100 Best Beauty Books of All Time
We've researched and ranked the best beauty books in the world, based on recommendations from world experts, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. Learn more
Say no to shampoo, unplug the dryer, and kiss frizz and bad hair days good-bye. Curly Girl is the surprising bible for those with naturally curly or wavy hair and a desire to celebrate it, from hair guru Lorraine Massey. It’s all here: Daily routines for corkscrew, Botticelli, fractal, and wavy curls. Homemade lotions and potions for locking in moisture. Expert tips on caring for African American hair. Fabulous dos for weddings and special occasions. How to trim your hair... more
(Librarian's note: The PDF edition [464 pages] to this ISBN is provided here)
Makeup, as we know it, has only been commercially available in the last 100 years, but applying decoration to the face and body may be one of the oldest global social practices. In Face Paint, Lisa Eldridge... more
Dave LackieLooking for a beauty book to start off the New Year with? @Lisa_Eldridge 's Face Paint is a fascinating history of makeup and beauty from Egyptian and Classical times through the Victorian age and the golden age of Hollywood. It's a really interesting read. #protip https://t.co/quRr7OLldg (Source)
It all starts with your skin! In Korea, healthy, glowing skin is the ideal form of beauty, achievable by anyone—and this skin-first philosophy has taken the world by storm.
In The Little Book of Skin Care, Charlotte Cho of leading beauty and lifestyle website Soko Glam guides you through the celebrated Korean ten-step skin-care routine—and far beyond—for the clearest and most radiant skin of your life, with step-by-step tutorials, skin-care tips, advice on products at all price levels, and... more
But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to become a pretty. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world-- and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally a choice: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. Tally's choice will change her world forever... less
Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning author John Green's most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love. less
James Comey@johngreen You should not be. It is a great book. Was recently in Amsterdam and walked some of the scenes with your huge fan, my youngest daughter. Loved hearing from you and meeting you at Kenyon. (Source)
In her first guide dedicated exclusively to beauty, Lauren covers everything you need to know to maximize your own beauty potential. From tips for creating a strong foundation and maintaining healthy skin and hair through diet, exercise, and all-around wellness to everyday makeup techniques and tricks of the trade for special-occasion looks, "Lauren Conrad Beauty" provides the advice you've... more
Don't have time to read the top Beauty books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
“Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick and pull yourself together” Elizabeth Taylor
Beauty books. Exquisite coffee-table affairs featuring improbably beautiful models with wholly-unachievable-to-most women looks, product review-heavy volumes which become almost instantly outdated, or tracts of holistic mumbo jumbo, like how to make an unproven face pack from organic molasses and rough-hewn porridge oats.
Not... more
The Prophet is a collection of poetic essays that are philosophical, spiritual, and, above all, inspirational. Gibran’s musings are divided into twenty-eight chapters covering such sprawling topics as love, marriage, children, giving, eating and drinking, work, joy and sorrow, housing, clothes, buying and selling, crime and... more
Naval RavikantIt actually read like a modern-day poetic religious tome. Up there with the Bhagavad-gita, the Tao Te Ching, The Bible, The Qur’an. It was written in that style where it had that feel of religiosity and truth, but it was very approachable and beautiful and non-denominational and non-secretarian. I really liked that. I loved that book. He has a gift for poetically describing what children are... (Source)
Kaci Lambe KaiI also really love The Prophet by Gibran. He's a phenomenal writer and poet. (Source)
Nadia Al SheikhThe Prophet by Kahlil Gibran is a beautiful illustration of wisdom written in a story telling that takes you into a mysterious journey, I never get tired of reading it. (Source)
Jack McLachlan is a winemaking magnate and easily one of Australia’s most eligible bachelors. His success and wealth make him no stranger to the complications of romantic relationships and that’s why he goes to extreme measures to avoid the hassle. He prefers simplicity in the form of a beautiful female companion with no strings attached. He arranges relationships like business deals and they’re always the same. No long term relationships. No real names.
