Bloodorange
I'm a GoodReads user testing new waters after the serious website changes. I mostly read fiction, usually Anglophone classics/ modern classics; I like nonfiction (mostly social and cultural history), good fantasy and graphic novels. For guilty pleasure, I read advice and how-to books.
I made at least two reading resolutions recently; 1. read less, live more; 2. read books which give me more pleasure. I have poor filters, and books I find stylistically pleasing tend to be depressing, so I need to do something about that; if you think you know a book that is very well written, but won't make me weep, please drop me a line.
How to Look Expensive: A Beauty Editor's Secrets to Getting Gorgeous without Breaking the Bank
This book (and my reading of it) is/was an exercise in subjectivity. I do my best to look decent with minimum effort, but I wanted to update my facial care routine post-baby (I would like to age with grace, and this requires some groundwork), and found this book.This is all the title promises to be: an extended beauty column, by nature ephemeral, filled with references to now-fashionable beauty products and now-recognised celebrities. Still, I found some of the recommendations worth trying and not requiring much effort.
As far as the subjectivity/ideas of beauty are concerned - this book is the mainstream of the mainstream. Not only is the book directed nearly exclusively to Caucasian females; there are hardly any tips for women with short hair. The only haircut recommended for short hair is long bob, which is *really* long compared to my shortish crowning glory. From my European perspective, the author overrates strong anti-aging substances and underrates toners; knows very little about perfumes (the entire section on scents is laughable) and the value of a good shirt (which is an item to *never* save your money on. If you don't get it, you clearly haven't worn one in your life.)
