Can DIY recipes harm my skin? What is nail polish made of? And what does "hypoallergenic" actually mean? You'll find the answers to (almost) all your beauty questions in these six reference books.
The all-rounder for basic knowledge
Find your skincare routine
Tips, tricks and techniques for make-up
All about the world of fragrances
When we talk about fragrances, we usually focus on the notes: What does the perfume smell like? Does it suit me? And does it last long on the skin? Yet behind every creation is a bouquet of exciting thoughts and elaborate work steps that we barely pay attention to.
As a massive Disney fan, I see the world through rose-tinted glasses. I worship series from the 90s and consider mermaids a religion. When I’m not dancing in glitter rain, I’m either hanging out at pyjama parties or sitting at my make-up table. P.S. I love you, bacon, garlic and onions.
Do you prefer to rely on scientific facts rather than sophisticated marketing promises when it comes to beauty? Then "The Science of Beauty" by cosmetics scientist Dr Michelle Wong (better known online as Lab Muffin Beauty Science) should be on your bookshelf. The reference book was launched in June this year and dispels myths about skin, hair and body care as well as make-up. The topic blocks are clearly organised into questions. The answers are provided in digestible morsels. An absolute recommendation!
Want to put together a skincare routine but don't know where to start? Expert Caroline Hirons is your first port of call. In "Skin Care - The New Edit", she deals with the topic in a comparatively superficial way, but offers a gentle introduction and overview of the topic of skincare, especially for beginners. It's a relatively quick read and I guarantee that you'll know which skincare steps are right for your skin type afterwards. There are also product recommendations to boot.
To delve a little deeper into the subject and take a closer look at individual active ingredients, "Skincare Decoded" is a good read. It was written by chemists Victoria Fu and Gloria Lu. Both once worked for the beauty company L'Oréal. In their book, they provide insights into the beauty machinery and decipher in detail which ingredients are beneficial for you, how they work and what you should look out for when buying and using them.
No doubt about it: Bobbi Brown is a luminary among make-up artists and her book "Makeup Manual" is a classic that explains how and with what you can best apply make-up to suit your facial features. However, I wouldn't recommend the book. It was published in 2008 and has since aged visually and become outdated in places. "Make Up - A Masterclass in Beauty" by artist Hannah Martin, published in 2023, is a fresher and more modern version of Bobbi's bible. Not only in terms of look and feel, but also thematically, the book is more in line with the current zeitgeist of the beauty industry. Her personal product recommendations are particularly helpful.
"Perfume - All about the world of fragrances" takes a look behind the scenes of the perfume industry and covers the whole spectrum of topics associated with the creation of a fragrance: From the physiology of smell to the history of perfume, the chemistry of scents, development, production and marketing through to distribution and the life of a perfume - the 14 experts use vivid illustrations to summarise the complex world of fragrances in a concise and understandable way.
German, Collectif Nez, Jeanne Doré, Mark Buxton, Stefanie Hanssen, 2021
"Appearances will always change, but beauty doesn't disappear", reads the blurb on the cover of "The New Beauty". This sums up the core message of Kari Molvar's book. Her work is a colourful collection of modern perspectives on "beauty" through the ages. She shows the evolution of our beauty ideals (why do we even wear deodorant?), addresses the extent to which our perception of beauty creates identity and introduces originally taboo aspects such as age and gender into today's discourse.
