Blogdorfs Beauty Book Club:

I have been thinking that in order of making this a successful book club I need to give you options. So here are my picks so far....

1. The Emperor of Scent
It is a must read for the fragrance lover, it is written by Chandler Burr who just started the scent strip in the NYTimes and it tells the story of the godfather of perfume critics...Luca Turin.

“One of the stories I heard when I started meeting the perfumers and was let into their tightly closed world involves JeanCarles, one of the greatest perfume makers in Paris–he used to work forRoure in Grasse, near Nice, where all perfumes used to be made. He became anosmic, lost his sense of smell, and he simply carried on from memory, creating perfumes. Like Beethoven after his deafness. JeanCarles went on to create the great Ma Griffe for Carven, a result of pure imagination in the complete absence of the relevant physical sense. Carles’s condition was known only to him and his son. When a client came in, he’d go through the motions, make a big show of smelling various ingredients and, finally, the perfume he had created, which he would present with great gravity to the client, smelling it and waving itsodor around the room. And he couldn’t smell anything!” Turin smiles, thinking about it.
It is available at Barnes and Noble for $4. A steal!!!!

2. A Scented Palace by Elisabeth de Feydeau

From an interview with the author on Abebooks.com
Jean-Louis was one of Marie Antoinette’s suppliers, not the only one, but certainly the main provider of all her perfumes and other items relating to her toilette. He worked together with Rose Bertin, the Queen’s favourite milliner, and Leonard, the famous hairdresser, preparing a wide range of products – as much for hygiene as for beauty purposes: perfumes, eaux de toilettes, lotions, vinegars, ‘bains de modestie’ (preparation for exfoliating baths), hair powder, make-up, perfumed flannels etc. He took care of a great deal of the Queen’s needs, and was enamoured of the natural look for the sake of one’s skin. Thus he appreciated the queen who liked to look after her face and show her beauty through the most minimal of makeup.

3. History of Beauty by Umberto Eco
In this, his first illustrated book, Professor Eco offers a layered approach that includes a running narrative, abundant examples of painting and sculpture, and excerpts from writers and philosophers of each age, plus comparative tables. A true road map to the idea of beauty for any reader who wishes to journey into this wonderful realm with Eco's nimble mind as guide.

4. On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C. J. Walker
by A'Lelia Bundles

Oprah Winfrey is renowned for her media savvy, marketing sense, philanthropic efforts, and accumulated wealth (and the power that accompanies it). She's earned her rep, of course, and her path to stardom and influence couldn't have been easy. Imagine, then, how difficult it must have been a century ago for Madam C. J. Walker, America's first female African-American millionaire. The daughter of slaves, married and divorced by the age of 20, Madam Walker spent nearly two decades as a lowly scrubwoman before concocting (or, as she claimed, being presented in a dream) the formula for a much needed hair care product for African-American women. After making her hair care business a resounding success, Walker devoted much of her time and resources to social causes and philanthropy.

5. Miracles Happen: The Life and Timeless Principles of the Founder of Mary Kay Inc.
by Mary Kay Ash

Born in rural Texas at the end of World War I, Mary Kay spent her childhood keeping house and caring for her sick father while her mother supported the family. Years later, as a single mother at a time when very few women worked outside the home, Mary Kay was determined to pursue her professional goals. Twenty-five years later, after she retired from a successful career in direct selling, mary Kay -- a middle-aged grandmother -- felt the call of a challenge. In founding what she termed her "dream company," Mary Kay exceeded her own expectations and became a champion for women.

6. Coty: The Brand of Visionary
by Orla Healy
No information and pricey at $54.00 but it is about Coty. Thats enough for me!

7. Elizabeth Arden: Beauty Empire Builder
by Nancy Shuker

The story of Florence Nightingale Graham's perseverance and success in turning herself into Elizabeth Arden and establishing a beauty empire makes fascinating reading. She was born in Canada on New Year's Eve, 1878, and named after the nurse who had transformed the profession of caring for the ill. Her mother died when she was six and life was difficult, so although the young Florence often claimed, "I want to be the richest little woman in the world," she decided to go to nursing school. There she found that nursing was not for her, but she did take an interest in a medicinal salve a young biochemist was trying to develop for treating skin blemishes, and this determined her future course. The book gives a great deal of information about the times and the few opportunities available for women in that era. The comprehensive background coverage makes all the more amazing Florence's transformation into Elizabeth, a hardheaded, determined businesswoman whose personal relationships foundered as she single-mindedly pursued her goal to become a rich and successful pioneer in the new field of beauty aids and services.

8. Inventing Beauty: A History of the Innovations that Have Made Us Beautiful
by Teresa Riordan

Plumbing the depths of the U.S. Patent Office, the Max Factor archives, and the Smithsonian Institution, as well as such unorthodox sources as the Museum of Questionable Medical Devices, Riordan emerges with a compelling, at times hilarious, tale of entrepreneurism run amok. Complete with dozens of photographs, wacky patent diagrams, and too-kitsch-to-be-true vintage advertisements, Inventing Beauty is an enlightening, tongue-in-cheek tour de force.
Did I read Max Factor archives?

9. Max Factor: The Man Who Changed the Face of the World
by Marianne Morino, Robert Salvatore
**no information and it might be difficult to find!

This is my list so far.
Please feel free to vote and suggest other beauty books!

photos from Barnes and Noble
descriptions from Barnes and Noble