Helpful Herbs for Health and Beauty (Barbara Griggs)

--The blurb--

"Herbs have a myriad of uses, and not just for cooking. Herbs are also incredibly useful for healing the minor medical miseries of life (and some of the major ones too) and in many cases, they are more effective than the pharmaceutical alternative.  Nothing zaps a sore throat faster than Propolis, sorts out a painful gum infection more efficiently than a shot of Marigold or takes the sting out of sunburn better than Aloe Vera.  For as long as people have been able to pick berries and forage for food, herbs have been used for medicinal purposes. There is even evidence to suggest that Neanderthal Man knew about and used herbs. Country people the world over have always relied on them, especially when no other doctoring was available.  And you don't need to be a trained herbalist to be able to use them. It’s simple. All that is needed is information, inspiration and a little savvy and that’s where Helpful herbs for health and beauty comes in! Discover the many medical uses of nature's bounty, and also find out the canny natural beauty tricks that really work."

--The review-- 

Homeopathy and herbal remedy garners a range of different views, from those who dismiss it all as sheer quackery to those who shun traditional medicine in its favour. Barbara Griggs, the author of Helpful Herbs for Health and Beauty, does not quite fall into this latter category, but offers us so many solutions for everyday illnesses and injuries that don't involve talking to someone in a white coat that it's hard to not sit up and listen.

Sensible and realistic, Helpful Herbs serves as a Bible for all ages and ailments, as well as seeming to cover every eventuality. Its many short chapters are easy and readable to consult, although the 'how did it go?' section is awkwardly named. It presents a good combination of familiar and new ideas, enabling readers to already feel slightly expert while learning new things.

Some of the recommended herbs are repeated often, but this is hardly Griggs' fault, as many of them have multiple uses, and this won't be so obvious if you are using the book encyclopaedically, rather than reading it chronologically. Some information is also covered less well, with more expansion being required: how are novice readers supposed to know, for instance, how often to use the greasy hair remedy, or whether to use this in place of shampoo or in addition to it, or what a 'reliable' brand of herb is? While it's refreshing to not see an author name-dropping, a little more guidance in this area would have been appreciated.

Nonetheless, the author is extremely informative and authoritative without being patronising, and gives plenty of useful information on incompatibilities between different herbs, as well as regularly advising readers to consult qualified herbalists if unsure and to continue to see traditional doctors for more serious illnesses. Griggs' advice is backed up with plenty of statistics and published research, and her own long publishing history is equally reassuring. At times contradictions are present: for instance, valerian is not to be used if the patient is depressed, but at the same time, it can be used to help sleeplessness caused by anxiety. The author indicates that she is aware of these contradictions, however (and there are not many of them in any case). There are also one or two omissions: chicory (which can help to treat sinus problems and gastroenteritis), for instance, is a commonly-used substitute for coffee, and while herbal tea is talked about a lot, no mention is made of this. A chart at the end of the book of ailments and solutions would have also been greatly prized, although the bibliography, suppliers list and list of herbalists is excellent.

Helpful Herbs is in the end an honest guide: magic is not promised, and caution is urged. There is plenty of food for thought here - far more than the "52 brilliant ideas" promised by the book series name. It utilises an international approach, with tips taken from around the world, and covers health, beauty and well-being, thus making it truly all-encompassing. Highly recommended.

other works by Barbara Griggs

Baby's Cook Book (1979)

Home Herbal: A Handbook of Simple Remedies (1983)

The Food Factor (1986) 

Superfoods (1990; with Michael van Straten)

The Superfoods Diet Book (1994; with von Straten, Mason, and David)

Green Pharmacy: The History and Evolution of Western Herbal Medicine (1997)

The Complete Woman's Herbal (1999; with Anne McIntyre)

The Green Witch: A Modern Woman's Herbal (2000)

Superfoods for Children (2001; with Michael van Straten)

Superfoods Super Fast (2006; with Michael von Straten)

(cross-posted to Bianca's Book Blog)

The Perfume Lover: A Personal History of Scent (Denyse Beaulieu)

