Basic Makeup

During my adolescence in the 1980s--the days of powder blue eye shadow, big hair and the governing principle that more was better--I wore so much eyeliner that I'm still amazed my eyes were able to open. How I wish I had taken my mom up on her offer of sending me to a boutique for guidance! Of course, it's never too late to start. Basic Makeup teaches viewers how to cleanse, pluck, conceal, cover, contour, define and color the face--filmed in real time, for those who have 50 minutes each morning to put on their faces before work. Although billed for advanced students as well as beginners, I would recommend it only for the latter, as the techniques employed here are fairly standard. Since a single African-American model appears in the production, consider this either a long overdue title aimed specifically at black women or a limited program that would have benefited from the inclusion of Caucasian, Latina and Asian models as well. A strong optional purchase. Aud: P. (J. Asala)