I hate being misinformed (it does happen and I am happy to be corrected when it does) and so always do as much research as possible before publishing a blog post. Knowledge is the key to everything.
I have many (many) books in my make-up library and a growing number of them are on green beauty. The ever growing bookshelf consists of a mixture of green beauty guides containing DIY recipes, books about what goes into our products and the minefield which is product ingredients and also books about aromatherapy, skin and much more..
In this post I have compiled my five books which I believe are perfect for those wanting to know more about the science behind the beauty industry. These books contain information about the ingredients that go into our products, what we should be avoiding and why.
I’m going in hard with the tough talk to start with but over time I will also share my favourite DIY beauty recipe books and the more generalised green beauty ones.
Here are my top five green beauty bibles (the science-y ones)…
Not Just A Pretty Face (The ugly side of the beauty industry)
Author: Stacy Malkan
Pub: New Society Publishers
This is one of the first books I read when I began my journey down the road of green beauty. Not Just A Pretty Face chronicles an investigation into the darker side of the beauty industry. It doesn’t make for easy reading and takes a bit of getting though however if you are looking to delve behind the scenes then it is definitely worth a read.
A Consumers Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients
Author: Ruth Winter
Pub: Da Capo Lifelong Books
A great addition to any green beauty bookshelf but this is not a book you will read from cover to cover in one sitting. It is exactly what it says; an alphabetised dictionary of the cosmetics ingredients found in beauty products. My copy isn’t the most up to date (it was published in 1984) however it has been regularly updated and I have yet to discover an ingredient which isn’t included.
No More Dirty Looks: The truth about your beauty products
Author: Siobhan O’Connor and Alexandra Spunt
Pub: Da Capo Lifelong Books
It began with a harmless quest for perfect wash-and-go hair and ended with this book. A (comparatively) lighthearted look at the beauty industry and what exactly goes into our products and the potential long term health effects of these ingredients.
Cosmetics Unmasked: Family guide to safe cosmetics…
Author: Dr Stephen & Gina Antczak
Pub: Thorsons
Written by a chemistry teacher and former research Chemist, this essential guide is a great starting book for those making their first forays into the green beauty world. An easy to read introduction which, in addition to looking at a whole range of product types, covers everything from a dictionary of ingredients, the law and misleading beauty marketing.
The Nature of Beauty
Author: Imelda Burke
Pub: Penguin Random House
I was a little unsure which top five to put this in as it kind of fits every category in one way or another. Packed full of information on a wide range of subjects from many of the potentially harmful ingredients in our products to DIY alternatives, skincare regimes to perfume. This is a beautiful book that is not only incredibly informative but looks great on a coffee table too!
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