6 Beauty Books to Add to Your Coffee Table

The beauty industry has had a diversity problem that took the Black Lives Matter movement to finally stop sidestepping the issue. L’Oréal strives to make diversity and inclusion a priority: Last year, it was named one of the world’s top 10 companies on the Refinitiv Diversity and Inclusion Index. Now, their activism is hitting bookshelves with the launch of this new title, which dives into the unique perspective and rituals of the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) community. In partnership with the Makeup Museum, which opened in New York City in 2019, each chapter features a cultural beauty ritual or theme — from Ancient Egypt to the Renaissance period and beyond — thanks to the help of anthropologists, beauty experts, and researchers from around the world. To supplement the launch, there will be a year-long promotion on Makeup Museum’s Instagram (#BeautySt­ories) to celebrate the book and its stories. 

Currently available for pre-order, it’ll ship in March/April 2021.

The beauty aisle, with its fancy ingredients and marketing lingo, can sometimes be really difficult to navigate for people who are new to skincare. As a lifelong skincare aficionado and certified aesthetician, Caroline Hirons created her blog where she became famous for her honest, no-bull attitude towards skincare. In 2014, when every other YouTuber was trying to look perfect on social media, she became loved for shouting at her kids in the background of one of her first skincare videos. Viewers loved her witty, down-to-earth, approachable vibe and her approval of a skincare product meant they sold out in seconds (dubbed “The Caroline Effect”). Five-hundred and eighty thousand Instagram followers later, she’s now the #1 best-selling author of the Sunday Times (the sister title to the UK’s oldest national daily newspaper). Skincare, which entangled publishing companies into a six-way bidding war to get rights to her book, is a guide to her best advice after over 35 years in the biz. 

Christian Allaire, an Indigenous (Nipissing First Nation) style writer for Vogue, is redefining the narrative around fashion. After his first piece went live on Vogue.com — an article on how Indigenous designers are reclaiming their culture through sartorial choices — people of Indigenous backgrounds flooded his social media. Now just a couple years later, he’s launching his first book. It features the unique stories of over 30 models, makeup artists, designers, writers, and more whose perspectives aren’t widely represented in traditional fashion journalism. The book covers the power of beauty and fashion can play in people’s lives on a wide variety of topics like makeup, cosplay, hijabs, and hair. Geared towards a younger audience, it’s a great foray into how we all should celebrate our backgrounds, and how beauty/style connects with culture and social justice. 

Currently available for pre-order, it’ll ship April 27, 2021.

During the most impressionable years, it’s important for kids to see themselves represented in the books they read. This new photograph book is aimed at pre-teens to help break down the conventional standards of Black beauty. Published by Kahran and Regis Bethencourt, a husband-wife duo whose CreativeSoul Photography studio specializes in child photography, this coffee table book features over 100 gorgeous photos of Black children. It showcases Black hair, inspirational essays about the featured children, and the celebration of Black culture. 

One of the most famous “noses” in the business, it seemed like Frédéric Malle was destined to be in the world of perfumery (his grandfather, Serge Heftler-Louiche, a childhood friend of Christian Dior, created the iconic Miss Dior fragrance in the late forties). To celebrate the recent 20th anniversary of his perfume house, this coffee table book dives into Malle’s success story, behind-the-scenes inspiration, and personal archives. You’ll also love the bottle sketches, illustrations, and ad campaigns that show a holistic view into the brand’s long history.

Celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin — founder of cult-fave hair care brands Ouai and Mane Addicts — is now a household name. But, her road to success wasn’t always easy (particularly growing up in a conservative Mormon community). The entrepreneur dives into her rags-to-riches story in this career guide. She gets refreshingly honest about her mistakes and most valuable lessons navigating a male-dominated beauty industry, plus the importance of paying it forward and standing up for fellow businesswomen along the way. Whether you’re looking to kickstart a career in beauty (or another field), this inspirational read encourages you to chase your dreams.