Absolutely Brilliant

This book is the best book ever. It is a must have for beginners and experienced alike. I am a teacher of nail techniques and would gladly recommend this book to my students as the only book they will ever need!

Thinly spread beauty advice and too many photos

Unfortunately, in beauty books which focus a chapter per age range or per skin type, you're going to find that very few chapters apply to YOU personally. This is the case with Bobbi Brown's new book Beauty Evolution. Although you can't fault the down-to-earth, upbeat advice she offers women old and young, all struggling with beauty and self-esteem problems and make-up ruts, it tends to spread itself very thinly across a broad area.

The text is organised around a bunch of rather general photographs of extraordinary and ordinary women, and quite frankly there are far too many, beautifully shot as they may be. The point is to illustrate the amazing diversity of beauty, how it comes from within and how it changes - positively - across your lifetime. On this score, the book succeeds because beauty really is more than the sum of its parts. However, this philosophical side to the book leaves less space for more instructional aspects (diagrams for how to apply make-up etc) that some women might be seeking.

Bobbi Brown is one of my favourite beauty writers because she is so commonsensical and 'real', so I am disappointed not to be able to recommend this book. Her previous book Bobbi Brown Beauty The Ultimate Beauty Resource (to which I would unreservedly give five stars) is far more in-depth and I would advise turning to this for beauty tips and make-up inspiration.

For those of you looking for a brilliant all-round guide then buy The Beauty Bible by Josephine Fairley and Sarah Stacey, or their book Feel Fab Forever in the same vein for older women, both of which include recommendations of products based on tests on thousands of ordinary women.

An excellent practical guide!

This is a book every"girl" needs. Charles/Patricia writes with humour and authority, covering almost every issue that a transvestite faces when first beginning to dress. Beginning with the basics on hair removal and progressing through wig choice, makeup and underwear to choosing clothes, this book is packed with practical tips and advice for the real world:"short cuts to femme gorgeousness". Even those of us who have been dressing for a while will find something useful in here.

Patricia focuses on ways to make the best of what you already have. She does away with any suggestion that the average man can transform himself into the perfect woman and focuses on working with your existing body, build and face. For example, if you have a typical male build, you're never going to look good in something built to show off the slender torso of a willowy woman; instead, follow Patricia's advice on spotting dresses and tops that will minimize those shoulders.

Similarly, the book demolishes some of the myths peddled by retailers keen to make a few quid by selling dreams to emerging trannies. Specially padded undergarments, clinchers and even silicones are subjected to Patricia's critical"do we really need this" test. To her credit, whilst she backs up her opinions with experiences and quotes, she doesn't preach and rarely presents herself as showing the One True Way to cross-dress, so I feel better that I'll never agree with her about a girl being able dress without boobs!

It's not perfect: for example, the section on makeup commits the cardinal sin of explaining with words what a couple of simple pictures would make so much more evident. Some discussions such as the best way to hide beard shadow cover several alternatives but don't necessarily conclude with any firm recommendations. Oh, and it's written by an American, so all the usual caveats about sizes and brand names apply.

The book closes with what is for me a slight lapse as it descends a little into Californian"self-actualization" territory, although it does still contain useful advice. The section on coming out is, however, lamentably short.

All in all, this book has joined the Tranny Guide in my bag as an essential, practical and humorous source of advice for a girl who, like me, wants to look good without all the effort. Thoroughly recommended.

Everything you need to know about soapmaking

I am new to soap making and I found this book very easy to understand.<br />Not many recipes but all the other information about oils and all the chemistry about soap making which is very helpful when you are new to soap making.<br />No pictures but that is not so important in this book, it's more like a"information book".<br />Good to have book to go back and find information about soap making ingredients.

The book contained everything I needed to do my course work

This book is written in plain english, all the technical terms are explained fully in easy to understand terms. I have not had to look at another book. I have puchased this again after misplacing my first copy and would not attend collage without it. All the diagrams are well presented and easy to follow.

