Erika Katz set out to write a “book you could flip through depending on the issue of the moment.” She definitely succeeded. This is a book that delivers information on all the beauty and hygiene issues that tween and teen girls face and that they might fight about with their moms.

Find out the specifics of what’s included at my review of Bonding Over Beauty at the Kirkus Reviews Blog. Please chime in there if you think you and your daughter would find this book as interesting and helpful as I did.

We are proud to be a part of the Kirkus Bloggers Network. You can subscribe to the Kirkus Book Blogger Network feed. Go to the home page, and then click the subscribe button to get the feed in your favorite feed reader.

Read my interview with Molly Ringwald over at 5 Minutes for Mom, and enter to win a copy of her new book Getting the Pretty Back.

The book is fun. It’s not a beauty book, or a fashion book, or a self-help book. It has elements of all of this, but reading this book is just like having a good candid chat with a girlfriend. Ringwald dishes on personal style and taking care of yourself — physically, socially, and emotionally.

The text type is fun and there are lots of colorful drawings by Ruben Toledo. Because of the fun way the book looks, I think that this would make a great girlfriend gift, whether she’s turning 30, 40, or 50.

I thought I remembered Sixteen Candles. I associated it with Molly Ringwald’s crummy birthday, overshadowed by her sister’s wedding, Anthony Michael Hall as the geek, and that other Matt Dillon-looking dude as the cute unattainable boyfriend. I was sort of right. What I didn’t remember was that it really pushed the envelope. Read more over at my blog Snapshot on my thoughts on movie ratings.

I didn’t remember that John Cusak and Joan Cusak were fellow geeks.

It was fun (but a little shocking — the 80′s were actually pretty wild compared to the 90′s, I think), and I do think that it sums up teen angst, wanting to grow up, and be you — not who everyone wants you to be — quite well.

I watched Pretty in Pink second. I didn’t remember much about that movie at all. I remembered that it starred Andrew McCarthy (who I sort of crushed on in The Breakfast Club, which I didn’t revisit for this column because unlike the other two, I’ve seen it many times on television over the years, although it probably does merit some cultural examination). I didn’t really remember that it was a rich guy/girl from the other side of the tracks story. So much so that it was a big deal that they would even want to date each other. Was that the 80′s mindset at work again?

Sweet Duckie, played by Jon Cryer, was the best friend who wants more. Is there a more perfect teen movie/book plot?

I remembered “What about prom, Blaine?” wailed by Molly Ringwald plaintively, and forever immortalized as teen angst personified. I did not remember James Spader, who played a smarmy rich-guy jerk (who did not look 18 at all), but who will forever be a smarmy jerk-type.

I was actually surprised by these movies. If you would have asked me, I would have told you that Sixteen Candles was the better movie, or the more teen typical movie, but I think that the winner of both titles has to be Pretty in Pink.

If you haven’t seen it in a while, I recommend you relive your 80′s past (or if you are not in my same decade, look at it and laugh — hard). But I would hold off on sharing it with your kids until you read my thoughts on these two particular teen movies.

Jennifer Donovan’s friends surprised her with what turned out to be a very-lame surprise sweet 16 party. Read about other joys and disappointments at her blog Snapshot. And remember to click over to enter to win Molly Ringwald’s new book Getting the Pretty Back at 5 Minutes for Mom.

According to Ludy, no, it is not. In fact, we must recapture the definition of true beauty and how we find it. Ludy tells her own story of figuring out what it means to be truly beautiful and many of her struggles with insecurity and self esteem echoed my own and probably yours as well. What I appreciated most about The Lost Art of True Beauty is Ludy’s vision of true beauty as God intended it to be:

When Christ overtakes a woman’s life and transforms her from the inside out, she becomes truly feminine–a picture of elegance, grace, and loveliness blended with sacrificial selfless devotion to her King. She becomes a true lady, carrying herself with poise and confidence, yet deflecting all attention away from herself and toward Jesus Christ. She is enchantingly mysterious, holding her inner life sacred and guarding her heart with quiet tenacity.

Told you it was counter cultural. Yet, this kind of true beauty is not something we summon through our own efforts:

Any human beauty, any human value that we might within ourselves is just a filthy rag compared to th elimitless beauty and glory of Jesus Christ. Christ’s beauty is perfect. And, in spite of what we deserve, He desires to adorn us with His spectacular glory. It is not our unique beauty that must shine for this world to see. It is not our own beauty that we must discover and embrace–it is His.

