cover image Beauty: The New Basics

Beauty: The New Basics

Rona Berg. Workman Publishing, $19.95 (404pp) ISBN 978-0-7611-0186-4

New looks for the new century come courtesy of Rona Berg, former beauty editor of the New York Times Magazine and Elle. In Beauty: The New Basics she demystifies the subject with thorough discussions and recommendations. The emphasis is on beauty from within and making the most of one's own attributes. Her models are real women at various stages of maturity, and she doesn't shy away from discussing aging early on. In each section Berg evaluates products on the market, offers advice on inexpensive alternatives and includes her own ""Rona's Remedies."" She encourages comparison shopping, experimentation and having fun in the process. A glossary and appendixes on cosmetic surgery, sources, spas and salons and a reading list enhance this friendly, supportive guide. ( Mar.)