It’s his game and his rules. He’s content to play as... more
After Laurelyn Prescott walks away from the love of her life, she returns to Nashville to pursue the only dream she has left. Determined to find a distraction from the pain of losing Jack Henry, she immerses herself in her music. But with her old life comes old acquaintances and new expectations. When Laurelyn refuses her record producer’s outrageous demands, she finds herself without a career—until an unforeseen opportunity presents itself. From there it’s a rocket ride straight to the top where Laurelyn finds the success... more
With an Afterword by Peter Harness.
Designed... more
Eric BerkowitzThe Picture of Dorian Gray is now a part of the canon that no one would admit to not having read. Most of us have read it and delighted in its witticisms. It’s hard to imagine, but when Dorian Gray was first published, the book was not well received at all. It was totally panned. It was held against him as being an example of an effete character. It was being serialised by Lippincott’s Magazine,... (Source)
Marc MontagneMy favorite fiction book is the The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. I'm a huge Oscar Wilde fan, he has one of the brightest minds and the Picture is a masterpiece and his unique novel. I consider that you should only read books that you would consider reading again at some point while still enjoying the same pleasure. The Picture is definitely one of those. (Source)
Andra ZahariaA copy from 1903 of this book is my most prized possession. (Source)
We all know that taking good care of our skin is the key to any effective health and beauty regime. But with so much conflicting information out there, the path to healthy skin can seem far from clear.
Dr Anjali Mahto is one of the UK's leading consultant dermatologists. Equipped with years of expertise and the most up-to-date evidence, she sets out to cut through the noise and... more
Awe and exhilaration–along with heartbreak and mordant wit–abound in this account of the aging Humbert Humbert's... more
Richard CohenIt’s more imbued with references to the sun and using the sun as symbol or metaphor – almost a kind of character in the novel – than any other work in literature. (Source)
Bryan CallenSo here are my three must read books. I've been reading a lot of great books like: Outsmart Your Instincts, The Culture Code, and Antonio Damasio’s The Strange Order, and sometimes when you read a lot of nonfiction it’s very enriching, sometimes you need a novel. I really believe you should take a minute and read something beautiful. Listen, listen to Lolita by Nabokov. But also listen to Blood... (Source)
Steven AmsterdamWhat’s spectacular for me is the triumph of the humour over his loathsomeness. (Source)
It's a visual feast as supermodels and celebrities such as Susan Sarandon, Jessica Lange, Grace Jones, Christie Brinkley and Janet Jackson, to name a few, are exquisitely made up by Aucoin and photographed by the world's most famous photographers, including Richard Avedon, Patrick Demarchelier, Steven Meisel, Michael Thompson and Peter Lindbergh.
The Art of...
moreDon't have time to read the top Beauty books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
Packed full of beauty wisdom, Pretty Iconic takes us from the evocative smell of Johnson’s baby lotion through to Simple Face wipes, NARS Orgasm and beyond, looking at the formative role beauty plays in our lives.
Considering which much-hyped beauty buys are worth the buzz, and who they might be best suited for, in Pretty Iconic Sali Hughes uses her witty, inclusive and discerning style to look at some of the most significant products... more
Ages 8 - 14 less
Filled with an inspiring array of fashion tips and personal stories, and lavishly illustrated with dozens of color photographs throughout, Lauren Conrad Style is the perfect book for all of Lauren’s many fans and for any girl or woman looking for pointers from one of Hollywood’s most relatable yet... more
Perfectly wrong.
Tally has finally become pretty. Now her looks are beyond perfect, her clothes are awesome, her boyfriend is totally hot, and she's completely popular. It's everything she's ever wanted.
But beneath all the fun -- the nonstop parties, the high-tech luxury, the total freedom -- is a nagging sense that something's wrong. Something important. Then a message from Tally's ugly past arrives. Reading it, Tally remembers what's wrong with pretty life, and the fun stops cold.
