Makeup Made Easy For The Masses: Rae Morris Makeup Masterclass

By: Marjorie Galas

It’s hard to know what to expect when meeting a person whose career has been spent making the most beautiful supermodels camera ready and training the makeup artists who style icons such as Janet Jackson and Paula Abdul.   Meeting Rae Morris is like waking up to a bright, sunny day.  The four time Australian Makeup Artist of Year winner and inductee into countless global hall of fames, Morris also remains the longest serving Makeup Director for L’Oreal Paris (2003-2013). To top it off, she has the uncanny habit of not only putting people at ease, but making people feel beautiful, inside and out.

I met Morris over tea on a temperate April afternoon, one day before the LA launch of her latest book, “Rae Morris Makeup Masterclass.” A fully illustrated guide, the book rises above her six other publications, starting with the 2008 “Makeup, the Ultimate Guide” ‘Beautiful Eyes’ (2009), ‘Express Makeup’ (2010), ‘Timeless Makeup’ (2012), and ‘Quick Looks’ (2013).  Dedicated to the goal of bringing “high-end fashion makeup into the realm of everyday life, “Rae Morris Makeup Masterclass” is the result of a two year odyssey studying the science of beauty, particularly the Phi method, that resulted in the self-published, 431 comprehensive guide to creating beautiful looks for every person.

“I’ve put everything I know into this book,” said Morris.  “It is great to  share your knowledge – not only to pass on the teachings, but also to force yourself to stretch and grow an learn new techniques.  This is how I constantly learn myself.”

On page 90 of “Rae Morris Makeup Masterclass” Morris gives a digestable description of the Phi method, and how the formula applies to creating the beautiful almond shaped eyes most people long for – even if they aren’t fully aware.  Phi is a ratio naturally found in nature, from seashells to flower petals that has been scientifically studied.  The human brain recognizes items that exhibit the ratio as beautiful.  Developers behind Apple computers and Astin Martin cars integrate elements of the Phi ratio into their products design, and Morris highlights the fact that our faces take on Phi properties when we smile – becoming naturally more attractive.  Summarizing the complicated math, Morris had devoted a greater emphasis in the creation of an easy to follow, nine step illustrated guide. Outlining each layer of the process, Morris effectively translates the complicated Phi principle and empowers the reader through each clarification of the makeup technique.

The first portion of the book breaks down the basics of makeup application, kicking off with a chapter that defines the essentials one should have in their makeup kit.  The creator of a revolutionary brand of magnetic makeup brushes, Morris spends only one sentence describing her brushes thusly:

“I’ve literally spent decades searching the world for the best tools for my profession, and I haven’t always been able to find them, so I’ve actually made them myself!”

The section covers everything from baby wipes to tweezers, and describes the core ingredients in some of the material.  With the kit fully defined, Morris moves on to chapters including “Skin Prepping”, “Foundation”, “Contouring” “Eyes” and “Lips.”  Before devoting nearly 240 pages to creating specific looks, she spends time discussing the aging process and how to combat it with simple makeup techniques, such as minimizing the fill area of the lips, utilizing mineral and sheer powders, and softening the arch of a brow.

Crafted with fine French paper, the hardcover “Rae Morris Makeup Masterclass” is a limited edition that rests comfortably in a decorative yet durable box.  To make the lessons fully accessable to the masses, Morris has also created a “pocket companion” interactive version available for the iPad or iPhone that contains more than two and a half step-by-step tutorials.

“I know you can’t carry a hard cover book with you wherever you go,” said Morris.  “The app is fully illustrated.  It is something anyone can pull up at their fingertips.”

Most importantly, Morris is donating proceeds from every book sale to Amnesty International and the Cambodian Children's Trust.

"Those are organizations that are very dear to my heart," said Morris.

Learn more about Rae Morris and find her book, “Rae Morris Makeup Masterclass” by visiting her website:

https://raemorris.com/