14 Beauty-Centric Books That Are Essential Reading for Every Book Lover

As both a beauty lover and a bookworm, finding an intersection between the two can be difficult. That’s when I find a good beauty book, my excitement levels spike through the roof. 

Below, find the best beauty-centric books out there for the avid reader who also happens to love makeup, skincare, fragrance, or hair. Whether you’re more interested in a book exploring the origins and staying power of red lipstick or a book about the politics and history of Black hair, there’s something for everyone on this list. 

This book is a must for all fragrance lovers and high fashion lovers alike. It takes you through an exploration of Christian Dior’s perfumes in relation to his life.

If you love playing around with beauty, this book is for you. It looks at beauty from the lens of individuality and creativity, and how modern beauty is breaking from rigid standards of the past. 

If your interests lie somewhere in the intersection of photography and makeup, this is the book for you. With over 300 portraits of creative figures shot by François Nars, this is a fun coffee table book. 

Vogue contributing beauty editor Funmi Fetto sparks an important conversation about inclusivity in beauty. Packed with products that actually work for people of color, you’ll want to keep bookmarks handy. 

Every perfume lover knows that Frédéric Malle perfumes are scents to be cherished. In this book, you get to enter Malle’s world, plus learn some of the stories behind his most iconic scents in graphic-novel form.

This book is essentially a deep dive into every single iconic beauty product out there. From products like Nars Orgasm to Johnson’s Baby Lotion, it’s interesting to read about all the products Hughes has deemed worthy of icon status.  

If red lipstick is your go-to, you need this book. It details how red lipstick has remained so iconic throughout the years. 

Kevyn Aucoin is one of the beauty industry’s most influential makeup artists. His book is full of makeup application tips and tricks. 

This exhaustive guide covers 1800 fragrances and includes essays about how they’re made. You can also learn everything you ever wondered about some of the world’s most iconic scents. 

Not only will this linen-bound hardback look incredibly chic in any space you put it, it’s also an interesting exploration into what has made Aesop the iconic brand it’s become. 

This is the perfect book for anyone who loves history. It traces the origins of Bulgari’s perfumes all the way back to ancient gems, spice trails, and fine jewelry. 

This book is both personal and political. The author explores the history of Black hair and what growing up with Black hair in a predominantly white area has meant to her. 

Who wouldn’t want an entire book sharing K-Beauty secrets? With tutorials, skincare tips, and product advice, this book will quickly become your skincare guide.  

Rio Viera-Netwon went viral for her detailed Google Doc on skincare products. This book dives even deeper into everything skincare. 

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