Book traces life of makeup artist

New York — Kevyn Aucoin, the renowned makeup artist who died last year, was one of the few people in the world to see celebrities with their hair down.

“Most people are on guard with celebrities, but Kevyn didn’t do that even though he was the biggest fan of everyone he worked with,” says Kerry Diamond, author of the new book “Kevyn Aucoin: A Beautiful Life” (Atria).

While Aucoin was never embarrassed to ask the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Julia Roberts or Janet Jackson for an autograph to give to his nieces and nephews, he also fostered a warm relationship with the stars instead of playing it cool like others in the fashion industry do when they find themselves so close to Hollywood royalty, Diamond says.

Eventually, Aucoin became a trusted friend and often a party escort to the famous faces he worked on. He rarely brought assistants to photo shoots to show that he respected the privacy of his clients.

“People felt protected when he was around. He protected your image and your emotions, and he was fun to hang out with,” says Diamond, the beauty director of Harper’s Bazaar magazine. She first met Aucoin when she was a writer at Women’s Wear Daily and was assigned a story about him.

Diamond’s book traces Aucoin’s life from his birth in Louisiana in 1962 through his “cover boy years” (1986-1989) to his “legend years” (1999-2002). There also are several tributes to Aucoin written by celebrities, including Paltrow, Isabella Rossellini and Naomi Campbell, accompanied by photos for which Aucoin did the makeup.

Book offers tips on transition clothes

New York — For many women, the first few weeks of pregnancy is a happy, thrilling time. The mothers-to-be get that special maternity glow, but their bellies don’t give a hint of what’s to come.

Then, reality sets in.

Clothes don’t close, seams pull and morning-sickness sufferers certainly aren’t looking for an additional pressure on their bulging waistlines.

Lauren Sara, designer of the upscale maternity line M by Lauren Sara, says this is the time to put together a “panic kit.”

In her new book “Expecting Style” (Bulfinch), Sara suggests using the following items to get through the transitional stage between regular wardrobe and maternity clothes:

• Safety pins. Hook safety pins together to make a bridge from button to buttonhole.
• Rubber bands. Loop a rubber band into a figure-eight around your trouser button and safety-pin it to the other side.
• Double-sided tape. Tape is useful for quick little tucks and folds, and it keep clothes from looking bulgy.
• Mitten clips. Use these to make an empire line to your waist by pulling in excess fabric at the back of an oversized garment.
• Scissors. Use them to make side slits in T-shirts.

Sara also urges women to wear their jackets open, wear shirts as tunics instead of tucking them in, and tying twinset cardigans around the shoulders instead of on the body.

Company launches line based on Minnelli’s look

New York — To help bring out the showgirl in all of us, MAC is launching a line of cosmetics based on Liza Minnelli’s iconic look.

“The essential Liza face involves huge doey eyes framed with feathery lashes, sculpted cheeks with a fresh pink glow and a brightly painted, heart-shaped mouth. Lashes are the key, especially with Liza’s famous downward tilt on the eyes,” says MAC makeup artist Terry Barber.

For a daytime look, the collection features a classic red lipstick, eye shadows in beige-pink, peach, charcoal-beige and black, and a “very loud” red nail polish.

A fuchsia lipstick and matching lip pencil help create the nighttime Liza look, complemented by eye shadows in blue, pink, black and oyster.

Both “faces” are topped with black liquid eyeliner, coal black mascara and a coral shade of blush.