Now she has to choose between... more
- The most dangerous ingredients in widely-used brands and how they're still not regulated
- Insider secrets from top scientists,... more
Jack McLachlan is fulfilled by more than he dared to dream possible. He finds everything he never knew he wanted—or needed—in Laurelyn Prescott, his last and final companion. Life is beautiful with his beloved by his side but their post-wedded bliss is cut short when his dark past springs into their present happiness. He wants to shelter Laurelyn but keeping her untainted by his previous life proves impossible when yesterday’s sins insist on returning to haunt... more
In Memoirs of a Geisha, we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl's virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as illusion. It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction - at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful - and completely unforgettable. less
Alice LittleThe author uses language that is very, very rich and colorful. [...] You can really immerse yourself into that world and kind of get a sense of what things were like, at that time. (Source)
Breakouts. Dryness. Redness. Oiliness.
If you're like most women, you've been on a never-ending quest for perfect skin—or even just good skin—since adolescence. It's a frustrating pursuit to say the least, filled with one disappointing (and expensive) miracle solution after another. Why is it so hard to get good skin?
Adina Grigore, founder of the organic skincare line S.W. Basics, would argue that getting clear, calm, happy skin is about much more than products and peels. Or, rather, it's about much less. In Skin Cleanse, she guides readers through a holistic program...
moreRestore your hair... more
Don't have time to read the top Beauty books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
Look and feel your best all year long with this seasonal nutrition guide: Nutrition is the fastest-rising beauty trend around the world. Eat Pretty simplifies the latest science and presents a user-friendly program for gorgeous looks, at... more
Learning to appreciate your own beauty
How to do... more
And now she's been turned into one of them: a superamped fighting machine, engineered to keep the uglies down and the pretties stupid.
The strength, the speed, and the clarity and focus of her thinking feel better than anything Tally can... more
Author Chizu Saeki is a practicing aesthetician and beauty consultant whose dream is to teach ordinary women how to become more beautiful. To this end, she writes books, teaches, and tours Japan,... more
Don't have time to read the top Beauty books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
It's hard not to notice Terra Cooper.
She's tall, blond, and has an enviable body. But with one turn of her cheek, all people notice is her unmistakably "flawed" face. Terra secretly plans to leave her stifling small town in the Northwest and escape to an East Coast college, but gets pushed off-course by her controlling father. When an unexpected collision puts Terra directly... more
Your teen years are the most emotionally charged of your life. Your body's developing at a rapid pace, your skin changes from day to day, and your hormones are raging (in case you didn't notice). Everything in your life is in total flux. Bobbi's mission is to help boost your self-esteem and confidence. By... more
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What its vivid evocation of the fear and loneliness at the heart of a child's... more
When Mathilde Thomas moved from her native France to the United States to expand her skin-care company, Caudalíe, she wanted to find out what American women wanted from their beauty routines. She interviewed thousands of women and was struck by how different the French and American approaches to beauty were. American... more
Beauty has never liked her nickname. She is thin and awkward; it is her two sisters who are the beautiful ones. But what she lacks in appearance, she can perhaps make up for in courage.
When her father comes home with a tale of an enchanted castle in the forest and the... more
But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and... more
The sequel to the New York Times bestselling The Odd 1s Out, with all new and never-before-seen content featuring opinions, stories, and signature characters from YouTube phenomenon James Rallison
James Rallison has always felt like he was on the outside looking in. His YouTube videos are all about his "odd" behavior, and with over 13 million subscribers and millions more followers on social media, these animations have found their way into the hearts of fans who also feel like a bit of an odd one. more
Now, Michelle has compiled all of her best wisdom into Make Up: Your Life Guide to Beauty, Style, and Success--Online and Off. From creating a gorgeous smoky eye to... more
Don't have time to read the top Beauty books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
Get a youthful, radiant glow Banish acne, splotchy skin and wrinkles Grow lustrous... more
Best of all, it's... more
A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.
You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.
Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle... more
Audrey PennI have to go with Black Beauty. It’s very tough for me to read, because of the cruelty. I can’t stand cruelty. I don’t understand it, I will never understand it. Never in a million years. But if you want to take my illness and you want to equate it with anything, you can equate it with Black Beauty. (Source)
Don't have time to read the top Beauty books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
But sadly, their airplane had another idea, crashing on a desert island and leaving the survivors stranded with little food, little water, and practically no eyeliner.
What’s a beauty queen to do? Continue to practice for the talent portion of the program - or wrestle snakes to the ground? Get a perfect tan - or learn to run wild? And what should happen when the sexy... more
Visit burial grounds, the zombie apocalypse, serial killer lairs, and gruesome torture chambers. Horror fans and newcomers alike will welcome this GORE-geous and creative... more
But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.
Then America... more
Mirror, mirror on the wall,
Who is the fairest of them all?
Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now.
Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This... more
Beauty in modern America is a multibillion-dollar industry, and consumers spend hundreds of dollars on beauty products only to discover that they aren't satisfactory or effective. Natural Beauty at Home includes over two hundred of Janice Cox's recipes (many have been passed down through three generations of her family) for everything from shampoo and mouthwash to face masks and lip gloss, so readers can customize their beauty regimen, save... more
Throughout her career, Cameron Diaz has been a role model for millions of women. By her own candid admission, though, this fit, glamorous, but down-to-earth star was not always health-conscious. Learning about the inseparable link between nutrition and the body was just one of the life-changing lessons that has fed Cameron’s hunger to educate herself about... more
Stephanie Gerber, founder and editor of Hello Glow, believes the journey to well-being can —and should!—be simple and beautiful, natural and stylish. Which is why her site is the trusted destination for organic wellness,... more
Kick toxic, synthetic skin care products and cleaners out the door and bring the healing joy of nature into your life with the simple, versatile projects in 101 Easy Homemade Products for Your Skin, Health & Home. In this incredible resource, Jan Berry teaches you the basics of making your own skin care and hair care products, health remedies and household cleaners—then how to customize them into truly unique and personalized items! You’ll learn how to make:
- Honey, Rose... more
In The Key to Happiness, Meik explores the hidden treasures which can improve your happiness, and divides them into the six building blocks of happiness; togetherness, money, health, kindness, trust and freedom. For each happiness block he offers practical tips: for togetherness he encourages setting up a mini-library in your... more
Andrew Pain@PhilMitchell83 neat book - easy read - not heavy going, but some interesting questions raised about happiness ... and Denmark! (Source)
Don't have time to read the top Beauty books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
Lead in lipstick? 1,4 dioxane in baby soap? Coal tar in shampoo? How is this possible? Simple. The $35 billion cosmetics industry is so powerful they’ve kept themselves unregulated for decades. Not Just a Pretty Face chronicles the quest that led a group of health and environmental activists to the world’s largest cosmetics companies to ask some tough questions:
Why do companies market themselves as pink ribbon leaders in the fight against breast cancer, yet use hormone-disrupting and carcinogenic chemicals that may contribute to that very disease?
Why do products...
The moment Ivan stumbled upon a clearing in the dense Carpathian forest, his life was forever changed. Atop a pedestal encircled by fallen leaves, the beautiful princess Katerina lay still as death. But beneath the foliage a malevolent presence stirred and sent the ten-year-old Ivan scrambling for the safety of Cousin Marek's farm.
Now, years later, Ivan is an American graduate student, engaged to be... more
Denise HamiltonOpen it up on any page, start reading and it’s just brilliant. It’s funny, it’s snarky. It’s a Bible for the perfumista. (Source)
Every year, nearly 80 million Americans will consult their doctors about their skin. In fact, skin disorders beat out anxiety, depression, back pain, and diabetes as the number one reason Americans see their doctors. Unfortunately, however, the vast majority will receive only a surface-level treatment, leaving the underlying conditions at the root of... more
Straight-talking advice from the Skincare Queen
Caroline Hirons is the authority in skincare – and for the first time, she’s sharing her knowledge with the world. With over 100 million views of her blog and over 13 million views of her YouTube videos, she cuts out the jargon, tells you want you do and don’t need, and is finally going to get the nation off face wipes for good!
