Looking to spice up your next at-home spa night? Light a soothing candle, put on a face mask and curl up with a fun beauty book.
Whether you want to know more about healthy foods to get your skin glowing, explore different hairstyles, practice nail art, or learn the story behind the most legendary makeup products, there’s a beauty book that's got you covered.
Famous makeup artists, nutritionists and beauty journalists have gathered their expert tips on paper for decades. If you’re wondering where to get started, here are seven books you should add to your beauty reading regimen right now. More than the perfect coffee table piece, these illustrated books are packed with professional advice you can actually trust. Ready to turn the first page?
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Written by famed makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin and published in 1997, Making Faces is an absolute must-have for any beauty addict. The legendary makeup pro spills his most effective tips to recreate classic looks — Old Hollywood style, anyone? Don’t be intimidated: his how-to book also compiles proven tricks applicable to your everyday makeup bag, so you can feel confident rushing out the door in full glam.
Whether you’re starting to explore skin care or hope to brush up on the fundamentals, this book has great advice for skin of all ages. In Glow From Within, renowned aesthetician Joanna Vargas shares her secrets and helps you find the the best skin-care routine for your skin type. If you can’t tell which products to rely on and which are just extra, fear not — Vargas will walk you through it all.
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Women of color have long sought beauty products that fulfilled their needs, ad campaigns that reflected their beauty, and industry practices that celebrated their skin tone. As the field begins to examine how it can become more inclusive, Palette: The Beauty Bible for Women of Colour offers a start to the conversation, giving women of color the tools to find products that work for them, from skincare to makeup and hair essentials.
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Everybody knows the food you eat influences your skin, but where do we go from there? Wendy Rowe can tell you. The world-renowned beauty and makeup expert devised more than 70 easy and delicious recipes to feed your skin and make it glow. Each recipe targets specific skin issues with an important ingredient, from “immunity booster” carrots to "internal cleanser” cucumbers. The book is split into the four seasons, so you can keep radiant skin all year round. There are also tons of recipes to pamper your skin at home. Masks, scrubs, mists, and more: it’s all in there.
See also: 9 Must-Have Fashion Books to Display and Inspire
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Nail art won’t seem so intimidating after you pick up Marian Newman’s book. In Nailed It, the nail technician and artist reveals how she created her most iconic nails for fashion shows and magazines, providing step-by-step techniques so you can learn directly from the best. Featuring photos of Newman’s unique looks for celebrities like Cara Delevingne and Kate Moss, as well as fashion shows for Louis Vuitton, Vivienne Westwood and Givenchy, this book takes you on a fantastic journey through Newman’s 20-year career in the fashion world.
Trusted fashion hairstylist Sam McKnight has put together an anthology of glamorous looks from the past 40 years of his career, and it'll inspire you on any bad hair day. Organized by theme with informative commentary, Hair is an actual style bible illustrated with stunning photographs from McKnight’s work, commissioned by Vivienne Westwood, Balmain, Chanel and more. Some of the most iconic images in popular culture are there, including Princess Diana’s short, slicked-back style. Get your hands on this classic coffee table book ASAP.
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British beauty columnist Sali Hughes has made the most of her witty and entertaining writing style in Pretty Iconic. Here, she reveals the beauty industry’s most successful products — including classics like Chanel No. 5 — and examines the formative role beauty plays in our lives. Hughes knows which hyped beauty buys are worth the attention and who they’re best suited for. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed in a Sephora aisle, this book will help you discern what you actually need while letting you explore the inventions and launches that broke industry norms and changed our perception of beauty.
Photography by: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels
