From Publishers Weekly Yamaguchi owns five California hair salons and is a feng shui devotee. Yet he runs into difficulty with this attempt to explain how understanding feng shui can help a woman alter her physical appearance for the better. Traditionally, the ancient Asian philosophy assists people with placing objects in the home in such a way that energy (chi) flows and creates a positive environment. Applying that discipline more widely, Yamaguchi says we should consider our bodies as homes. By placing our hair and makeup in a certain way, chi will flow through our souls. Feng shui, Yamaguchi explains, is based on the belief that each individual's personality is dominated by two of five elements: fire, earth, metal, water and wood. After readers take a rather involved 17-question quiz, they'll find their most dominant personality elements. They must then muddle through two chapters of jargon and complicated charts to determine the strength of each element in their personality, and then flip to the paragraphs throughout the book relating to their score to determine which hair style, hair color and makeup will bring forth their best physical traits. There are far easier ways for a woman to get advice for looking her best; indeed, the book's latter chapters, where Yamaguchi straightforwardly explains makeup and hair techniques, are its most useful sections. Photos. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Read more From Booklist It is an intriguing plot: California hair stylist meets 4,000-year-old Chinese art of feng shui, falls in love, and creates methodology that maximizes a woman's two dominant elements (out of the five in feng shui, including fire, water, earth, metal, and wood) in her hair, makeup, and personal style. The story line, however, doesn't end completely happily ever after. Why? The many different possible combinations of feng shui elements, while necessary to highlight, tend to drag down the text with a formulaic presentation; in other words, the earth individual is described, then examined in terms of skin tones and all conceivable earth-dominant variations of haircuts and colors. Two, the text seems to appeal more to professional stylists with its directions and explanations. And three, Yamaguchi is a bit too diligent in promoting his eponymous line of products and salons. Nonetheless, the 20 before and after photographs and captions of real women with new feng shui hairstyles and makeup will inspire and motivate, as will the author's suggestions for improvements to be made in personal styles. Appended are hair-coloring techniques for stylists. Barbara JacobsCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Read more See all Editorial Reviews
E**R
Great book.Love it love it.
I really like this book, I actually bought it a second time, cause I lost the first one when moving. This book helped me several times already while I was going through huge life changes. It helped me change on the inside while changing some things on the outside, great book, please buy it. It's worth it.
C**E
... into beauty/skin care and Feng shui this is an excellent
if you are into beauty/skin care and Feng shui this is an excellent book
M**9
lots of stuff!
The personality quiz is fun and specific, but I'm not sure that it describes everyone, nor does it say everything accurately and perfect...it's like astrology, only there are only 5 personality types...and the haircuts are outstanding, but I'm not sure I would want the one that is supposedly in harmony with my personality type.
A**R
This is a book that will teach you not just ...
This is a book that will teach you not just about beauty but it will guide you to learn how to balance your life.
7**S
Five Stars
excellent
R**8
Three Stars
Glad I bought it used, read it once and that is about it.
B**N
Two Stars
Just ok. I donated the book.
J**E
Refreshing Change
Billy Yamaguchi's Feng Shui Beauty is fabulous. It is so refreshing to see a stylist focus on each persons individual beauty. He takes peoples life styles and personalities into consideration, rather than just giving everyone hair styles that are "massed produced". My only concern is when would the majority of hair stylists "get it". I think filling out the personality questionaire before you get a "transformation" is a must every salon should do. I highly recommend this book and found it very inspiring.
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