Skincare is the go-to book for people of all ages and skin types who want to feel and look fantastic. It explains the... more
Instead of finding new heights of self-assurance in her... more
Don't have time to read the top Beauty books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
Soaps have always been known as a tool that aids us in cleaning may it be for hand washing, hygiene, dish washing, and in doing the laundry. It simply helps in cleaning and removing dirt in almost anything.
Tags: Soap Making, Soap Making Book, Soap Making Guide,Soap Making Recipes, How to Make Soap less
When it comes to finding the perfect formula for dewy and healthy skin, knowledge is power. That’s why skin care guru Deborah Burnes shares everything you need to know about essential ingredients in this book—so that you can give your skin exactly what it needs to glow.
Whether you’re making products for your own use or trying to figure out which brands work best for you, The Beauty Geek’s Guide to Skin Care has all the latest insider info on 1,000 of the beauty industry’s most commonly used ingredients. Plus,... more
Finn knows that’s not what happened with Roza. He knows she was kidnapped, ripped from the... more
Enter Brandy Alexander, Queen Supreme, one operation away from being a real woman, who will teach her that reinventing yourself means erasing your past and making up something better, and that salvation hides in the last place you'll ever want to look.
The narrator must... more
This positive-outlook guide for women reflects, as Bobbi says, "What happens to us as we make our way through life, and how we can continue making ourselves better." Bobbi shares her candid views of her own beauty odyssey, as well as her formidable makeup expertise, to help women feel good about themselves at every age. In the engaging, down-to-earth style that's pure Bobbi, she addresses the need-to-know issues we all face at one time or another -- from how to deal with changes in skin to what adjustments in makeup... more
Etcoff puts forth that beauty is neither a cultural construction, an invention of the fashion industry, nor a backlash against feminism, but instead is in our biology. It's an... more
Life of Agony bassist Alan Robert reveals more of Ghouliana's monochromatic world, and it's just waiting for you to saturate it with red, black, or any other color you can imagine (even pastels). You never know what's lurking behind the next corner, so keep your eyes peeled for all the hidden pieces of the monster Ghouliana is trying to reanimate. Collect them all and find out why Alternative Press hails... more
Called the “Queen of Beauty” and the most influential lone woman to impact the beauty industry since Estée Lauder by the New York Times, Leslie Blodgett’s story is anything but ordinary. As the CEO of the struggling Bare Escentuals, Blodgett shifted the company’s focus and launched bareMinerals. In a move that would revolutionize the beauty industry, she went on QVC and sold $45,000 worth of makeup in the first six minutes. Before long, she was selling $1.4 million an hour. In 2006 Blodgett took... more
Don't have time to read the top Beauty books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
This stunning book is a full-color guide to applying wedding makeup, with countless stunning before-and-after pictures of regular women throughout. It is highly... more
'I've always been a girls' girl. And I know from experience that making the very best of yourself is something any woman can do. I was never the six-foot-tall pin-up. I've always been the girl-next-door who got lucky. I've come a long way in the last ten years, but this book isn't my attempt to tell you what or what not to do. It's just to share some of what I've learned.'
In "That Extra Half an Inch," a tongue-in-cheek reference to her love of high heels, Beckham shares her tips for finding your own style including:
Learning how to dress for special occasions Shopping for...
moreThe color-crazed carnage continues! Follow everyone's favorite undead girl Ghouliana, as she mischievously attempts to trick budding colorists into unleashing a deadly spell. Try and find the ingredients she's sprinkled throughout Robert's intricate pen and ink illustrations before it's too late! less
In this essential full-color guide, Nadine Artemis introduces readers to the concept of "renegade" beauty--a practice of doing less and allowing the elements and the life force of nature to revive the body, skin, and soul so our natural radiance can shine through. Anyone stuck in perpetual loops of new products, facials, and dermatologist appointments will find answers as Artemis illuminates the energizing elements of sun, fresh air,... more
Don't have time to read the top Beauty books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.
Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:
- Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
- Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
- Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.