Westmore Beauty Book -- A Complete 1950s Guide to Vintage Makeup, Hairstyling and Beauty Techniques Paperback – January 1, 2009

The authors of this book, the Westmore brothers--- Wally, Perc. Frank, Bud and Mont---- originally published this book in the mid-1950's, it had been long discontinued, but now, here it is re-released in an exclusive, limited publishing. The Westmore brothers are legendary in American cinema history for doing the hair and cosmetics of the greatest film stars of the period. In this book they reveal the many tricks, techniques and secrets they employed to make the faces of Hollywood actresses so stunning and memorable. The faces of these actresses would've been seen splashed in closeup on the silver screen before millions; so they had to be "perfect".A huge cornucopia of hairstyling and cosmetics tips--- in a distinctly Midcentury aesthetic--- awaits you here: everything on how to apply makeup differently on different women to yield the optimum beauty effect; which hairstyles (1950's vintage of course) are most flattering to which face types. The Westmores show how the "flaws" of any face.... can be made up into an asset. Beginners of midcentury makeup will learn that, in those days, cosmetics was not simply about adding some fetching color to the face; no-no-no, it was about basically "erasing" your face first (with powders and foundations), then literally "re-writing" your new face.... exactly as you'd want it to appear.The book is useful as an amusing glimpse into feminine beauty of the pre-MAD MEN 1940's and 1950's, but it also is chock-full of step-by-step methods for yielding the makeup look and hairstyles of this period... important when accurate period verisimilitude is sought.To those interested in replicating the hair and beauty looks of the 1950's--- whether for film, TV, theater, pop music, boudoir photography, swing-dancing, etc.--- this book will be of enormous use. For this subject, one simply could not find more authoritative sources than the original texts of the Westmore brothers; the entire book is presented exactly as it appeared in 1955, down to the very font face, and it now contains no modern annotations, updates, comments or postmodern "winks" whatsoever. Illustrations are in B&W photos and line-drawings only, but this shouldn't prove a problem to the serious aspirant.Women of color needn't feel left out, because the Westmores are approaching beauty from a holistic point-of-view, applicable to every woman. Dorothy Dandridge and Rita Moreno would have received the same hair and cosmetics techniques presented here as Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell and Grace Kelly.Some sticklers will moue their lips at the implied sexist attitudes presented herein, but, hey, that's all part of the nostalgic, Midcentury fun, right?P.S. Impress your artsy friends by knowing that Perc Westmore pronounced his name "purse"--- short for Percival, of course.

I absolutely adored and enjoyed this book from cover to cover! Not only is it written in an entertaining fashion, but the advice it contains has proven true! Who knew that switching to a cold cream/toner/moisturizer regime would *clear up* my acne? It seemed so counter-intuitive, but I went for it--and have lovely skin as proof. Bye-bye harsh facial products! The makeup and hair advice can be adapted to modern style if you want, or provide a period template for those of us with a retro-look. A lot of what this book discusses is how to use what you have, what is best for your features, and easy tricks to make yourself look just that much better. The book was written to bring Hollywood glam to suburbs, and frankly I think we all can use some glam in our lives. If you love 50s style--or just feel like you could use a boost--you need this book!

Seriously. This book is everything I could have asked for and more. Besides fashions. Ok, so not EVERYTHING, but seriously everything besides fashions. First you figure out what shape your face is and how you should style your brows, then on to make-up (sure the pictures are a little scary, but they're also funny... so..), hairstyling to flatter your face with tips on how to cut, perm, pin curl, and dye your own hair, finding flattering glasses, and manicure help. My favorite part of this book, and something I was not expecting, was 1950's exercise routines! I've been searching high and low for them and finally stumbled upon them in this delightful book! Now, while I wouldn't advise taking this book's advice totally to heart, I still love reading it. I have a feeling this book would be a delightful resource to those looking to reproduce make up of the 50's for stage or screen.

I think watching Man Men has made me fall in love with the retro look. Why not check out a book from the time, and employ the advice in this book? Lots of illustrations, tips on cleansing, pin curls, make up, and how to take good care of yourself. I found this book completely enchanting. It is packed full of information, that you can walk away with lots of take away information.I think this book has great information on how to apply make up, how to take care of your body, and so much more. I am amazed that much of the content of this book is still completely valid today. I loved this book, and I am so glad I made this purchase.

I bought this book in attempt to further my knowledge of vintage hairstyling and makeup tricks. The only thing is that I don't necessarily want an old time practice, which is what this book teaches. It is very technical (face type/structure and what style works best, using tools to break down different quadrants of the face, etc...) and meant for a woman who did what women did in the 50's- spend their days trying to look "beautiful." There are some interesting techniques and tips, but overall it's too detailed and not updated to fit a (my) more modern and busier lifestyle. Very nice glimpse into the past though...

This is a classic! With tips on everything from head to toes. Not only will Bud help you select a good hairstyle, color and show you how to achieve them he gives tips on exercise, diet, eyebrow arching, the proper manicure technique, how to dress, this guy will help you reshape your face and become as lovely as the Hollywood icons he made-over in the classic years of cinema.The heir apparent to Max Factor (who invented make-up for the screen ) and the precursor to Way Bandy (who styled the models of the 70's and 80's) Bud Westmore has given us a treasure for any gal who ever had a penchant for glamour and reinvention. A must have book!