No More Dirty Looks
Siobhan O’Connor & Alexandra Spunt
Da Capo Lifelong Books
10/10
Finally, finally, finally- the book I have been waiting for! I have been known amongst friends to dabble here and there in environmentalism and will give the occasional “Don’t use that, it’s bad for you” rant, but for the most part, I am all talk and not a lot of answers. Why? To be quite frank, it’s because more often than not, I am too lazy to do the research- especially when it comes to cosmetics. There’s a lot of information out there, and it can be daunting, especially when it’s presented in cryptic, often misleading ways.
No More Dirty Looks is just what I was hoping it would be. Not only have the lovely authors Siobhan O’Connor and Alexandra Spunt done the industry research for you, they list what chemicals to avoid, why to avoid them, what products you can use, and some great at home DIY recipes and tips. All of course, with the focus of creating a healthier, more vibrant you.
The book is broken down into nice neat categories, making it really easy to target specific problems and take baby steps into cleaning up your routine. They start with the nitty gritty- the legal regulations (or lack thereof), the cosmetics industry, and the FDA and how they all essentially work against the consumer. Then, they go by sections- hair, body, face, makeup, and they even do a little bit on diet and lifestyle. Overall, No More Dirty Looks makes you want to literally wipe your slate clean and start over.
What really strikes me about this book is how preachy it isn’t. What could have easily been a crazy hippie rant about conspiracy and big business turned out to be relatively light-hearted, despite somewhat disturbing subject matter. The end result is very approachable, and the ladies manage to make cleaning out your medicine cabinet seem like an easy task. Plus, and this really was the icing on the cake for me, the authors are fabulously snarky- saying things like “fucking cellulite” and calling Upton Sinclair a “shit disturber.”
The book is just great- I want my mom, my sister, my friends, everyone to read it. And it’s not just for women- it’s for anyone who wants to know exactly what goes into their bottle of sunscreen, their shampoo, even their deodorant and why exactly you shouldn’t trust promises of “rejuvenation” and “moisturizing micro beads.” And of course, this book is for those like me that want the information to be laid out all nice and neat for them, in a conveniently pretty (and a bit snarky) package.
–Caitlin Elgin