Have you finished your holiday shopping? Probably not, unless you’re incredibly organized. And even so, there are always a few people who aren’t that easy to please.
What do you get that one person who’s got every neutral eye palette, every ‘it’ item in fashion?
Well here are a few book ideas – some straightforward, some off the curve – to delight the hard-to-please beauty mavens in your life. And if you’re the hard-to-please beauty maven? Maybe you can get one of these as a treat for yourself!

Francesca Tolot(at left, with her book) is a makeup legend who’s worked on countless celebrity faces: Madonna, Shakira, and many iterations of Beyoncé. But this isn’t a book about celebrities – it’s far more interesting.
Francesca Tolot has been working with model Mitzi Martin on and off for over 20 years, since Martin was a teenager, and this book is a stunning exploration of the myriad results the collaboration between makeup, model, and photography can produce. The images, photographed by Francesca’s husband Alberto Tolot, range from pure beauty to otherworldly to even (beautifully) monstrous.
One Woman 100 Faces. Francesca Tolot and Alberto Tolot.

Okay, this is actually a pre-order, but get it now, it won’t last: Andrew Gallimore is one of fashion’s best and brightest new makeup stars, and the Beauty-Editor-at-Large for Hunger Magazine, which means he’s not only amazing, but has enough creative control to make even more amazing photos.
Gallimore’s work with photographer Rankin is featured in this book – Rankin’s third book with featured makeup artists. I’ve so far seen only preview images – and there are new works shot specifically for this book – and they are all amazing. Not just the Tamara de Lempicka meets neon at left, the pair explore death masks, gore, fiber art, graphic design and more.
If you’re looking for makeup pushed to the edge, this is the book for 2015.
Andrew Gallimore. Rankin and Andrew Gallimore.

500 Eye Makeup Designs: Inspired and Inventive Looks for Mood and Occasion. Kendra Stanton.
Okay, this is almost a how-to makeup book. Kendra Stanton is a makeup artist and beauty blogger, and one of the beauty gurus behind those amazing eye looks you see all over Pinterest.
Now you can have 500 eye looks in one place, ready to inspire you to try new things. It’s not a how-to – there aren’t instructions for the looks – but the photos are clear enough for an experienced makeup maven to be inspired.
500 Eye Makeup Designs: Inspired and Inventive Looks for Mood and Occasion. Kendra Stanton.

W: Stories. Stefano Tonchi (Editor).
Okay, it’s easy to say that fashion photography is a lost art in the age of Instagram, but when it’s done right, there’s no replacement for a real fashion story. A team of dedicated professionals can bring together styling, photography, modelling and art direction like no blogger ever. And the proof is in W magazine, every month.
W compiles ten of the most striking fashion editorial stories from the past few years and includes outtakes and a special code for short films shot on the sets.
If you or a friend are into Big Fashion – these stories are shot by Steven Meisel, Tim Walker, Paolo Roversi and more – this is a tribute and behind-the-scenes glimpse you don’t want to miss.
W: Stories. Stefano Tonchi (Editor).

Helena Rubinstein: Beauty Is Power (Jewish Museum)
Helena Rubinstein wasn’t just a supremely successful cosmetics tycoon – she was also a dedicated collector of art. She included art galleries in her salons, having cultural education as a side-mission to helping women look more beautiful.
How did “Madame”, as she was known, manage to enchant so many women into using her cosmetics? Savvy marketing, experimental packaging, and an understanding of the diversity of women’s beauty were all components. And Madame’s art collection was diverse as well: she bought African art, modern art, and found and championed unknown artists whose work appealed to her. Her individualistic mode of collecting created a collection that mirrors the personality and taste of an individual, not a curator.
If you can’t visit the Jewish Museum’s exhibit of Madame Rubinstein’s art, you can check out the accompanying catalogue. It’s got photos of the art on display, and it’s a great read, with lots of insight into her life and the ways she promoted her image and her business.
Helena Rubinstein: Beauty Is Power (Jewish Museum)

Plenty More: Vibrant Vegetable Cooking from London’s Ottolenghi.
You say you want to eat healthier in the New Year? Don’t we all! But how are we to live on kale smoothies when what we really want is real food with real taste?
The answer may be that we need to learn how to cook our vegetables. Yotam Ottolenghi’s vegetable recipes are in a class by themselves – while not a vegetarian himself, the writer-turned-chef has been a weekly vegetarian food columnist for the Guardian UK for several years. And he’s taken on the challenge of treating vegetables like they matter.
The recipes here aren’t always easy, but the flavor combinations alone are enough to inspire both vegetarians and omnivores to get out of their (soy)burger ruts and enjoy a wide variety of vegetables to their fullest.
Plenty More: Vibrant Vegetable Cooking from London’s Ottolenghi. Yotam Ottolenghi.