 --The blurb--

"What if the most beautiful night in your life inspired a fragrance? Denyse Beaulieu is a [...] fragrance writer; it is her world, her love, her life. When she was growing up, perfume was forbidden in her house, spurring a childhood curiosity that went on to become a[...] passion. It is this passion she pursued all the way to Paris, where she now lives, and entered the secretive world of the perfume industry. But little did she know that it would lead her to achieve a fragrance lover’s wildest dream …When Denyse tells a famous perfumer of a [...] night spent in Seville under an orange tree in full blossom, wrapped in the arms of a beautiful young man, the story stirs his imagination and together they create a scent that captures the essence of that night. This is the story of that perfume. As the unique creative collaboration unfolds, the perfume-in-progress conjures intimate memories, leading Beaulieu to make sense of her life through scents. Throughout, she weaves the [...] history of perfumery into her personal journey [...]: the masters and the masterpieces; the myths and the myth-busting, down to the molecular mysteries that weld our flesh to flowers…[...]Your world will never smell the same."

--The review-- 

I always enjoy receiving books for review, but I especially enjoy receiving titles that are relevant to the multiple audiences of my very different blogs (and not only so that I can cross-post the review!), as such books quite frequently offer insights "behind the scenes" of the world we often get only limited glimpses of - in this case, the complex world of perfumery. Beaulieu's privileged position as perfume writer and general expert (she teaches courses on perfume in institutes in London and Paris) means that we are allowed access to this world at last, in a candid yet approachable fashion.

But there is more to it than this. This beautifully-presented edition of The Perfume Lover, which came wrapped in black tissue and pink ribbon, and with a sample of the perfume created by Beaulieu in the book, is a truly interdisciplinary adventure. Not only does Beaulieu effortlessly blend the history of perfume with her own selective biography, she also takes us on a rich journey through religion, art, literature, and etymology. By combining this with perfumers' secrets of the industry and the mechanics of making a perfume, we almost feel like she is doing the latter herself in book form as she mixes all of these 'notes' to make a unified whole.

We are certainly not disappointed by the amount or quality of insider information that Beaulieu gives us: we are let into how far celebrities are really involved in creating the scents bearing their names (answer: it varies!), told which perfumes are favoured by luminaries such as Michael Jackson (answer: Bal à Versailles), and told why you'll never find a bad review of a perfume in a magazine or newspaper (answer: you'll have to read The Perfume Lover to find out). All of this sets us up for an intriguing read - but none of it is the main part of the story.

Throughout the book we are given tantalising views not only of the laboriousness of the perfume-making process (hundreds of formulae can be conducted in the creation of just one perfume, in the hope of hitting on the right combination) but also into the perfume that Denyse herself created, leaving us wondering what the perfume (whose sample is given with the book) will finally be like when we sprinkle it on our skins. When I finally did, I can't pretend it was completely as I had expected, and obviously reactions, likes, and dislikes will vary from person to person. But there is certainly a thrill to be had not only in knowing that you're testing a perfume that's not due out for another 6 months (it will be released by L'Artisan Parfumeur in the autumn), but also that you know the entire story and process behind it, in intimate detail.

This brings us to the only negative that I detected in this book. While Beaulieu is a master of beautiful description and detail, this does at time lead to too much information regarding her own sex life and what I perceive to be her personal levels of promiscuity (do readers really need to know that as a young girl she practised fellatio techniques on ice cream cones?!). Indeed, for someone who is clearly intelligent and talented, this promiscuity is disappointing; while perfume clearly has a sensual aspect, and Beaulieu is not wrong to emphasise this in the book, in some aspects of this she does take it too far for my liking.

This also means that despite her literary talents I am unlikely to read any more of the books that Beaulieu has worked on as a translator. I mention this because as a translator myself I wouldn't ever associate my name with anything I would be ashamed of or was contrary to my morals and interests. People see that a translator is associated with a work and it can influence their views on that person, even if they did not write it. With empty-headed chick lit on offer (mostly in French, but also in English) and a book about sex games and the history of sexuality (available in French and in English) among Beaulieu's translation repertoire, I somehow have the feeling that our interests don't coincide much, and it therefore doesn't endear me to her in terms of what she may put out in future. This is a great shame, as The Perfume Lover itself makes for an enjoyable and fascinating read. I'll therefore be very interested to see what Beaulieu has waiting in the wings for us.

This review has been cross-posted to Bianca's Book Blog.

