Fall Book Review: Natural Beauty at Home

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Oct 23, 2000

While Natural Beauty at Home (ISBN 0805033130) by Janice Cox is not strictly an Aromatherapy title, it does offer many recipes which could include essential oil additions. Published by Henry Holt of NY way back in 1994, it is but one in a series of books by Cox offering information on natural beauty. At 274 pages and a nice, large size, its laid back style and unique choice of paper, makes the book worth the $15.95 (US) price. Of course it most likely could be found for a cheaper price on the net.

Cox does a nice job of laying the book out into chapters, which include a section devoted to cleansers & scrubs as well as hydrotherapy treatments, which is a fancy name for treating oneself through the bath. Other chapters include making various soaps, powders and even perfumes of numerous sorts. These use essential and fragrance oils. Ms. Cox also does a splendid job of getting to the point. While this may leave some yearning for more of a philosophical rendering of beauty, it will allow one to use the book as cookbook. Except your skin and health is the main course.

The only problem with the book is an almost lack of purpose. A lack of depth. Yes, non-fiction books can have depth too. Sometimes it is hidden under a theme or a yearning to revisit to the past. A more natural time. Even without such a feel, this book has been quite popular and with good reason. The layout is easy to read and the recipes rather simple. Anyone the least bit familiar with Aromatherapy and essential oil use may find themselves dressing many of the recipes up with an oil here or there. Some may also find themselves omitting certain ingredients which are not so natural.

In any case, Natural Beauty at Home offers a nice foundation for recipe formulation of your own and a nice start to replacing more intrusive cosmetic products.

-MA

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