How to Look Expensive: A Beauty Editor's Secrets to Getting Gorgeous without Breaking the Bank

Let me start by saying, I read A LOT of beauty books and this is by far the best compilation of information I've ever seen in one place. What I love about this book: The author clearly defines what she means by "expensive". I met a woman the other day who was a wonderful person and I enjoyed talking with her, but the entire time I was distracted by her bright bright school bus yellow blond hair. Sometimes our efforts to look beautiful can do more harm than good and it can be hard to know the difference. This book helps you with that and warns repeatedly against the dangers of "over doing it". It's not a cookie cutter "Here's how you too can look just like me!" type of beauty book. (I HATE those.) There is a break down of different celebrity style categories: Park Avenue Pretty, Hollywood Boho, Glam Globe-Trotter, and Modern Movie Star. You can pick the style or combination that best fits you and there are suggestions for how all of the advice can be applied to the various styles. The author tells you what it is celebrities do to get a certain look. Most of the time this is not practical for us mere mortals either with time or money. Gweneth Paltrow's beautiful hair color for example (which is what I think the woman mentioned above was shooting for) is a huge investment of both and is therefor not too practical for most of us. If you really want to make the sacrifice to have that hair the book can help you out, but mostly I just liked knowing exactly what celebrities do to look so good because next time I envy something (like Gweneth Paltrow's hair) I don't have to wonder why I can never get mine to look that way. Instead I can say to myself, I can have it if I really want it, but it's not worth it. There is advice for every budget. There is a lot of information on how to do things yourself at home, and on how to find an inexpensive but skilled professional. There are also tips for how to maintain things so that you can get the most out of your time and money. My favorite was the advice on how to style your hair as it gets closer and closer to washing time. I don't mind giving myself a blow out if I only have to do it every 5 days. The author actually gives brand names! For me this one is HUGE. You can get the best beauty advice on a skin regimen and what ingredients to look for, but then you have to go to the store and hunt down a decent product and as I've learned from all my reading, sometimes just knowing the ingredients isn't enough. Some anti aging active ingredients for example break down in the light or air so if the product is stored in a clear jar it'll be worthless in a week. Other times the active ingredients aren't the problem. It's the other things that can irritate your skin. Anyway, my point is... even with the best advice finding the right product for the job can be expensive and time consuming. Very few books actually name brands unless the author has their own product line. This is a huge help in saving you time, money and frustration. The best part is, she names brands at a variety of price points: designer splurges, moderately priced products, and drug store finds. She also tells you which things are worth the extra expense like makeup foundation, and which things aren't like mascara. The naming names is also useful for colors. It's all well and good to know that a red lipstick with some blue in it will make your teeth look whiter, but sometimes it's hard to tell a red that has blue in it. The author gives you a handful of specific lipsticks that fit the bill so you can check them out and know what you're looking for in the future. There are lots of tips and tricks from specific professionals that work on the stars, most of them easy things to do that have you saying "why didn't I think of that!" Some of the experts also gave recipes for scrubs and things you can make at home. One of my favorites that I got from the author's work in Glamour was a DIY pore strip. It doesn't smell so great but it really works. The number of topics covered is pretty impressive. There are details for how to style your hair, how to cut it, how to color it and how to maintain it. Advice on how to have beautiful skin, how to put on makeup, how to take care of your teeth, shape your eyebrows, have great nails, hair removal, self tanning (including how to take it off if you make a mistake), perfume, and even a little bit on fashion. There were a few sections I found somewhat lacking. More information on how DIY manicures and pedicures would have been nice, but I didn't find this disappointing enough to knock off a star. There's so much information on so many different things there are bound to be some sections that are a little light on content. It's rare to find a good book on just one of these topics, but to find great advice on all of them is an amazing feat. I've been reading beauty books and articles for so long I don't often find good beauty tips that I wasn't already aware of but this book had tons. I'll likely be buying it in bulk at Christmas time to give to all my female friends and family because I think almost any woman will find something useful in here.