After casting the vision of God’s pattern for feminine loveliness, Ludy explores topics such as dress and manners, hospitality and selflessness. True, Ludy writes with an elevated sense of the romantic, yet it seems to work and serves to inspire her readers to the pursuit of feminine grace and dignity. Ludy gives much practical advice without advocating a rigid sense of do’s and don’t’s, something that would be easy to do given the topic. In fact, as a non-romantic, some of her suggestions seemed a little, well, over the top. Perfumed stationery? Really? I mean, don’t get me wrong, that’s great for her but I’m thinking my femininity is still virtuous even in the use of email and texts…

I liked this book and really my only quibble is with Ludy’s continued references to her other books. Such allusions surely represent a passion for her message but still it felt at times like an infomercial of sorts. All in all, The Lost Art of True Beauty carries an important and critical message to today’s young women and I recommend it to any woman eager to reflect Christ in all things and pursue the kind of femininity that is radically different from that of the world.

Thanks to the publisher Harvest House, we have 3 copies to give away (U.S. residents only). Leave a comment if you’d like to win, and we’ll announce the winners on the 3/31 giveaway review post.

The winners of last week’s giveaways are

• Her Mother’s Hope: #61 Sheri
• Thomas and the Runaway Kite DVD:#51 – Jennifer M
• The Secret Lives of Princesses puzzle cards pack: Amber, liz colman, katklaw777, stephanie rutledge, amy, Rebecca, Mattie Cradduck, Bambi M., Melissa Painter, and Maja Meza
• Teacher Tales: Rita, cris, and Kirsten T.

Wife and mother, Bible teacher and blogger, Lisa loves Jesus, coffee, dark chocolate and, of course, books. Read more of her reflections at Lisa writes…. Lisa would like to thank Harvest House publishers for providing a review copy of this book.


]]> http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/3860/the-lost-art-of-true-beauty/feed/ 47 http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/552/looking-younger/ http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/552/looking-younger/#comments Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:19:09 +0000 Jo-Lynne http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/?p=552 I’m back with another beauty guide for your consideration! I know they all start to sound alike, but I find new tips and tricks to try in every book I read. I’m going to share a few with you from my latest read: Looking Younger by Robert Jones.

This book is chock full of gorgeous full-page before and after photos. They’re my favorite part. Jones says his goal in writing this book is to help women understand the fine details of makeup and its application. I would say that this is probably not a book for the makeup novice. As much as I enjoyed it, I found myself often thinking that many of his techniques were quite time consuming, to say nothing of cost-prohibitive. Like applying three shades of foundation? Uh yeah no.

But there were also lots of tricks that I’ve been implementing. Such as his mascara application techniques.

1. He says to apply two to three coats of mascara, and let your lashes dry completely between coats. I’ve always applied two to three coats of mascara, but I’m learning that it works much better if I let it dry between coats. I know, it sounds obvious, but I wasn’t doing that before, and I am LOVING the results!

2. When you apply the mascara with the wand in a horizontal position, you are thickening your lashes. When you use the tip of the wand and apply with it in the vertical position, you are lengthening your lashes. You can do it both ways (in separate coats, of course) for the maximum WOW effect. I am doing this now, and the difference is noticeable. Well, to me, anyway.

He also has some great tips for applying eyeliner.

1. Lining the lower lash line is optional, but if you choose to line the lower lash line, the liner on the upper lash line should always be thicker. Without the proper balance, you will look older and tired. Same with color. The color on top should be deeper than the color on the bottom. For a softer look, try eyeshadow in lieu of eyeliner on the bottom.

2. Along the top lash line, the definition should start at the inner corner, and it should be thinnest there, becoming wider as you apply it across to the outside corner of the eye. This is hard (for me, anyway) to achieve. I tend to keep it the same thickness all the way across. But I’ve been practicing and it really does make a big difference. Likewise, on the bottom, you want to bring the color all the way across to the inside corner, but the color should be most intense at the outside corner. The same thickness all the way across can close in the eyes and make them appear smaller.

3. Be sure to place color as close to the lash line as possible. He even takes black or another dark shade of eyeshadow and, using a brush, smudges it right into the lash line. Sometimes I do this when I’m taking extra care with my makeup routine, and it looks oh-so-glam!

There are tips for cheeks and lips and skin and at the end, he takes a step-by-step look with pictures of one woman getting ready from start to finish. It really is a fun book.

I was joking with my husband the other day that every beauty book I read adds 5 minutes to my makeup routine. And that’s probably not an exaggeration! I used to be pretty low-maintenance about getting ready in the morning, but the more I learn, the more steps it takes to get ready.

I guess the real question is, is it worth it? You decide!

BEFORE Robert Jones:

 

AFTER Robert Jones:

 

I wish I had the proper lighting to get really good shots of makeup application. Maybe I should put that on my Christmas list!

