My friend Estella shared with me the new book by Glamour beauty editor Andrea Pomerantz Lustig, “How to Look Expensive: A Beauty Editor’s Secrets to Getting Gorgeous without Breaking the Bank,”
(I especially like that Lustig provides both high-end and drugstore options in her product recommendations.)
Here are the 3 changes I’m already making based on the advice in the book:
- Rinsing with water in the morning instead of washing my face. Lustig does it and says several female dermatologists she knows do, too. Anything that speeds up the morning routine sounds good to me!
- Cutting down on hair product. This is probably more relevant for long hair, but now that mine has grown out more, I was surprised to discover how well this works.
- Greek yogurt for breakfast. She claims it will make your skin glow. I’m willing to give it a shot, so my new breakfast menu is Chobani blueberry yogurt with a couple of teaspoons of granola mixed in. Yum.
Of course, the advice that works for you will vary by skin type, hair type and personal preference, but if you’re looking for new, fun beauty tips “How to Look Expensive”
And if you’re keeping track at home, we now have 3 titles in our (virtual) book club 
Fab mamas: What’s your favorite piece of beauty advice?
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I confess I’m a bit of a fashion book junkie. There are 
. I was lucky enough to see Stacy London read from her new book, and get a copy signed, too. She was a touching and inspiring speaker, and her book is, too. It tells the story of style discovery, both London’s own and that of several other women she restyles in the book.
. I adore Tim Gunn (who doesn’t?), so I adore his books because they shine with his warm, witty voice. I love the concept of his latest because it teaches about fashion through the ages, putting what we wear today into a historical context.
is breezy and full of colorful illustrations, as well as straightforward advice about wardrobe editing and garment selection without being too trendy.
is an older book, but takes on the topic of dressing to suit your build by placing women’s figures in the context of great artists’ styles. Isn’t it better to be a Mondigliani than “pear-shaped”? It also includes a very useful section on how patterns, colors and proportions trick the eye.
is a bit of style advice, a bit of autobiography, some quotes from famous friends and lots of luscious illustrations.
Originally written in 1964 by the former directrice for Nina Ricci, this charming little tome dispenses timeless advice in witty doses from A (accessories) to Z (zoology).
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, gives us a wonderful introduction. As an American who married a Frenchman and lived for many years in Paris, she’s uniquely positioned to compare and contrast our worlds and give us insights into the French girl lurking in all of us. Fashion aside, we’d do well to adopt the French attitude of slowing down, reveling in our own particular beauty, and eating and enjoying delicious food in moderation.
