar menyelesaikannya hingga akhir. Saya terjebak rasa bosan di beberapa halaman terakhir, namun dari awal hingga beberapa halaman terakhir tersebut benar-benar menarik! Halaman terakhir sebenarnya tentang bagaimana mendapatkan pekerjaan.
Ps: saya tidak benar-benar menyelesaikannya hingga akhir. Saya terjebak rasa bosan di beberapa halaman terakhir, namun dari awal hingga beberapa halaman terakhir tersebut benar-benar menarik! Halaman terakhir sebenarnya tentang bagaimana mendapatkan pekerjaan.
February 14, 2015
I RECEIVED THIS BOOK FREE THROUGH GOODREADS GIVEAWAY.
WHATS IN THE BOOK?
This book is full of beauty how-to's as well as great tips on life. I love the lip scrub in the book and that's not the only thing you'll learn how to do from this book. From makeup, to daily routine, and even fashion, this book has it. It has valuable tips on getting a job and starting a business. The best thing about this book is all the tips that create confidence and the focus on being you. This book is good for anyone wanting to learn more about beauty, makeup, and such. Michelle Phan is a role model to me and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Definitely worth picking up!
WHAT THIS BOOK DOESN'T HAVE
This book is pretty well rounded as far as how many topics it covers. My one regret? This could have been split into many books and had more detail on each if the beauty topics. Why isn't this an epic series?!? ugh! Rant is over now.
CLOSING COMMENTS
Get it for a teenage girl! It's a good book.
NEED A REVIEW
I do free reviews if you give me a free copy of the book, but I will write it on my time (up to 2 weeks after the book is received). If you add a small fee I will have it done when you want it. Message me for more information. Same day reviews available!
WHATS IN THE BOOK?
This book is full of beauty how-to's as well as great tips on life. I love the lip scrub in the book and that's not the only thing you'll learn how to do from this book. From makeup, to daily routine, and even fashion, this book has it. It has valuable tips on getting a job and starting a business. The best thing about this book is all the tips that create confidence and the focus on being you. This book is good for anyone wanting to learn more about beauty, makeup, and such. Michelle Phan is a role model to me and I'm sure I'm not the only one. Definitely worth picking up!
WHAT THIS BOOK DOESN'T HAVE
This book is pretty well rounded as far as how many topics it covers. My one regret? This could have been split into many books and had more detail on each if the beauty topics. Why isn't this an epic series?!? ugh! Rant is over now.
CLOSING COMMENTS
Get it for a teenage girl! It's a good book.
NEED A REVIEW
I do free reviews if you give me a free copy of the book, but I will write it on my time (up to 2 weeks after the book is received). If you add a small fee I will have it done when you want it. Message me for more information. Same day reviews available!
December 4, 2015
Este libro no solo habla de maquillaje: No. Hay secciones de estilo, modales, tips para el trabajo, belleza y entre otras cositas, debido a esto esta dividido en secciones. En si son muchos tips, DIY'S y consejitos.
Hablare un poco de lo que me gusto y de lo que no me gusto tanto.
Me gusto que en si no es un libro por decirlo estricto es como si tu hermana mayor o una amiga te estuviera platicando y dando consejos, lo cual hacia que te sintieras muy comoda leyendo el libro y se hiciera amena la lectura o almenos asi lo senti yo. Otra cosa que me parecio padre es que te pone ejemplos ya sea en fotos o con dibujitos que esto yo creo que fue lo que más me gusto.
Sin embargo si hubo cosas que digamos no me agradaron del todo. Habia unos consejos o unas secciones que las llegue a sentir innecesarias o más bien algo obvias, también llegue a sentir que muchas veces solo tocaba el tema por encimita, que no explicaba del todo.
Le di 3.5 estrellitas de cinco porque a pesar de que si me gusto el libro muchos de los temas de los que se hablaban yo ya me los sabia, o llegue a sentir que una revista de seventeen traia cosas un poco más interesantes, es que en si es una guia básica, es por si apenas te estas adentrando en el mundo del maquillaje.
