“Embracing a life of conscious decisions, true self care, and thoughtfulness connects you to beauty in a deep an meaningful way, one that transcends the physical,” writes CAP Beauty founders Kerilynn Palmer and Cindy Diprima Morisse. We couldn’t agree more, which is why we love these six wellness books. Each one offers a holistic and rich perspective on how to feel and look incredible by ridding toxins, using natural and organic ingredients, and embracing ancient holistic wisdom.
RADICAL BEAUTY
By Kimberly Snyder, c.n. And Deepak Chopra, M.D.
You can’t help but feel good when you’re around Kimberly Snyder—or, at least, when you’re reading one of her books. The acclaimed nutritionist, holistic chef, and wellness expert radiates positivity. And she has an acute ability to help people lean into and embrace their idiosyncrasies. That appreciation for uniqueness is the thesis of Snyder’s book, Radical Beauty. Snyder and co-author Deepak Chopra approach beauty from both the inside and the outside, unveiling ways to help us really feel our best, which, in turn, helps us look our best. The two have created an incredible holistic program that focuses on whole-food recipes, lowering stress, and amplifying spirituality and joy, weaving in Ayurvedic wisdom throughout. “Radical Beauty has nothing to do with trendy makeup, fleeting fads, or insecure comparisons with other women,” Snyder and Chopra co-write. It “extends beyond the physical, encompassing all parts of your inner and outer being.” Packed with beautiful tips and recipes, this is an incredible guide book for helping us each find the ways that make us radiate from the inside out.
1. THE BEAUTY CHEF By Carla Oates
More than a decade ago Australian beauty editor Carla Oates became obsessed with the connection between our gut-health and skin-health. Her daughter was experiencing skin issues, which prompted her to take a deep dive into how foods affect our microbiome and, in turn, our skin and overall wellbeing. Through research and experimentation she discovered incredible benefits of eating organic foods rich in pre- and probiotics (i.e. the glory of fermented foods), which resulted in the creation of her ingestible beauty line, The Beauty Chef, as well as the making of this book. Packed with gorgeous recipes (the barramundi curry with cauliflower rice is epic), healthy eating tips, and beauty wisdom, it reads like you’re having a cup of hot chamomile with your favorite beauty sage while she divulges all her glow secrets.
2. AN ATLAS OF BEAUTY By Victoire De Taillac And Ramdane Touhami
This beautifully written and illustrated book give an encyclopedic overview of more than eighty of the world’s botanicals and materials long used for glowing, clear, youthful skin. The book’s approach is steeped in the philosophy of the legendary French beauty apothecary, L’Officine Universelle Buly, and written by Victoire de Taillac-Touhmi and Ramdane Touhami, the creative power couple behind the brand (and other lucrative ventures). The book—filled with in-depth descriptions of the natural ingredients—is stunning. We particularly love the tools and preparations sections, which give a thorough rundown of some essential (and unexpected) beauty tools and natural elixirs. It reads like a what’s what of centuries-old solutions and methods.
3. ABSOLUTE BEAUTY By Pratima Raichur
Ayurvedic practitioner, chemist, and skin care expert Pratima Raichur is a pioneer in holistic beauty. She moved from her native India to New York City in the mid-seventies and has since built a successful Ayurvedic beauty practice and brand. She published her book, Absolute Beauty, in 1997 and it continues to be a beacon of health and beauty wisdom. Every page is thorough and considered. Raichur explains how the skin is a reflection of our internal state, including our physical, mental, and spiritual health, and reveals how Ayurveda can bring us balance and a luminous, healthy glow.
4. NO MORE DIRTY LOOKS By Alexandra Spunt And SiobhanI O’Connor
If there’s one book responsible for pioneering a new way to look at beauty products, it’s this book. Alexandra Spunt and Siobhan O’Connor ripped away the glossy cover shielding so many makeup and skin care brands and exposed the ugly truth about the toxins included in many of their formulations. They vetted what seemed like every tube and bottle. They read every label. They interviewed scientists and chemists. And what resulted was this amazing beauty book full of eye-opening (and scary) knowledge about the unfathomable—and often unregulated—fillers, toxins, and additives included in skin care. It’s an edifying read, even a mere ten years after its publication. (Spunt and O’Connor have since built an amazing community around clean beauty, holistic living, and wellness.) It’s also a game-changer for anyone looking to swap their products with natural alternatives and lead a life with significantly less toxins.
5. HIGH VIBRATIONAL BEAUTY By Kerilynn Palmer and Cindy Diprima Morisse
After falling for CAP Beauty, Kerilynn Palmer and Cindy Diprima Morisse’s all-natural beauty emporium, several years ago we’ve become major followers of anything the clean beauty mavens recommend. Palmer and Morisse seem to be equally in the future and past: They’re always discovering the latest innovative clean beauty lines while honoring the most simple, time-tested health practices. That old-meets-new, luxury-meets-DIY approach is what makes these two woman so cool—and it’s what makes their advice so unique and approachable. And it’s the ethos of their book, High Vibrational Beauty. Palmer and Morisse compile their unparalleled eye and wisdom and reveal their best high-low lifestyle tips, recipes, and insights for feeling well and looking radiant. (We love their concoctions for nutrient-packed face masks you can whip up at home.) They divide the book into seasons, which seems to wink at ancient wisdom, and lay out an invigorating mix of makeup, cooking, ritual, and energy cleansing advice for the year. This is a drop-dead gorgeous beacon we’ll always be turning to.
