Beauty bibles: 6 must-reads for smart purchasing decisions
Guide

Beauty bibles: 6 must-reads for smart purchasing decisions

Natalie Hemengül
20.8.2024
Translation: machine translated

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

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!

The Science of Beauty (English, Michelle Wong, 2024)

The Science of Beauty

English, Michelle Wong, 2024

The Science of Beauty (English, Michelle Wong, 2024)
Guidebooks

The Science of Beauty

English, Michelle Wong, 2024

Find your skincare routine

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.

Skincare Decoded (German, Victoria Fu, Gloria Lu, 2022)
EUR24,–

Skincare Decoded

German, Victoria Fu, Gloria Lu, 2022

Skincare Decoded (German, Victoria Fu, Gloria Lu, 2022)
Guidebooks
EUR24,–

Skincare Decoded

German, Victoria Fu, Gloria Lu, 2022

Tips, tricks and techniques for make-up

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.

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.

"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.

PARFUM: All about the world of fragrances (German, Collectif Nez, Jeanne Doré, Mark Buxton, Stefanie Hanssen, 2021)

PARFUM: All about the world of fragrances

German, Collectif Nez, Jeanne Doré, Mark Buxton, Stefanie Hanssen, 2021

PARFUM: All about the world of fragrances (German, Collectif Nez, Jeanne Doré, Mark Buxton, Stefanie Hanssen, 2021)
Guidebooks

PARFUM: All about the world of fragrances

German, Collectif Nez, Jeanne Doré, Mark Buxton, Stefanie Hanssen, 2021

Beauty yesterday, beauty today

"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.

The New Beauty (English, Statures, Robert clans, Andrea Servert Alonso-Misol, Kari Molvar, 2021)

The New Beauty

English, Statures, Robert clans, Andrea Servert Alonso-Misol, Kari Molvar, 2021

The New Beauty (English, Statures, Robert clans, Andrea Servert Alonso-Misol, Kari Molvar, 2021)
Non-fiction

The New Beauty

English, Statures, Robert clans, Andrea Servert Alonso-Misol, Kari Molvar, 2021

Header image: Natalie Hemengül

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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. 


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