Beauty Book Review: Branded Beauty (Mark Tungate)

--The blurb--

"Beauty is a multi-billion dollar global industry embracing makeup, skincare, hair care, fragrances, cosmetic surgery, and even tattooing and piercing. Over the years it has used flattery, seduction, science and shame to persuade consumers that they have to invest if they want to look their best. In Branded Beauty, Mark Tungate delves into the history and evolution of the beauty business. From luxury boutiques in Paris to tattoo parlours in Brooklyn, he talks to the people who've made skin their trade."

--The review--

As a book and beauty blogger I was pleased to receive a complimentary copy of Branded Beauty from Kogan Page for review, as I don't tend to be asked to review many books on my beauty site (the last was an American coffee-table style publication, Be...A Woman, back in 2008), and my book site is still only a baby (so offers of books for review are hardly forthcoming). I was wary, though, of the "self-published" impression I had of the publisher, as I feel that this industry still has a lot of work to do to build its credibility (although as it turned out I was mistaken - Kogan Page is a small independent publishing house, not a company for those wishing to self-publish). Nonetheless, the author's credentials (work published in The Times, Stratégies, and The Independent, among others), filled me with enough confidence to pick up the book and begin reading. 

In spite of its initially specialist-seeming premises and topic, the style in which the book is written is extremely accessible without being patronising, meaning that marketing professionals and beauty aficionados alike should have no difficulty in enjoying it (although the summary of each chapter at its end - Beauty Tips - seems a little too dumbed-down in its style, even for amateurs). The stories from times past, anecdotes from industry insiders and peeks behind the scenes, alongside history and statistics, all contribute to making Branded Beauty an enjoyable and intriguing read. Illustrations would have been nice, but the reality is that the majority of the stories are sufficiently compelling on their own.

The writer's chronological approach makes it clear how the rise and rise of marketing has changed the way we not only look, but also look at ourselves. From this point of view, too, he is at risk of being led astray from his original purpose: from about halfway through the book, it is less and less about analysing how marketing has changed our appearance but more about exposing the controversies behind brands, such as the airbrushing scandals that have plagued certain very large brands, and the fact that not all brands marketing themselves as ethical are as squeaky clean as they may first appear. Nevertheless, even if Tungate does not perhaps 100% achieve his original goal, it makes interesting reading as we try to get past the suspiciously small samples of women on which products have been tested, and get back to the personal histories of what can now all too often seem like faceless global corporations.

But there was one deviation I could not tolerate. Part of Tungate's digression consists of repeatedly taking cheap swipes at the integrity of beauty bloggers. It is suggested and stated strongly throughout that beauty bloggers (along with beauty ediotrs) are traitors, propagandiists, straitjacketed, commercial, and untrustworthy. While I can see how Tungate may have reached this conclusion - I know that I for one have been frustrated at far too many magazines where features on products are as far from honest reviews as possible and are closer to being infomercials - it is far too sweeping to speak of beauty bloggers in the same breath as the magazines that do this. Equally, even though I cannot speak for other beauty bloggers, I wonder how many Tungate himself has actually spoken to: as well as trying to do this myself, I have met many other beauty bloggers who are concerned primarily with transparency, providing honest opinions, and allowing readers to make informed choices - not with glossily providing perfect impressions of a brand or product (regardless of how much the free products we are sent may happen to be worth). Such statements cast gross slurs on community journalists who are just trying to do a good job - and, more to the point, often do it voluntarily alongside more mundane day jobs. In addition, alongside the various assumptions delineated above, there are blatant errors, such as saying that Stri-Vectin SD is a Sephora own-brand product (it isn't).

As mentioned, the book is enthralling for its highly visual sense of history, its amusing and well-chosen anecdotes, and its extremely ambitious and up-to-date scope. Exploring the positives and negatives of the beauty industry, it is bound to be of interest to many. However, it fundamentally fails in its mission thanks to its deviations from its original topic, occasional factual errors, and near-libellous slurs against people like myself, whom the book's publishers so badly want good reviews from in approaching us. Should Tungate wish for this book to be published by a mainstream publisher, I fear that it would lamentably require significant revisions in order to be up to standard (a shame; I was hoping that this book would restore my faith in the credulity of independent/self-publishing houses). For Tungate's intriguing content, I could possibly forgive him and delve into his other books on this subject. For certain aspects of his professional conduct within these pages, though, I may need to think twice.

