I'm kindof a nerd so if I have an interest in a subject I like to read and research on it, even makeup! As just your average makeup user some people might find it a bit extreme to source out books that most pro MUAs enjoy. To my surprise I found the two Aucoin books I read (Face Forward and Making Faces) were very accessible to beginners as well. All the techniques were explained in a language that is easy to understand. The transformations of some models and celebrities were amazing to look at, to see what makeup can accomplish. I wouldn't use this book as a direct tutorial but rather learning your face shape and features and how to use makeup to enhance them.