For Colored Girls:
Iman Beautifies Every Complexion

Supermodel Iman is giving women of color the real deal on how to apply makeup and take the beauty of skin of color to the next level of gorgeous in her new book, 'The Beauty of Color: The Ultimate Guide for Skin of Color' (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2005). And who better to school us on looking good than a world-class beauty?

Professional Lovely
Iman began modeling in 1975; the daughter of a diplomat, she got her modeling break while studying political science at Nairobi University in Kenya. In the years that followed, she has graced the pages of Vogue magazine, as well as the runways of Yves Saint Laurent, Versace and Donna Karan, the big screen and the little screen. (Remember Michael Jackson's 'Remember the Time' music video? Iman was the majestic object of MJ's desire.) She's been snapped in all her glory by photography's elite -- including Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon and Annie Liebovitz. Iman's cosmetic expertise doesn't come solely from being in front of the camera, though: In 1994, she launched the very successful Iman Cosmetics, and in 2000, she debuted her second line, I-Iman Makeup.

Cloudy Vision
A large part of the inspiration for 'The Beauty of Color' came from her years as a model. When Iman started out, (at high-end magazines, mind you) makeup artists on photo shoots would routinely ask Iman and other "ethnic" models if they'd brought their own foundation. She quickly learned the hard way that these so-called "professionals" didn't know how to blend foundation and powder for women of color. "Photo after photo of me with disastrous skin tone made me realize that I had to learn the art of mixing base for myself. I started mixing and matching foundations. I played chemist, mixing up to three different colors to achieve the perfect combination to match my skin," Iman recounts.

The Art of True Beauty
In Iman's world, color on the face is a fun and exciting illustration of the character of the woman wearing it, and the emphasis on cosmetics as art is strong. More important, 'The Beauty of Color' stresses the fact that no matter what the beauty industry (or a brainwashed society) says, beauty comes in all shades, tones and hues of the rainbow. Indeed, the images in the book would make anyone stop in their tracks, not only because of the aesthetic beauty of the women in them, but also because of the striking range of complexions that are featured. True to her word, Iman has crafted a how-to makeup manual just for skin of color -- of all colors.

The Beginning, Middle and End of the Story
The book begins with a breakdown of different skin types (you're sure to recognize yours), plus instructions on how to cleanse and moisturize all of them. Beyond that, the first half of the book lays out easy-to-understand mini-crash courses in cosmetic artistry for each part of the face.

Iman starts her discussion of makeup with a rundown of cosmetic tools. For anyone who thought it was as simple as a blush brush and a powder puff, think again. Next comes foundation and concealer, squares one and two of "putting on your face." With an emphasis on not overdoing it, the book explains not only which foundations and concealers do what, but also how to put them on for a flawless effect. Lessons on powder, bronzer and blush are next, followed by eyeshadow, eyeliner and eye lashes. Last but not least are what may be the woman of color's most coveted feature: lips. (This section even has tips on evening out two-tone lips, a quirk particular to skin of color.)

The middle of the book is all about different looks. With breathtaking images, the book showcases different faces of beauty all done up -- complete with a checklist of what you need to create each and clear "how-to" illustrations. From Nude Scene to Ghetto Fab, there's something for all of us.



'The Beauty of Color' saves the best for last. The final section of the book features brutally honest pictorials of step-by-step makeovers done on everyday women of different age groups: the teens, 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s -- and yes, a variety of ethnicities are included. This section is full of tricks for dealing with time's inevitable changes to your face, but the larger point here is to get in where you fit in -- and make your face beautiful instead of trying to make it into someone else's.

In 'The Beauty of Color,' Iman generously shares not only her years of know-how, but also her posh sense of pride and style. In the process, she takes women of color that much closer to more beautiful tomorrows.