More than a makeup book, Beauty of the Beast is a transformation manual by special effects makeup artist Emily Schubert. It combines expertise from the worlds of professional beauty makeup and special effects and aims to provide a full sense of how, with tools that can fit into a makeup kit, it is possible to manipulate the human facade.

Featuring an introduction to skin preparation, facial massage, and color theory; a fold-out, illustrated toolkit detailing everything needed to be an SFX makeup artist; step-by-step instructions to recreating key looks, including Alive, Dead, Young, Bald, Hairy, Bony, and Bloody; and a primer on essential skills, including how to cover a pimple, how to cover eyebrows, how to create a scar, and many more.