Pretty Honest by Sali Hughes

Sali Hughes is one of our favourite beauty writers. Our only complaint is that her weekly Guardian column is often quite short and we could read plenty more of her savvy advice. Hallelujah then that she has just written her first book, Pretty Honest: The Straight-Talking Beauty Companion. This is a fairly exhaustive guide to everything from how to apply red lipstick; how to give and receive compliments; how to buy a wig after hair loss; what to do about acne; why the walk of shame should be re-named and what to put in your make up bag in advance of it. In fact, Hughes will be for many readers the ‘talking mirror friend’ she mentions in the book: the friend who wants you to look your best and will encourage you to do so but will also warn you against things that don’t work and might not suit you. The real joy of this book is that her advice is often opinionated but always feels sisterly rather than judgemental. She also communicates her passion for beauty, rhapsodising over the faces of everyone from Elizabeth Taylor to Zadie Smith. In short, Pretty Honest will be enjoyed by everyone from make up addicts to those of us who can barely be bothered with tinted moisturiser.