Hablare un poco de lo que me gusto y de lo que no me gusto tanto.
Me gusto que en si no es un libro por decirlo estricto es como si tu hermana mayor o una amiga te estuviera platicando y dando consejos, lo cual hacia que te sintieras muy comoda leyendo el libro y se hiciera amena la lectura o almenos asi lo senti yo. Otra cosa que me parecio padre es que te pone ejemplos ya sea en fotos o con dibujitos que esto yo creo que fue lo que más me gusto.
Sin embargo si hubo cosas que digamos no me agradaron del todo. Habia unos consejos o unas secciones que las llegue a sentir innecesarias o más bien algo obvias, también llegue a sentir que muchas veces solo tocaba el tema por encimita, que no explicaba del todo.
Le di 3.5 estrellitas de cinco porque a pesar de que si me gusto el libro muchos de los temas de los que se hablaban yo ya me los sabia, o llegue a sentir que una revista de seventeen traia cosas un poco más interesantes, es que en si es una guia básica, es por si apenas te estas adentrando en el mundo del maquillaje.
December 9, 2014
I really liked this book! Some parts of it are specifically intended for college age girls or women in their 20s, but I found Michelle's advice to be mostly universal. Teenagers would benefit from reading this book, as well as women in their 30s and 40s. The advice she gives about makeup, style, job hunting, and manners are great lessons for everyone.
My favorite parts of the book were the sections on makeup, clothes, and business. The only downside is that so many topics are covered, it's very general and somewhat vague. I wish there had been more specific advice in some areas, but overall, I felt like it was a comprehensive primer for any woman looking to improve herself.
Content: clean
Source: I received a copy of this book through the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review.
My blog: Batch of Books
My favorite parts of the book were the sections on makeup, clothes, and business. The only downside is that so many topics are covered, it's very general and somewhat vague. I wish there had been more specific advice in some areas, but overall, I felt like it was a comprehensive primer for any woman looking to improve herself.
Content: clean
Source: I received a copy of this book through the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review.
My blog: Batch of Books
February 2, 2015
Amé este libro. A pesar de no ser súper fan de Michelle, la admiro por todo lo que ha logrado. Es el típico ejemplo de estar en el momento adecuado, en el lugar adecuado -de ahí su frase Good Luck!-. No podía dejar de leerlo para saber a detalle cómo ha sido su desarrollo en YouTube. Despeja todas mis dudas y la calidad del libro es impresionante: páginas en papel couché e ilustrado a la altura. Contiene un número de páginas bastante consistente lo cual deja en claro que se hizo un trabajo a la altura de la YouTuber más famosa del momento a nivel mundial.
Y para que me comprendan mejor, compárenlo con el libro de Yuya, que al lado de éste no es más que un pasquin barato. Sin ánimo de ofender pero creo que sus fans merecían algo mejor y mucho más cuando como YouTuber está a la altura de Michelle Phan -o más bien así la han querido colocar-. Pueden checar el review en video en mi canal de YouTube/eldiariodecandy.
Y para que me comprendan mejor, compárenlo con el libro de Yuya, que al lado de éste no es más que un pasquin barato. Sin ánimo de ofender pero creo que sus fans merecían algo mejor y mucho más cuando como YouTuber está a la altura de Michelle Phan -o más bien así la han querido colocar-. Pueden checar el review en video en mi canal de YouTube/eldiariodecandy.
July 12, 2016
I borrow this book from my bestie and I will say Makeup by Michelle Phan is an amazing book!
I picked up some useful and helpful things from it.
I wish I read this earlier so that I didn't have to figure out first job, first interview, CV, cover letter kind of things by myself.(But that happened already)
Miss Michelle Phan, you are the most kind, understanding, awesome, caring, professional person. I watched your videos, and they gave me so many inspiration and motivation (specially about reaching dreams). So, thank you, for sharing everything that you share to me. I will be forever grateful. =)
I picked up some useful and helpful things from it.
