Trish McEvoy Makes Up a Confident Woman

If you are a makeup enthusiast, you know the name Trish McEvoy. Southampton’s McEvoy, a renowned makeup artist, has been in the makeup industry since the seventies. Though the industry has changed, McEvoy has evolved with it and stuck around. In her recently published book, McEvoy is sharing her tricks of the trade with readers.

In The Makeup of a Confident Woman, McEvoy uncovers the secret to confidence and finding “me-time.” The book has seven different sections, each approaching a different issue but working toward the goal of finding a makeup routine that works for each individual woman.

The book begins with sections titled “The Confidence Cure” and “The Gift of Time.” McEvoy reflects on changes that have occurred in the industry over the years. One seems to stand out to McEvoy, as it becomes a central point of the text. The issue is that women don’t have enough time to spend on themselves. McEvoy draws on personal experiences, and a study she conducted, to conclude that if women gave themselves a few minutes every day to apply makeup, their lives would change for the better. The idea that just a few more minutes each day, set aside for self-indulgence, can change both your mood and confidence for the better is advice women should take.

McEvoy then gives advice on how to begin the process of overhauling your makeup routine and work on yourself from “the outside in.” This advice includes: taking a makeup-less selfie, learning the skin care basics and purchasing the right tools. McEvoy gives examples of makeup products to purchase. At this point the book begins to feel more like an advertisement for her products rather than a tutorial or self-help book. It also leaves women on a budget feeling overwhelmed and somewhat excluded from the process. The most helpful part of this section were suggestions for finding time, and helping women recognize what type of “morning style” she has. The self-reflection here is powerful and very helpful.

Now, we get to the makeup. In the next section, “Discover Your Beauty I.D.,” McEvoy describes three levels women typically fall within, level 1 being the lightest makeup and level 3, the heaviest. Your Beauty I.D. helps you in the following section when viewing the different tutorials for the different levels.

The rest of the book is dedicated to brief tutorials that demonstrate the eight steps McEvoy views as key. A variety of skin tones, ages and beauty concerns are presented through pictures of different women demonstrating the steps. For someone who knows very little about makeup, these tutorials might not be enough for you to replicate the look you like. Words such as “apply liberally” and “stipple foundation” left this reviewer confused and with a face of much heavier makeup than she had intended for herself.

Overall, McEvoy does give a lot of basic information to the reader regarding makeup and skin care. She also presents an issue that concerns many women—insufficient “me time.” What’s missing is the detailed description on how to replicate the quick, easy and confidence boosting makeup routine in the time available. If you’re experienced in applying makeup, following the tutorials should be easy, but many readers might find this process difficult.

The Makeup of a Confident Woman confronts issues women face on a daily basis, and gives insightful advice to the problems of lack of time and of confidence. For women looking for the motivation and inspiration to start putting themselves first, this book is a great read. However, it may help to have a more experienced makeup applier, or artist, at hand to demonstrate how to replicate the tutorials.

You may visit Trish McEvoy’s only stand-alone store at 28 Jobs Lane, Southampton, trishmcevoy.com