Other works by Mark Tungate

Luxury World: The Past, Present and Future of Luxury Brands (2009)

Branded Male: Marketing to Men (2008)

Fashion Brands: Branding Style from Armani to Zara (2008)

Adland: A Global History of Advertising (2007)

Media Monoliths: How Great Media Brands Thrive and Survive (2005)

cross-posted to Bianca's Book Blog

Be...A Woman

RRP: $28.95 (hardcover)

--What does the promo say?--
"Be...a Woman addresses the question that has been asked for centuries but has never before been more controversial: What defines a woman's beauty? Two women, who have made their livelihoods in the beauty business, provide the most insightful and honest answer: the radiant inner light of a woman in a state of being rather than trying to be.
Breathtaking images of real women combined with inspirational observations about women's inner beauty help the reader make a deeper connection to the power of their own authentic self. This compelling compilation profiles the universal themes of empowerment, resilience, courage, acceptance and the true beauty of womanhood, in all its stages of evolution, through extraordinary, moving portraits.
The Western woman's revolution of today is about returning to our core, quietly without noise. It is about finding balance with nature and consciousness and feeling good in our skin. It is about rediscovering the essence of our inner beauty and honoring it in ourselves and in the delicate connectedness of women around us. Be...a Woman is a spirited collection that will breathe life into its reader's soul. A treasure, Be...a Woman is for every daughter, mother, sister, grandmother, girlfriend, coworker and neighbor, for every woman, young and old."

--My review--
This is real coffee-table stuff. Starting with the superficialities first, it is a really good-looking thing, made and finished to a high standard, printed on good quality paper and furnished with stunning calligraphy and photographs.
In her letter to me, Kim Macgregor explains the purpose of the book: "a mission to empower young girls and women to reduce judgment in themselves and other women , to recognise true beauty and activate their potential to inspire change in the world". Sounds impossible, perhaps - but changing anything really does involve starting with change in yourself. So that part at least is accurate, and the whole summary really does set out some of what I try and do in this blog.
As a poet myself it was difficult if not impossible for me to review this book from a purely emotional perspective. Still, I can but try, and hopefully I manage to review this from both an emotional and a literary standpoint.
Each two-page spread has a photograph of a woman accompanied by a poem to reflect the woman's life, experiences or the expression on her face. Some of the poems are short enough to be haiku-like; others are longer. However, none of the poems extend longer than the two pages, and the vast majority are shorter, so even the most attention-span-challenged person should have no trouble with this.
I am a huge fan of beautiful photography, and Arline Malakian does not disappoint. The portraits of the women are of supreme quality, and although taken in Victorian-style sepia, they unfailingly reflect the strong modernity of the women depicted. Women from all ages, races and walks of life are depicted, making the book a highly visual and sensory experience.
However, I found the accompanying text far more difficult to get to grips with. As someone who attempts to write poetry themselves, ellipses (these things - ...) annoy me hugely as I think writers grossly overestimate the dramatic impact that they have. Less really is more and I prefer to avoid them at all costs. Writing is better if it is understated and ellipses tend to overdramatise and thus remove some of the intended sincerity, which is a great shame. I also felt that some of the writing was hackneyed and cliched in its message - while cliches are often rooted in truth, they are still that: cliches. Saying this, though, I did enjoy some of the poems: mainly the first three, plus the poem "Yourself" (mainly because I think the last line of "Yourself" is a flash of sheer genius that is sadly rarely seen in the rest of the book). If the quality of "Yourself" was reflected in all of the other poems, I have a feeling I would have enjoyed this book far more. On a personal level, the tone very much reminded me of a series I used to read years ago, the highly successful Chicken Soup for the Soul series. While the success of this series means that there is a clearly a vast and diverse market who will probably also be attracted to Be..A Woman, it is not something that I am personally attracted to any longer.
I was also slightly disappointed by the "journal entries" at the end of the book, as I was hoping for insights from the photographed women themselves, and their take on the project - not yet more overemotional outpourings from the authors. Having the women who were actually photographed write a little something for the end of the book would have, in my view, endowed this publication with a wider sense of perspective.
However, saying all this, I can see how others would gain plenty from this book in terms of strength, identity and self-confidence. While the style of the writing really isn't "me", I would defy any woman to read this book and gain absolutely nothing from it - even if, like me, your main focus of appreciation is on the photographs.