[.ca] Beauty: The New Basics (ISBN 0761101861)

beauty bible:
this is a must have bible of beauty basics because it's comprehensive about everything that has to do with beauty. it covers the history of cosmetics and skin care. when i got this book home, i was surprised that i sat down and read it cover to cover. it really captivates you on the passion and knowledge the author wants to express. the only thing i would add to it is the pictures of application on how to do a smoky eye or other styles.

True To Its Title:
"Beauty, The New Basics" is a great book to own, if you're 13. The vast majority of the material should be common knowledge to anyone who regularly reads fashion and beauty magazines. I'm positive that you could take any part of this book and find a similar article in one of last year's copies of Cosmo, Glamour, or even YM, for that matter. But I'm judging this book based on its content, not on my expectations, which is why I give it four stars. It's true to its title, as the material and techniques are very basic. If you're new to makeup, want to try a new hair removal technique, or are simply looking for some easy-to-whip-up homemade beauty treatments, this book is a veritable treasure chest. Some of the eyelining tips (how to make small eyes look larger, close-set eyes look further apart, etc.) were helpful, and if you're a beauty newbie, the sections on determining your skin type and hair type are useful as well. The writing is straightforward, easy to understand, and the book covers all the bases. I didn't care much for the photos of the makeovers...the looks seemed a bit dated, and I could hardly detect any change in the models' appearances. Otherwise, this is a decent, comprehensive primer. But like I said, beauty veterans might want to skip this and go for one of Kevyn Aucoin's books.

The practical beauty advice you had been waiting for.:
This is the most complete, fun, practical and informational book about beauty that I have ever read. If the author's knowledgeable-without-being-patronizing and pleasant tone doesn't make your reading fun. If the great illustrations and paper quality doesn't make you fall in love with this book. If the easy-to-use index and cross-referencing doesn't make you come back to it for endless checkups and casual browsing. Then the information contained in the book, the author's use of personal experiences to illustrate particular points and the vast amount of practical advice for you to try out will. The book is divided in three sections that cover: The Face, The Hair and The Body. The Face includes information on the basics of cleaning and caring for your skin, the benefits of facials, advice on aging-skin and techniques for choosing and applying makeup. The Hair section deals with the basics of hair care, coloring and styling (from cuts that fit the shape of your face and body to styling solutions for perfect hairstyles). In the Body the author explains the many rewards of bathing and the care of hands and feet, and gives you the inside scoop on spas. Every section tells you everything you need to know to create and customize your own beauty regimen for each part of your body. Includes special advice for different types of skin and skin tones, different hair colors and textures, eye shapes and colors, body types and beauty techniques (from cleansing gel to surgery). The accurate and up-to-date product recommendations let you easily find tried-and-tested products and worthy splurges without having to go through innumerable tryouts, and her explanations on product ingredients allows you to make a preliminary elimination of harsh or unfavorable new products. Interesting fun treats are the timelines in beauty development at the end of each section, where a lot of interesting and curious tidbits about beauty abound. The only problem the book has is the soft cover binding. At around 400 pages of heavy graphic paper and after a few months of browsing and night-table reading, the covers are somewhat worn at the corners and the side is a bit creased. Buy this book if you want to start enjoying the benefits that the knowledge of the basics of beauty can offer, and want to have fun at the same time. Get it in hardcover if you can afford the price.

It's all in one place--that's the value:
One reviewer suggested that it was a fault of the book that you could pick up any issue of "Cosmo, Glamour, or even YM" and find similar information to what's in this book. Maybe that's true, but how many issues would you have to go through? And how much product-hawking on the part of the beauty editor would you have to sift through first? (I, for one, cancelled my subscription to the beauty magazine Allure because I was tired of the way they seemed to push primarily expensive products, ones that could easily be purchased only in NYC boutiques, or the favorites of this year's "it" girl.) This is a no-nonsense guide by a down-to-earth, sensible woman who simply has an interest in beauty. I trust her research and advice more than I do that of most of the shallow, celebrity-loving beauty editors out there. Beauty doesn't have to be silly and expensive.

FABULOUS!!! TOTALLY SATISFIED!:
A FRESH AND FUN VIEW ON BEAUTY FOR ALL AGES!