I wish I read this earlier so that I didn't have to figure out first job, first interview, CV, cover letter kind of things by myself.(But that happened already)
Miss Michelle Phan, you are the most kind, understanding, awesome, caring, professional person. I watched your videos, and they gave me so many inspiration and motivation (specially about reaching dreams). So, thank you, for sharing everything that you share to me. I will be forever grateful. =)
February 25, 2016
Là một quyển must have của những cô gái mộng mơ ( tầm 16-20), mấy chị đi làm ở văn phòng chắc biết rồi tips trong này rồi, nhưng nếu thích và là fan của Michelle thì rinh về thôi.
Sách của Michelle viết dễ hiểu. Có vài phần mình khá thích. Ví dụ như Skin Care Savvy, chia sẻ các bước chăm sóc da từ A-Z. Đọc xong hiểu được tại sao nên chăm sóc da từ bây giờ, và thấy trước giờ mình hành mình quá. Thật là có lỗi với bản thaannnnnnnn.
Với cả có phần table setting nữa. Trước giờ mình không để ý, cũng không học cách table setting như thế nào, nên nhiều lần đi ăn với bạn cũng bỡ ngỡ. Giờ đọc phần này, thấy đỡ hơn rồi :3
Sách của Michelle viết dễ hiểu. Có vài phần mình khá thích. Ví dụ như Skin Care Savvy, chia sẻ các bước chăm sóc da từ A-Z. Đọc xong hiểu được tại sao nên chăm sóc da từ bây giờ, và thấy trước giờ mình hành mình quá. Thật là có lỗi với bản thaannnnnnnn.
Với cả có phần table setting nữa. Trước giờ mình không để ý, cũng không học cách table setting như thế nào, nên nhiều lần đi ăn với bạn cũng bỡ ngỡ. Giờ đọc phần này, thấy đỡ hơn rồi :3
April 2, 2017
Michelle Phan, a well-known makeup guru thanks to her online presence, presents a girl's guide to a well rounded life. I didn't know what to expect when I picked this up. I think the ideal audience for this title are younger (late teen-early 20's) fans of Michelle's work. I was unfamiliar with the author before opening this book and felt the content was ok, but mostly applicable to younger women looking for their first job or just starting out on their own.
If you're a fan of Michelle's videos and tutorials, I definitely recommend checking out this book.
If you're a fan of Michelle's videos and tutorials, I definitely recommend checking out this book.
December 14, 2014
I received this book from blogging for books.
Okay. So one of my guilty pleasures in life is to watch these beauty videos on YouTube. I saw this book was available from blogging for books and JUMPED on it. I'm regretting that decision. This book reads like it's written for a 10 year old! Only thing I really learned was that Michelle was a fellow Florida kid. Which isn’t something you really care about when you're reading a book titled “Make Up”
Okay. So one of my guilty pleasures in life is to watch these beauty videos on YouTube. I saw this book was available from blogging for books and JUMPED on it. I'm regretting that decision. This book reads like it's written for a 10 year old! Only thing I really learned was that Michelle was a fellow Florida kid. Which isn’t something you really care about when you're reading a book titled “Make Up”
April 30, 2015
To be honest, I expected more. Most of the book was a really basic or common sense stuff. I guess it's useful for young teens only.
It was interesting reading about her life though. But it's not worth to buy it for ~50 interesting pages. Better take it from the library or ask someone to lend it to you.
As I still am a big Michelle fan fan (see what I did here?? loool!), I still am hoping that she will write a nice book for more experienced people.
It was interesting reading about her life though. But it's not worth to buy it for ~50 interesting pages. Better take it from the library or ask someone to lend it to you.
As I still am a big Michelle fan fan (see what I did here?? loool!), I still am hoping that she will write a nice book for more experienced people.
April 28, 2015
This book covers a wide variety of subjects; however, it only provides very surface information on each. Anyone that has read a magazine for women will have seen this advice before, but the business information and career advice wouldn't really appeal to the very young teens that would be interested in the rest of the book.
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