Makeup Artist Fills Beauty Book With Tips for Asian Women

An Asian woman’s eyes are both her best asset and her biggest challenge when it comes to putting on her makeup.

There are wonderful colors and great tools out there to highlight the exotic beauty of Asians’ eyes, says Los Angeles makeup artist Margaret Kimura, but there is a shortage of information on how to properly apply the cosmetics to their unique almond shape.

“Asian women have a different canvas,” says Kimura, herself a Japanese American.

“If we look at ourselves as women first--beauty does start from within--and then look at our unique qualities next, we’ll see how to play up our exotic looks.”

Kimura provides that step-by-step tutorial in her new book “Asian Beauty” (HarperResource), written with Marianne Dougherty. Chapter topics include skin care, foundation, eyes, lips and role models.

She hopes her book will inspire Asian American women to try new looks.

“American women are taught to be independent. In an Asian house, the women are taught it’s OK to be shy and submissive, so they are getting a mixed message about expressing themselves.”

Kimura says she’d also like to teach non-Asian women something about their Asian peers and neighbors--and share a few good makeup tips in the process.

In the book, Kimura explains that “opening up” the eyes is key but she also doesn’t want to diminish the exoticness of the shape.

One trick: Using a lighter shade of eye liner under the lower lashes and a heavier shade to line the lid helps create more depth so the eyes appear to be more open.

The use of eyeliner in general plays up “the mystery” of Asian eyes, adds Kimura, whose celebrity clients (Asian and non) have included Lisa Ling, Andie MacDowell and Winona Ryder.

It’s important for anyone who wears makeup to know her best colors but it’s particularly important for Asian women to avoid pinkish foundations because of their almost universal yellow undertone, she advises.

Another tip--and this one’s for everyone--is that foundation shouldn’t be caked on. Kimura, however, does like to use a light coat of foundation or powder on all her clients because it allows her a “fresh start” on the face.

The one rule Kimura won’t budge on is using the right tools.

“Good tools to a makeup artist are like a drummer’s drumsticks.”