Finally a book that has it all!

I purchased this book only a week ago and already I have made some lip balms and shaving oil (for my husband). Its a fantastic book, extremely easy to follow. The items you need to purchase for most of the recipes may appear expensive initially but because you are only using small quantities at a time still make it cost effective. Highly recommended, I love it!

Delightful! Good historical and educational content!

This is the first book I've read about the fascinating art of Mehndi. It exceeded my expectations. The historical and cultural information changed my original thinking about Mehndi (it looked like something fun to do- kinda whimsical). Now I will view it as something spiritual and sacred . . something very special. I enjoyed the quotes from other books. I'll certainly be reading a few of them. There was obviously a lot of research done. It opened my eyes to at least three different cultures.

The patterns were helpful. They look intimidating at first until you see the step-by-step breakdown. After trying the suggested techniques I found it easy to make beautiful designs (and to turn mistakes into creative details). To sum things up- even though I am a novice to this, I feel the author did an excellent job of educating readers about this vanishing art. I now have the information to embark on my new adventure with good spirit and confidence!

A MUST HAVE for long term acne sufferers!

I've read many pieces of information in relation to acne however none anywhere near as detailed, informative and explanitory as this one! I've learned so much more info about over the counter products, prescription products, specific ingredients, how to use most effectively, and after 10 yrs of suffering from acne, trying loads of products and thinking I knew most of what there was to know about it along comes this book and gives me exactly the knowledge I was looking for.<br /><br />What if we could be given the time to sit with and interview the top dermatologists and acne experts in the world, scientists, cosmetic surgeons, specialsists on scarring and cosmetic chemistry, and ask all the questions we've always wondered? instead of the rushed 10 mins in and out of GP's/dermatologist surgeries. Well, this writer has done this along with spending many yrs researching through text books and medical journals. <br /><br />So far I've only read around a fifth of this book since I bought it this week but I can't put it down, and already I've found the contents so useful. <br /><br />Like I say a MUST Have read for all those with acne who've had enough!

Fantastic in detail, with good idea's

I currently run a small soap loaf business. This book has solved certain problems that I was having with colour bleeding, and soap cracking.
Very good reference to both the experienced as well as the beginner.
Also full of good idea's for someone starting out - as I was.

A good book for people with some make up knowledge

A simple, step-by-step guide to perfect and define using make up on your face. i enjoyed reading this book very much, the only fault in this book is that some terms that were used, were professional make up artists vocabulary and that, would make it a little hard to understand for people who are make up virgins.<br /><br />I would recomend this book to, people who have a basic knowledge of make up, and would like to increase their skills and knowledge, and also be able to achieve the professional look.

Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me

This has to be the definitive book about present day cosmetics.Written in plain and simple English it explains why we pay so much for our beauty products.The truth revealed in this book is what I have always believed - there is no difference between a £50 face cream and £5 face cream except the price!An must read for any self confessed beauty junkie!

You need a friend and you need to understand pictures.

Not bad. There are no instructions, you just have to follow the step by step pictures. Unfortunately, that isn't very helpful for a beginner. There are some beautiful styles. However, the"aren't I beautiful" face or Mr Cameron becomes somewhat irksome after a while!

Burt's Bees Hand Care Kit

Burt's Bees Hand Care Kit is an excellent stocking filler. It provides a small book with hand care tips, two small jars, one of lemon butter cuticle creme, and one of almond milk beeswax hand creme, together with a pair of cotton gloves.

A small package to pamper hands, an inexpensive and a delightful gift.

not satisfied

I think the author should eliminate the hard to find materials recipes. This way, maybe, the rest of us, can make beuty cookery while continuing our lives.

Irritating to use

I have now had this book for several months, and after studying it several times, I have tried to use the exercises. I have found the explanation of the exercises irritating and unworkable. The pictures accompanying the book do not show you how to do the exercises and when used, I felt that they were not how they should be done.<br /><br />I did not find that this book worked for me.