I liked the inside info on celeb makeup artists, and the makeup "splurge, spend and save" section was great--she uses real brands, tells you the colors to use, and includes prices and locations of products. Details on blending, work makeup, weekend makeup, night out makeup. The author has divided styles into a few categories, I like this because it helps to give you a more cohesive look--something I find hard to accomplish when I read magazines that scream "black polish is trendy!!" in one breath and "lacy pink girly frills are in!" in another. The fashion wardrobe section was pretty normal: neutrals, basics, classics, with nice accessories, I'm sure you've heard it before. I would have liked more detail in regards to Park Avenue Pretty, Boho Chic, etc. fashion personalities. The hair section gives some great tips on salon style curls, straightening, and blow-drying and even gives instructions on good haircuts. I will be using this section pretty much every day for quite a while. The nails section was pretty basic, nothing earth-shattering. I enjoyed the fashion personalities colors tips (pale nudes for my style, Park Avenue). The skincare section has good product recommendations. The system is probably the same you already use: cleanse, exfoliate, moisturize, treatment, sunscreen. The remarks on spa facial treatments and such were great. And of course teeth are mentioned, just the usual: Crest whitestrips, mouthwash, Rembrandt, gosmile, veneers, lasers. Nothing we didn't already know about. I liked the advice in the fragrance section and will be using that advice this week. A lot of things in this book may seem common sense if you have already read a lot about the topic, but I love how organized this is, it's a great reference even if you already use some of the tricks. I have a terrible short term memory, so having these handy little reminders at my fingertips is a lifesaver. It also helps to point out any areas where you may be lacking, and reminds you there's always room for improvement. This book is well-written and has cute personality to it, I recommend it.

I loved this book. I saw the title on a "bookcase" wallpaper in the elevator of the Vintro Hotel in South Beach, Miami, went back to my room and researched it and bought the next day. Let me start me start off by saying that I read A LOT of fashion/beauty magazines, blogs and books and keep up with trends on youtube and online. I have also lived in Manhattan for 15 years and spent a lot of time staring a beautiful, rich and fashionable people (those categories do not always align!!) This is NOT the same-old, standard advice you can read in every women's magazine. Yes, it contains some of the basics, but Andrea is a fashion insider and a keen observer of society and her book contains subtle observations that really ring true to me, but that I have rarely or never seen articulated before. This book isn't for everyone-- I think it's primarily for post-college women who have the interest and ability to devote significant time to a beauty routine and who value looking consistently, conventionally chic over following the latest fashion trends. If you fall into that category, though, you will love this book!! This book contains MUCH more content than the average beauty/fashion book - I was pleasantly surprised there was so much to dig into. She provides nuanced advice that takes into account differences in ability to pay, lifestyle and body but also gives very specific recommendations, dos & don'ts. Overall, I would say that her philosophy is that looking "expensive" is about investing in grooming: take care of your skin, fix your teeth, get and maintain a good haircut, groom your brows and keep your nails well-manicured. There is relatively little in the book about fashion, but I agree with her clothing philosophy - buy mostly inexpensive but well-fitting clothing and invest in a high quality coat, purse and shoes. I find that most women's magazines are effusively inclusive and tolerant of shortcomings -- anyone can pull off any look, no matter the budget-- "Anyone can wear an romper!!!!" "Recreate Rihanna's $18,000 outfit for $90!!!" "3 minute makeup looks!!" This author rejects that philosophy. "Looking expensive" is a different goal than looking stylish - it is all about the details and requires time and investment. Ms Lustig's chapter on nails is refreshingly Tiger Mom- "these are the colors that make you looks expensive, these are the ones that make you look like a cheap hussy" - "chips, hangnails, and dry cuticles always look terrible. No excuses!!" At the same time, she has a sense of humor about the absurdity of it all. I do wish the book devoted less space to makeup product recommendations. While I find Ms. Lustig's recommendations very credible, makeup is very personal and the industry changes incredibly rapidly with new and better products coming out all the time. If your makeup knowledge and skills are "intermediate" or higher, you probably won't find this section very helpful.

