Pretty Reads

I love reading, as you know. Recently, I have been lucky enough to come across some great books that focus on beauty and being your best, inside and out. Below are a few of my new favorites that I have christened by my "Pretty Reads". I guarantee that these picks will help you to look and feel fab!

Simply Glamorous: Makeup Transformations to Make You Look & Feel Fabulous by Gary Cockerill is a makeup Bible. This is a strong statement, I know, but this 224 page book of breathtaking images is stuffed to the rim with makeup tips and rules for women. I was excited to finally find answers to how to create a nude lip and how to contour. I was also happy to see that the book includes women of all races, something that is not always included in beauty how-to books. It is a cosmetic must-have!

Braids are definitely in, but sadly, I do not know how to braid hair. I have truly been trying to learn since I was in grade school, lol. Stunning Braids: Gorgeous Hairstyles for Any Occasion from Work to Weddings by Monae Everett gives readers step-by-step instructions on how to braid their hair into the latest casual and classic styles. The book covers braiding for all hair textures and even outlines the tools (such as combs and hair products) needed to create the best braids. I will alert you when I master getting my hair into a Fancy Fauxhawk. 

When I hear the word cleanse, I frown. Nothing sounds worst to me than surviving, even for a short period of time, on just liquid veggie goo. However, in the book Daily Greens 4-Day Cleanse by Shauna R. Martin, creator of Daily Greens Beverages, she outlines recipes for the cleanse that don't just include juices, but also yummy soups and dishes. She also tells readers why cleansing is important and what to eat before and after you cleanse. Never has getting healthy looked so good!  

Summer Reading List 2

Delta Jewels: In Search of my Grandmother's Wisdom is an awesome book by Alysia Burton Steele. It is full of photos of adorable elderly women, accompanied by their stories. I love this book because all of these women have such rich stories to take life lessons away from. It really made me miss having older women in my life, and caused me to reflect on the childhood days that I spent at my grandma's retirement home, listening to her talk to her friends about times past. This is a quick, heart-warming summer read and could serve as a great coffee table book.

Juicing and cleanses have become really trendy, but Shauna R. Martin lives by them for another reason. They helped her to beat breast cancer, and her business, Daily Greens, is a cold-pressed juice company thriving in Austin, Texas. Daily Greens 4-Day Cleanse not only discusses the benefits of juicing, but it also outlines recipes for juices, wraps, and salads. Even if you are not excited about the idea of a 4-Day Cleanse, the book is a great buy for easy, healthy food to-dos.

The Essential Guide to Women's Herbal Medicine by Dr. Cyndi Gilbert is a great book to have on hand. It outlines many common ailments, from herpes to hemorrhoids, and advises on natural remedies to take care of them. For example, did you know that dandelion root and leaf are good for addressing PMS? This book is loaded with natural gems like this that are great alternatives to medication.

Woman spend boatloads of money yearly on beauty products. This probably would not be the case if they knew that many of the products could be made with things in their kitchen cabinets. Homemade Bath Bombs, Salts & Scrubs: 300 Natural Recipes for Luxurious Soaks is a collection of recipes for bath products. These homemade products can assist with meditation and easing body pain. I am using the book to make handmade products for friends for Christmas. 

Going Digital

At the Border's in my neighborhood, there are boxes and boxes and boxes of books for a buck. A. Buck. Apparently, people are slowly buying those digital book readers, so no one wants a real book anymore. There is something very sad about this. Even if I could have when I was a child, I would not have wanted to read my Goosebumps books on something the equivalent of a Casio Dream Diary! Again, how sad.