Pretty Boys: Legendary Icons Who Redefined Beauty
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In this inclusive, illustrated history and guide to skin care and beauty, journalist and founder of Very Good Light David Yi teaches us that self-care, wellness, and feeling beautiful transcends time, boundaries, and binaries--and that pretty boys can change the world Chanel and Goop might have seemed ahead of the curve when they launched their men's beauty and wellness lines, but pharaohs were exfoliating, moisturizing, and masking eons earlier. Thousands of years before Harry Styles strutted down the red carpet with multicolored fingernails, Babylonian army officials had their own personal manicure sets. And BTS might have become an international sensation for their smoky eyes and perfect pouts, but the Korean Hwarang warriors who put on a full face before battle preceded them by centuries. Pretty Boys unearths diverse and surprising beauty icons who have redefined what masculinity and gender expression look like throughout history, to empower us to live and look our truths. Whether you're brand new to beauty, or you already have a ten-step routine, Pretty Boys will inspire and teach you how to find your best self through tutorials, beauty secrets, and advice from the biggest names in the beauty industry, Hollywood, and social media. From Frank Ocean's skin-care routine to Clark Gable's perfectly styled hair, Rami Malek's subtle eyeliner to a face beat to the gods à la Boy George or Kimchi the drag queen, K-Beauty to clean beauty, Pretty Boys will completely change the way we all see gender expression and identity.
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Confession: I didn't read all the beauty tips, as I'm not really big on make up. I really enjoyed the history and cultural significance of makeup and skin care that this this book covered. It was really interesting to see how it played a role all around the world and throughout time. It also makes you realize how silly it is that guys are ostracized or made fun of if they wear make up. This book really is a champion for being yourself through style, even if that doesn't follow cultural norms and showcasing many others who have done the same through history. The only Thing I wasn't a fan of and this was a personal opinion, is the opinion that how we ‘look', our visual representation is what gives us worth. Don't get me wrong, I love to sport the things I'm passionate about in clothes and accessories,etc., but it doesn't define me as a person and I just feel our society puts much too much emphasis on the fact that the way we look defines us and that can lead to some pretty toxic and unhealthy avenues. I suppose that wasn't the aim of this book, but I found it curious that the BTS portion (which is why I read it as part of a BTS book club) was about what made them special were mostly NOT their looks, but what they have achieved through meaningful songs, a positive message and hard work. That's what defines them! I wish there had been more of that in the other areas that were covered, even while addressing the issue of men doing what is typically seen as the realm of women only and how that's not only okay, but really needs more acceptance in our own time in history. Overall it's a positive look at an issue rarely discussed with a lot of research to back it up, which is a good thing, but personally I wished it was balanced out with more than just visuals.