WIN IT! To enter a giveaway to win a copy of your very own, come on over to Chic Critique and leave a comment. I’ll see you there!

]]> http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/552/looking-younger/feed/ 3 http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/387/secret-keeper-the-delicate-power-of-modesty/ http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/387/secret-keeper-the-delicate-power-of-modesty/#comments Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:25:23 +0000 Carrie http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/?p=387 Secret Keeper is written for and designed to appeal to teen girls. Written by Dannah Gresh, author of The Bride Wore White, and published by Moody Press, this is a great conversation starter for the young girl in your life who is breaking into womanhood and is deciding who she wants to be and how she was to represent herself to the world.

The premise of the book is that we as females have a “secret to keep” in our attempts to guard our bodies by clothing them modestly and with dignity. We, who are created in the images of God and for His glory should treat our bodies with the same respect that their Creator does.

This book is blunt and to the point. Gresh does not tiptoe around the subject matter of sex and boldly discusses how males react when they see the female body clothed in certain ways (or, in some cases, barely clothed). She’s pretty “in your face” about it so if you have a young lady in your home who is more discrete in behavior and dress, you might want to find a different title that addresses the same issues. I would say that this book is an eye opener when it comes to the differences between males and female. Gresh is blunt, sure, but not explicitly so giving you room to build on this book with additional information, thought and discussion.

Overall I’d say that this is worth checking into to see if it would appeal to the young teen girl in your life who is experiencing change in her body, mind and emotions. At an age where she is figuring life out, you might find this book to be an effective tool in answering the questions she has in a forthright way.

Carrie comes by her book obsession honestly, having descended from a long line of bibliophiles. She blogs about books regularly at Reading to Know.

]]> http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/387/secret-keeper-the-delicate-power-of-modesty/feed/ 0 http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/421/get-positively-beautiful/ http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/421/get-positively-beautiful/#comments Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:01:29 +0000 Jo-Lynne http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/?p=421 This giveaway is now closed. The winners are…

1. Tiff from Three Peas in a Pod who said, “My eyes!! I love to watch What Not to Wear! Great giveaway!”

and

2. Kristy who said, “My best feature is my eyes and would love to learn how to do a smokey eye.”

Congrats! And thanks to the folks at Hachette Book Group for sponsoring this giveaway.

I’ve been a fan of What Not To Wear since the very first episode aired in 2003 with Stacy London and Wayne Scott Lukas.

That’s right, I did NOT say Clinton Kelly. Wayne Scott Lukas was the first male co-host of What Not To Wear. I was hooked on the show immediately and have been a loyal fan ever since.

So when I was asked to review Carmindy’s latest book, get positively beautiful, I tripped over my two left feet zapping back an enthusiastic email. I did have the wherewithal to also request a giveaway, and the publishers were so generous they are giving me FIVE copies to give away! YES, FIVE! Two here and three on Chic Critique!

But before we get to that, let me tell you about the book. I have read it cover to cover. Her overriding theory of beauty is that “a confident face knows its finest features and plays them up.” Carmindy starts by demanding that her reader turns off negative thoughts about her appearance and focuses on the fantastic. I love how she encourages us not to compare ourselves to other women, particularly movie stars and supermodels. Throughout the book she emphasizes the belief that there is no set beauty ideal and every woman has unique beauty.

As a Christian woman, I believe that God has made each of us unique and beautiful in our own way. It is not wrong to focus on our assets as long as we don’t allow them to become a point of pride. It IS wrong to tear down what God has created. So while Carmindy may go a bit overboard with her “mirror mantras”, I think her overall point is valuable. We will be much happier and more productive if we focus on the good and not the bad. And this book helps us do just that.

I particularly liked it when she said that our pore obsession has become “utterly insane and is a poor use of our energies”. I have certainly spent too much time bemoaning the craters pores that have appeared on my post-35-year-old face. Carmindy encourages her readers to embrace their complexion and focus on finding products to showcase it. In fact, she goes through every facial feature and explains in detail how to make the most of it with makeup and skincare. She breaks it down into several different categories (for example, for the eyes she describes makeup techniques for each eye color and shape) and gives specific instructions for maximizing your assets. She encourages her reader to determine her “feature focus” and start there.

There is a chapter describing the tools you need to optimize your makeup application. Carmindy’s advice is to start collecting the tools that help enhance your feature focus and then build your toolbox as you experiment. I have already added a few new tools for my collection on her advice.

At the end there is a section with before and after shots and descriptions of how Carmindy achieved their dramatic makeovers. I pored over these pages, studying the makeup techniques she used.

This is a book for every woman who wants to make the most of her assets. The advice is practical and affordable. There are even product recommendations in the back.

