The Death of Beauty: The Rise of Beauty Culture and How It Harms Women

From an experienced beauty journalist comes a fiercely feminist, anti-capitalist indictment of the beauty and skincare industry, outlining the dark underpinnings of popular trends and products. After a decade writing for beauty magazines, working for the Kardashians, and getting to know top beauty brands, journalist Jessica DeFino underwent a transformation when she realized that so-called beauty products are not only unnecessary, but that the industry behind them reinforces oppressive standards that help fuel sexism, racism, colorism, classism, ableism, ageism, and gender norms. In this deeply intimate and thought-provoking book, DeFino—who describes herself as “a beauty reporter out to destroy the beauty industry”—dissects accepted beauty standards, explains how they harm us, and encourages us to reclaim the meaning of beauty. While the beauty industry didn’t create all of these oppressive ideals—many are rooted in colonialist and sexist values—they are complicit in enforcing them and profiting from them. As she investigates the cultural forces that have fueled the rise of beauty culture, DeFino takes on the destructive “I’ll try anything” attitude towards beauty, thinness, and perfect skin, which robs us of our money and self-confidence and can damage us emotionally and physically. Hard-hitting and eye-opening, The Death of Beauty asks us to reinvestigate our own desires for beauty and opens the door for a kinder and more equitаble relationship to ourselves, one another, and the planet.