Why I Created My Own Facechart Book — A Makeup Artist's 25-Year Journey

I started my makeup career at a MAC counter in 2001. I was young, full of ideas, and slightly terrified. And somewhere between the foundation shades and the eyeshadow palettes, someone handed me a facechart a blank illustrated face printed on specially grained paper and told me to practise.
I had no idea then that a simple piece of paper would become one of the most important tools of my entire career.

What Is a Facechart (And Why Makeup Artists Swear By Them)?

A makeup facechart is a printed outline of a human face on paper designed to absorb pigments like skin does. Makeup artists use them to plan looks before applying to a client, document products and techniques used in a look, and practise new skills without any pressure. 

For me, facecharts were something more than a tool. They became a quiet space somewhere I could be bold, experiment, and make mistakes with nobody watching. Before a client sat down. Before the lights went up. Just me and a blank face on paper.

Facecharts as a Career Companion

Over 25 years in the industry, my facechart book came with me everywhere. Editorial shoots, fashion weeks, film sets, bridal prep the facechart was always there. When I got a brief I didn't fully understand, I'd sketch it out first. When I had an idea at 2am, I'd draw it. When I needed to recreate a look from months before, I'd flip back through my charts and find exactly what I'd done.

For working makeup artists, a facechart is the closest thing to a photographic memory you can carry in a kit bag.

How COVID Reminded Me What Facecharts Are Really For

Then 2020 happened.

We all know what it meant for makeup artists. No clients. No sets. No faces. A lot of us fell apart not just financially, but creatively. We missed the work.

But the facecharts were still there. I kept drawing. I kept experimenting. And those months crystallised something I'd always believed: facecharting isn't just a professional skill. It's a creative practice in its own right. You don't need a client to be an artist.

Why I Made MY FACECHARTS: A Facechart Book Built for Everyone

When I finally decided to create my own facechart book, I had one goal to build exactly what I'd always wanted but never found.

The problem with most facechart books on the market? They don't reflect the real range of faces makeup artists work on every day. The diversity isn't there. The paper doesn't perform properly. They feel like an afterthought.

MY FACECHARTS is the world's most diverse facechart book, created to fix that.
Each volume features 12 unique faces across skin tones, ages, and facial structures. The paper is specially grained to hold powders, creams, and gels the way real skin does. Every book contains 60 tear-out sheets five copies of each face so you can explore, iterate, and build real confidence on paper before you ever pick up a brush on skin.
I also created the MY FACECHART BRUSH SET: the world's first professional brush set designed exclusively for facechart artistry. Because your good brushes deserve to stay clean, and paper artistry deserves its own dedicated tools.

Facecharts Are Back — and They're for Every Makeup Artist

Whether you've been facecharting since your first day in the kit room, or you've never tried it before this collection is the one I wish I'd had in 2001.

It's for students building transferable skills. It's for working professionals who want to plan and document their looks properly. It's for enthusiasts who want to create without a live model. And it's for anyone who believes that the space between makeup artistry and fine art is worth exploring.

Facecharts have been a constant in my career for 25 years. I made MY FACECHARTS so they can be a constant in yours.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are makeup facecharts used for? Facecharts are used by makeup artists to plan, practise, and document makeup looks. They allow artists to test products, techniques, and colour combinations on paper before applying them to a client's skin.

What makes MY FACECHARTS different from other facechart books? MY FACECHARTS features 12 diverse faces per volume across varying skin tones, ages, and facial structures designed to reflect the real range of faces makeup artists work with. The books are printed on specially grained paper that holds powders, creams, and gels realistically, and each book includes a QR code linking to a digital product logging system.

Who is MY FACECHARTS designed for? MY FACECHARTS is designed for professional makeup artists, beauty students, and makeup enthusiasts of all levels who want a high-quality, realistic facechart experience.

Is there a brush set for facecharts? Yes the MY FACECHART BRUSH SET is the world's first 7-piece professional brush set designed exclusively for artistry on paper. It is not intended for use on skin.

Where can I buy MY FACECHARTS in the UK? MY FACECHART BRUSH SET Vol 1 and Vol 2 are available at mykitco.uk, priced at £24.50 each. MY FACECHART BRUSH SET is available for £35.00.
 
Shop MY FACECHART BUNDLE from £55 — available in Vol. 1, Vol. 2, or both, complete with the MY FACECHART BRUSH SET.