cover image The Black Book of Hollywood Beauty Secrets

The Black Book of Hollywood Beauty Secrets

Kym Douglas, Cindy Pearlman. Plume Books, $15 (224pp) ISBN 978-0-452-28765-5

After a few dozen whirlwind pages, the dizzying array of treatments contained here-apparently necessary to stay atop Hollywood's pecking order-may send even the most fashion-savvy readers scurrying for a nap. It's good news, then, that napping is encouraged-for beauty's sake, of course. Taken in small doses, this jam-packed inside look at the surprising beauty rituals of A-list stars serves as a funny, fascinating wake-up call to the harsh reality of celebrity self-maintenance. Image consultant Douglas and freelance writer Pearlman reveal the staggering lengths to which some stars go, including everything from pre-Oscar night colonics to the anatomically incorrect deployment of lip plumpers. While there is a great deal of sensible advice included, there's also some deliciously bizarre rituals on display, such as Kate Beckinsale's three-baths-a-day regimen and Cindy Crawford's secret to beautiful skin, a regular dose of ""leftover milk from her kids' bottles and equal parts mineral water,"" applied with a spray bottle. Packed with insider trivia, readers will be pleased to find their favorite actresses and celebutantes-and those that style them-spilling the names of their favorite beauty products and enumerating quick-fix solutions to common beauty woes. The best element of this insider's guide is the winning tone of self-described ""former dorks"" Douglas and Pearlman, who keep things light, dishy and fun.