I enjoyed this book. I'm the type of person who will only buy those special edition $10 magazines like from Glamour, that really give instruction and how-to's, so I was really looking forward to seeing what this book had to offer. Well, I was pleasantly surprised. After really making a dedicated attempt to re-vamp my style and grow into an adult look these last couple of years, this book I think will help me complete my look. I've always had a heck of a time with eye liners and it was eye-opening (haha) when Andrea suggested that not everyone looks good in eyeliners and to experiment with creamy shadow sticks to yield a softer look. WOW! $6.95 later and my eyes finally have a complete look! Andrea gives lots of interesting techniques about hair, makeup, skin, and grooming and she takes a look at what separates a "cheap" versus "overdone" versus "expensive" look. I took plenty of notes to refer back to. If you have previewed the book, you've seen the first section opening with specific hair styles to ask for at the salon. I thought this was kind of odd and not something that would actually work. Then there was a suggestion in there to "plead poor" or "do marketing" for that expensive salon you want to get your hair done at. Again, I would not feel comfortable doing those things. But she goes on to suggest very low cost ways to do everything she's talking about, like ombre highlights done at home, and cheap makeup replicates you can get at the drug store. I blew through this book and found it pretty entertaining. I didn't find the last section on grooming insightful or detailed at all (i.e., make sure your legs are shaven. Get a bikini wax. Make sure your skin is soft. yawn). And there was a minuscule clothing section that offered really no insight either. If you want some hair and makeup tips but not much else, this is a good book to get.

I've heard the hype about this book and was particularly pleased to find it at my local library. After checking it out and reading it cover to cover, I've now ordered my own copy. Not the Kindle copy either, the real deal to flip through when I need guidance. Who is this book not for? If you follow lots of fashion magazines and regularly visit sites that have uber current material on the fashion industry, this book is not for you. If you are in your 20's and like to go clubbing on the weekends with your fashionable pals, this book is not for you. If, however, you are anything like me... this book is for you. The last time I paid a good deal of attention to what I looked like was in my late 20's before my first child was born. Once upon a time, I looked pretty good. But somewhere in my thirties while raising little kids and cleaning up messes, my hair and makeup just were not my top priority. Then I turned 40 and looked in the mirror and realized it was time to focus some attention on that reflection again. During that 12 year span, everything had changed. My face, my skin, my hair, my body, the trends, the quality of products, you name it - it was different. Where exactly is a girl to begin when she is beginning again? With this book. Is it the end-all-be-all of fashion? Nope. But it has significant depth with real solutions to help you narrow down your own path. It's all in one spot - no searching through every publication on the market each month to try to figure out what is appropriate for a woman in my situation and what would just make me look like I was trying to be 18 again. There is enough material in this book to help you jump start fixing up your appearance. Without breaking the bank - unless of course you have bank at your disposal. Then it can help you know what to buy there too. So far, the only things I've really focuses on are the first two chapters on hair. Learning to blow dry my hair like a pro was worth the cost of the book, in my opinion. But maybe that is just me. It's one of those things I've always wanted to do on my own but the stylists just move so fast and I never remember how they did it once I'm back at home. Now for the bad news. I've become a little obsessed with my hair lately. The good news though is that it looks really, really good! If you think my situation sounds like it might apply to you, then you will most likely find a lot of value in this book too.

Some people have mothers or older sisters who teach them how to do make up. Maybe even they have best friends. For whatever reason, I didn’t have anyone teach me how to do make up. Of course, you can look at tutorials on YouTube all day long, but if you were like me and do not even understand the basics, it’s a shot in the dark. This book has simple yet detailed information on everything you need to look classy. The main focus of the book is on cosmetics and haircolor and such, but there are other topics. There are also suggestions for every subtopic as to brand or color or style of beauty item to buy, with both Save and Splurge choices. It’s exhaustive and yet still an interesting read. I highly recommend this book, in combination with another book which is clothing-focused called How to Get Dressed by Alison Freer. These two books together will have you looking awesome in no time. I just started using the instructions a couple weeks ago and I have already had literally dozens of unsolicited compliments on my appearance. I also personally am quite happy because the skin care tips in this book have started to clear up my adult acne. Truthfully, I have spent about $200 in cosmetics and hair care and skin care, and I also had my hair cut and colored in a different way for $65 (thanks to the book suggestions on haircut and color), but I’ve managed to change my skin, hair, makeup, nails, it’s a small investment for the results. I feel a lot prettier and I am not wasting hours a day or tons of cash.

