Homemade Beauty

November 1, 2014

With a down-to-earth approach to beauty and style, Strole's first book reflects her work on lovleyish.com, where she is an editor and contributor and where she originally began sharing her homemade-beauty tips. The book's subtitle employs the word "simple," and the text holds true to this promise. After three very short chapters that explain why readers should consider natural beauty products and then define the ingredients and tools needed to make them, Strole dives into the recipes. A number of concoctions utilize the same ingredients, most of which are found in supermarkets (e.g., yogurt, coconut milk) and drug stores (e.g., vitamin E oil), making it easy to experiment without spending too much money. Icons denoting the suitability for specific skin and hair types accompany each recipe, and because several rely on produce or other perishable products (e.g., detoxifying carrot hair treatment, lemon and honey blackhead eraser), Strole also includes a "one-time use" icon as applicable. VERDICT The concentration on uncomplicated recipes with fairly common ingredients makes this book perfect for readers who want to begin preparing their own natural beauty products.--Meagan Storey, Virginia Beach

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