India Knight's Beauty Edit: The essential make up and skin care guide from the beloved Sunday Times beauty columnist Hardcover – 2 Nov. 2023

Treated myself to this book for my birthday and, excuse the hyperbole, it’s honestly changed my life. It’s extremely informative, well researched and pulls back the curtain on the beauty industry, particularly for women of a ‘certain age’ like me. I very much enjoyed the style of writing which was deliciously irreverent at times. I’m over 6 months into a skincare routine for the first time in my life and am really astonished at the difference in how healthy and hydrated my face (and crinkly neck!) looks. I’ve thrown out my old makeup routine (delighted to abandon foundation in favour of Erborian BB & CC!) and I’m so happy with my new cosmetics look. What worked for me for donkeys years suddenly seemed to make me look old but now everything just works and I look like myself! And I didn’t need to sell a kidney- each section has recommended products from a variety of price points so my self-imposed overhaul was affordable too. I rarely leave reviews but this book has been a godsend to me, as I expect it has been for countless other women wishing to embrace the glorious freedoms of age while feeling (and looking) fabulous. Bravo India!

Great book does what it says. Interesting too.

Good information and sound advice on anti ageing product information. When I opened the book cover there were holes on both pages. Like large puncture marks. I'm glad the book was for me and not a Christmas present. I couldn't be bother to return the item.

I am approaching 50 and for the last few years have been finding that a lot of the trusted beauty products and make-up that I have relied on for years no longer seem to be working. This book is fantastic for saying what actually works and has multiple suggestions for each product type with all budgets catered for. It has introduced me to brands I’d never heard of and is giving me the confidence to try new things. It also recommends the few products that I already use that are still working for me, which makes me believe I can trust the other recommendations too. I also love the writing style - plenty of humour and very easy to read, or equally easy to dip in and out of if you want to remind yourself of the recommendations for a particular product type. I am very pleased I bought this.

This is a very balanced book and written with considerable knowledge, predominantly for the older woman.I keep referring to it when I making a purchase. I like how recommendations for specific issues tend to give a range from high end through to budget.India mentions at the end of her book about how we never appreciate ourselves when young - always worried about something - too fat, too skinny, too many spots, etc and yet when we look back we realise that we should have appreciated ourselves. As we obviously get older every day, she makes the point that today is the youngest we will be and to celebrate ourselves in this moment.

I read the whole book in just three short sessions as it is mostly lists of very expensive skincare products laid out by category, interspersed with beauty advice and anecdotes which I assume are rehashed from the author’s weekly column in the Sunday Times.I’m conflicted here as I’ve read and enjoyed some of India Knight’s writing over the years (especially ‘The Shops’, written in her thirties and charmingly pre internet) but due to what I now know about her terrible attitude to many things - especially people who do not have children, and people who cannot afford the ‘finer’ things in life, I found I could not enjoy the chatty parts of this book as I saw in them the meanness of spirit I’ve seen in much of Ms Knight’s other work.The huge lists of specific product recommendations are, I think, to be taken with a large pinch of salt as they are undoubtedly not personal recommendations from someone who really believes in them, just paid for or nepotistic adverts.The prices for 99% of the products in the book are way out of the reach of those of us who, as another reviewer has said, are not getting their real results from the only thing that actually makes a difference - professional dermatology treatments. This is something that the author admits in the chapter where she attends a London clinic (press freebie) for Botox and filler, because as she says ‘when it comes to anti ageing, skincare can only do so much’ - which is to say, nothing. Now, £80 for a neck cream anyone?On the other hand, as a child of the 70’s until now I believed that ‘skincare’ was all just fancy soap or moisturiser. When young I never bothered wasting what little time or income I had on it - I just washed my face in the shower with whatever was on hand. Now 52 years of age, with some obvious and confidence affecting skin issues and in the privileged position of having some money to spend on ‘what ifs’, I did find the simple explanations of modern active ingredients like retinoids and direct acids helpful.I was quite surprised to learn that in the 21st century, products have actually come on a bit from the soap and mineral oil based products I was familiar with. I’m thrilled that effective topical products now exist for specific skin problems and having started my research into possible self medication with this book and ‘Pretty Honest’ by Sali Hughes, have managed to get rid of a large and very unsightly patch of flat/juvenile warts around my eyes that my GP said I’d simply have to put up with, quite possibly for the rest of my life (hurrah!)I have also started enjoying using ‘proper’, if basic by modern standards, skincare. If nothing else the luxury of having a daily self care ritual is helping with the loss in confidence I’m experiencing due to menopause.I look every bit of my age, and that’s fine. Partly due to this book I don’t have to display multiple embarrassing ‘teenage’ skin problems as well, and for that I’m thankful to the author.

Every woman’s perfect gift- just a great succinct guide to beauty for anyone and the most lovely gift. A great holiday read too.

Helpful advice, recommendations and tips. It feels like I’ve had a good chat with a friend about what to wear and how to change my products to suit my aging skin.