I am probably not the intended demographic for this book as there is not much new information here that I genuinely had not come across before. That said, the real issues for me are actually the author’s constant name dropping, buddy promotion and pretentious attitude. I may not personally admire the celebs she calls out as “cheap” looking either, but her comments are just “middle-school-mean-girl” level contemptious and completely unnecessary. Sorry, but I recommend skipping this one.

I swear that I read much of her material in other books (by other authors). She is very fond of name-dropping (and I actually have previously gone to two of the hair stylists she mentioned so I'm not impressed by her connections) and uses up a lot of pages talking about movie stars, famous stylists etc., then dropping a tidbit from a stylist or makeup artist. I'm not particularly impressed by how many famous people the author has known, I was looking for fashion, hair and makeup tips. This book isn't "heavy" on any. This book wan't very helpful to me. Why? 1. Hair: She addresses three "types" of hair: Short, Medium and Long. All "tips" seem to assume that the reader has great hair and a great cut. No tips for people in humid climates, people with fine hair, how to look great in rain, etc. She says you need "smooth" hair, but doesn't say specifically how to accomplish that. So if you really do need advice, you won't find it here. 2. Makeup: Different advice sections sometimes disagree with other sections in her book. Many of the makeup colors or specific product names listed are obsolete. I felt that several of the descriptions/drawings of how to create an eye "look" contradicted themselves when discussing colors or placement of shadows. Shadows mentioned in drawings (not by brand!) are not listed in the text, so how do I know what brand to buy? Overall, I have received more advice and demonstrations from You Tube than from this book. On the plus side, she did have some interesting advice about skin care (although again, some sections contradicted others). I gave it a 2 rather than a 1 because it helped pass the time on a long plane flight, and gave me some good-sounding lipstick colors (which I will buy if they still exist). I don't recommend spending the money on this book that reads like it was written on a long plane flight, itself.

Wie schon oben in der Überschrift zu lesen, ist dieses Buch meiner Meinung nach, eines der besten Stylingratgeber, die im Moment auf dem Markt zu finden sind. Es ist wirklich sehr gut zu lesen und ein wunderbares Nachschlagewerk. Vor allem die Tipps der einzelnen Make-up-Artists und die Vergleiche mit Stars machen dieses Buch sehr wertvoll für jede Frau! Das Buch arbeitet auf einen Gedanken hinaus. Nämlich eine Frau so gut wie möglich aussehen zu lassen!! Mein Fazit: Diesen Artikel ist es wert zu kaufen, da es viele tolle Tipps zum nachmachen gibt!

O produto foi comprado por erro e, como a Amazon não aceitou a devolução, resolvi ler. O livro são dicas para você aparentar ser mais elegante, então esperava alguns clichês com algumas dicas úteis. A verdade é que o livro é basicamente uma revista teen/ capricho com alguns exemplos de como se vestir, se maquiar e se portar, mas você termina o livro achando que precisa fazer bronzeamento artificial, usar sombras de vários tons (sem nem explicar coisas essenciais de maquiagem, ex: "como identificar seu tom de pele, se ele é frio, quente ou neutro) e seguir todas as modas esquisitas americanas. Não me senti mais elegante e não tive muitas ideias de como usar o livro no dia a dia! No mais, todas essas dicas conseguem ser retiradas do youtbe/instagram e de revistas de mulheres, sem precisar pagar 80 reais...

le titre ne ment pas, plein de conseils, de trucs... le ton est vif et actuel. Agréable à lire, de jolis dessins

Me llego sucio y un poco maltratado, se notaba bastante ya que el libro es blanco.

fun little book! Tons of interesting information!