This quarter’s edition of Beauty Reads highlights the empowering stories of two industry standouts: Bobbi Brown and Anastasia Soare. For those craving more image-led escape, Technogym offers a satisfying deep-dive into the brand’s design history, served in a larger-than-life coffee table book, while Marcelo Gutierrez’s book of character-led makeup looks inspires color cosmetic aficionados.
Flip the page on the season’s best beauty reads with BeautyMatter’s recommendations below.
Black Icons in Herstory
Darian Symoné Harvin, Monica Ahanonu
With illustrated color portraits by Monica Ahanonu and biographies by Darian Symoné Harvin, this publication highlights fifty women who achieved the extraordinary in the fields of art, politics, and more. It highlights the contributions and influence of names like Rosa Parks, Nina Simone, Michelle Obama, and Janet Jackson.
Still Bobbi
Bobbi Brown
Following nine makeup tutorial books, the Bobbi Brown Cosmetics and Jones Road Beauty founder gets personal with the release of her memoir. Brown shares the relationships and creative vision that led her to becoming one of the most influential makeup artists of the modern era, imparting a philosophy of accentuating natural beauty rather than covering it. In the book, Brown imparts the mantra of keeping it simple with readers as a wider life philosophy, sharing how her childhood and upbringing influenced her views on beauty and the tale of building a billion-dollar worldwide business.
Technogym: The Art of Wellness
Joel Stein
Clad in the Italian equipment and digital solutions company’s trademark bright yellow, the photographic tome captures the brand’s history. The book opens with words from its founder and CEO, Nerio Alessandri, especially the ancient Roman saying that inspired the brand’s holistic wellness concept: mens sana in corpore sano (a healthy mind in a healthy body). Alessandri started building the first workout machines in his garage in 1983. Still, it wasn’t long before his creations received celebrity endorsement from champion bodybuilding athletes like Lee Haney or celebrities like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The publication traces the evolution of its machine designs, complete with sleek campaign images and impressive views of the Technogym Village in Cesena, Italy. Quotes from figures like NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving, former President Bill Clinton, and late fashion designer Issey Miyake complement this visual story—a testament to the wide-reaching appeal of beautiful and intentional design.
Raising Brows: My Story of Building a Billion Dollar Beauty Empire
Anastasia Soare
Once an esthetician and single mother who emigrated from Romania to the US, Anastasia Soare soon became the “Queen of Eyebrows” and founder of the billion-dollar cosmetics brand Anastasia Beverly Hills. In the book, Soare recounts how she taught herself English by watching Oprah’s television show, only to shape the media mogul’s eyebrows on her show a few years later. Soare discusses her approach of applying the golden ratio to eyebrow shaping, the power of perseverance, and her inspiring road to success.
The Harms of Beauty
Sam Barnes
A Senior Lecturer in criminology at Arden University in the UK, Sam Barnes dedicated a 172-page ethnographic study exploring “the dark side of beauty.” From harmful pursuits of perfection in young people to the market for counterfeit beauty products and services, chapters include writings on Botox parties as a means of bonding and contemporary subjectivity and hyper-comparison.
Nothing Precious
Marcelo Gutierrez
Nothing Precious is the debut publication of makeup artist Marcelo Gutierrez. His work has previously been featured in publications like Vogue and CR Fashion Book and campaigns for brands like Chanel and Calvin Klein. This photography book traces his creative journey over the last decade, with “bold, intimate images reflecting the grit and glamor of his journey through fashion and art.” Images feature models such as Gabbriette and Joan Smalls, photographed by Renell Medrano and Aidan Zamiri. The foreword to the book was written by Lily-Rose Depp.
The Glory in Your Story
Monique Rodriguez
As the CEO of textured haircare brand Mielle Organics, Rodriguez created a multimillion dollar business, which was acquired by P&G in 2023. This new book tells the story behind that impressive rise, including devastating life struggles like growing up on the South Side of Chicago in a turbulent childhood home and experiencing the loss of her infant son. Nonetheless, the founder persevered and turned her grief into a successful brand, relying on her faith and entrepreneurial acumen to carry her through. "I wrote The Glory in Your Story to encourage others to see beyond their circumstances and tap into their inner strength to achieve their dreams," Rodriguez said.