WIN IT! For your chance to win one of two copies of Carmindy’s get positively beautiful, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me your “feature focus” – your best feature, the one you want to maximize with Carmindy’s beauty techniques. The winner will be selected on Friday. Good luck!

If you’re visiting from the Bloggy Giveaways carnival, please check out our weekly Tuesday community carnivals and how you can Join In! If you aren’t, check out more giveaways at the Bloggy Giveaways Quarterly Carnival!

Jo-Lynne blogs daily at Musings of a Housewife, and she runs a beauty product review blog, Chic Critique

]]> http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/421/get-positively-beautiful/feed/ 202 http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/385/the-one-hundred/ http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/385/the-one-hundred/#comments Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:01:11 +0000 Jo-Lynne http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/?p=385 When I was asked to review Nina Garcia’s guide to The One Hundred stylish pieces every stylish woman must own, I eagerly emailed my contact at Collins Publishing with an enthusiastic YES!

I am an avid watcher of the hit TV show Project Runway, and I adore Nina Garcia. I love her understated sense of style, and I always anticipate her colorful descriptions of the outfits on the show. I have had the opportunity to review quite a few style and beauty books by famous style icons, and this is hands-down my favorite so far.

In The One Hundred, Nina not only lists the pieces she believes should be a part of every woman’s wardrobe, she also tells you how to wear them and where and how to buy them. She tells you the pieces that are worth investing a month’s salary and the ones that you can skimp on. Not only that, The One Hundred is full of clever quotes, invaluable fashion tips, and fun facts about the world’s most iconic fashion items.

Of course, fashion is never one-size-fits-all, and Nina encourages her readers to find their personal style. One concept that is prevalent throughout her book is that style should seem effortless. Of course, the key word here is SEEM. If you want to look great, it will take effort. But the key is to look like you didn’t try too hard. This concept was the topic of this post last week over at youlookfab. Be sure to read the comment section.

The other concept that is reiterated time and again throughout the book is that a true fashionista will always throw in something a little unexpected. This is what separates you from every other person walking up and down the street and gives you a signature style. I’m still working on this one.

The One Hundred is a great addition to any style library, and I highly recommend it to anyone loves fashion.

If you’d like to win a copy, leave a comment here. We’ll post the winner on Wednesday October 22.

Jo-Lynne blogs daily at Musings of a Housewife, and she runs a beauty product review blog, Chic Critique

Do you like these kinds of posts? You’ll love reading Jo-Lynne’s Chic Critique blog!

]]> http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/385/the-one-hundred/feed/ 59 http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/99/the-new-science-of-perfect-skin/ http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/99/the-new-science-of-perfect-skin/#comments Fri, 12 Sep 2008 04:01:26 +0000 Jo-Lynne http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/?p=99 I was very excited to read Daniel Yarosh, Ph.D.’s The New Science of Perfect Skin. Yarosh is a scientist who has extensive experience in the field of skin care and specifically DNA repair.

According to Yarosh, we are entering what he calls the New Skin-Care Revolution. Products are being created and introduced onto the market that have the ability to actually re-program the skin at a cellular level based on new findings about the human DNA code. This has the potential to be HUGE in the fight against aging. That also means that it is more confusing than ever before to know which products work and which don’t. But in this book, Yarosh sets out to help the reader decipher the lingo and learn how to read labels intelligently so we know what we are getting in skincare products.

I have to admit, sometimes my eyes glazed over as I tried to decipher the science speak, but mostly it was an interesting read. I appreciated the perspective of a scientist over a beauty professional. He explains what works and what doesn’t and WHY, and he even goes so far as to make specific product suggestions at the end of each section.

I wish I could tell you that it wasn’t at all overwhelming, but it was. I think if I took the time to go back and re-read the book, I would find myself much more informed than overwhelmed. It was just a lot of information to digest at once. He definitely tries to reduce the stress of too much information by providing a summary at the end of each section under the subtitle, “The Bottom Line”. This was supremely helpful.

Part One is a skin primer explaining how DNA controls the way we age and what can be done about it. Part Two is all about packaging and ingredients and how to read labels to cut through the hype. Part Three is about the New Skin-Care Revolution products that you need and those that you don’t. And Part Four is about how to take care of your skin and how to use the skin-care products available so your skin will look its best.

I intend to go back and try out some of the products he suggests. If I find anything I like, I will be sure to write it up on my beauty product review blog, Chic Critique. (Please pardon the shameless plug!)

The New Science of Perfect Skin is an interesting read and perhaps a good resource. Only time will tell on the latter part.

Jo-Lynne blogs daily at Musings of a Housewife, and she runs a beauty product review blog, Chic Critique

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