by Kerry Diamond

He was the makeup artist of choice for every major movie star, pop icon, and supermodel around; presidents and princesses knew him by name; and his work appeared on countless catwalks, red carpets, and magazine covers. While his life was a dizzying mix of fame and glamour, Kevyn's goal wasn't simply to make beautiful people even more alluring. Inspired by his difficult childhood in a homophobic Southern town, he chose to see beauty everywhere, in all people, and to help them see it in themselves. It's no wonder his books, The Art of Makeup, Making Faces, and Face Forward, were immediate bestsellers.

Kevyn Aucoin: a beautiful life chronicles the magical journey of this makeup guru as seen through the eyes of his family, friends, lovers, and fashion-industry insiders. It traces his beginnings in a Louisiana orphanage to the mysterious illness that tragically ended his life at age forty. Here, Gwyneth Paltrow, Julia Roberts, Janet Jackson, Barbra Streisand, Britney Spears, Tina Turner, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Hilary Swank, Christy Turlington, Isabella Rossellini, and dozens of other luminaries reveal in exclusive interviews what made Kevyn so talented, funny, fiercely loyal, and ultimately irreplaceable.

Also included are the makeup techniques that made Kevyn so legendary, accompanied by easy-to-follow step-by-step photos. He refined these signature tricks throughout his career and relied upon them to turn every face into something extraordinary.