More than a DIY makeup tutorial, Beauty of the Beast (A24) is expert Emily Schubert’s transformation manual. It is an anti-CGI ode to the hands-on effects that, with tools that can fit in a makeup kit, remake the human face.
Schubert’s talents are new to me. She is, in fact, one of the industry’s best-kept secrets, having worked with Matthew Barney, Pope L., The New York City Ballet, Dev Hynes, Laurie Anderson, former president Bill Clinton, and SOPHIE.
Edited by Claire Marie Healy (who worked on A24’s dazzling look at cinematic dance), photographed by Jason Al-Taan, and designed by Wkshps, the book includes mini essays and photo tutorials on beauty makeup, special effects makeup and makeup for the screen—a unique talent that demands flawlessness. Ultimately, Beauty of the Beast redefines the stereotype of the gendered “powder puff girl” diminutive used against women makeup artists, and the masculine world of horror makeup by mixing the two approaches in a hybrid style.
