All Femmes Reading List (updated periodically, 18+)
૮ ྀི ´ ˘ ` ྀིაif you've been looking to read more books on cosmetics, hair, fashion, spirituality, goddesses, art and other feminine pursuits to get in touch with yourself and your interests more (regardless of gender!) here's some books i personally enjoy a lot! im heavily into beauty as a spiritual practice in itself and as a mode to heal, empower, grow, and protect in all its forms, especially as a devotee and priest of aphrodite, so it's important for me to know different histories, techniques, and aesthetics to broaden my knowledge and mind! of course, you can just have an interest that stops at looking pretty for yourself! these books are for everyone *·˚ ༘♡ i will update the list as i find more things i like, so if you're interested, check back every now and again! [new additions will be highlighted in green for the first week of their addition! then they'll be pink with the rest so you knows whats updated ♡]
[DISCLAIMER: Just because a book or magazine shows up on this list does not mean I condone any company's actions or beliefs. There are truthfully some sources here that I wish to remove, but in the effort to maintain this as a sizable and easily accessible reference catalogue for an already niche, infrequently published subject, I will keep what is here as of 05/23/26 on the list. I do my best to cite materials that are agreeable and not harmful in their ideology and methods of procuring and extracting information regardless, but some entries such as Vogue, Egg, and others have done things since this reference list's inception that I find to be deplorable and heavily disagreeable. I keep them on here to facilitate deeper exploration for others who need the direction *only*. Please use discernment when interacting with any materials known to be problematic, but you still wish to use some of the material, out of context, to your own ends and at your own discretion.]
[I like that this has reached more people and I even got my first community contribution to the list! Feel free to comment your own contributions to this list at any time! Gratitude list: @incenseandcookies ]
Cosmetics (includes skincare, haircare fragrance, and body care)
Compacts and Cosmetics by Madeleine Marsh
The Korean Skincare Bible by Lilin Yang, Leah Ganse, and Sara Jimenez
Black Skin by Dija Ayodele
Makeup is Not (Just) Magic by Ikumi Rotta
The Science of Black Hair by Audrey Davis-Sivasothy
Classic Beauty: The History of Makeup by Gabriela Hernandez
Skin Care and Cosmetic Ingredients Dictionary by Milady
Sacred Luxuries: Fragrance, Aromatherapy, and Cosmetics in Ancient Egypt by Lise Manniche
Making Faces by Kevin Aucoin
Beauty and the East by Wendy Buonaventura
Fashion (includes lingerie and jewelry)
In Intimate Detail by Cora Harrington and Dita von Teese
Paris Undressed by Kathryn Kemp-Griffin
Handbags: A Love Story by Monica Botkier
Elegance: The Beauty of French Fashion by Megan Hess
Jewelry: 7000 Years by Hugh Tait
The Erotic Cloth: Seduction and Fetishism in Textiles by Alice Kettle and Lesley Millar
Art (fine and performance)
The Art Noveau Style Book of Alphonse Mucha by Dover Fine Art
The Art of Aubrey Beardsley from Boni and Liveright Inc. (1918)
Baroque and Rococo Architecture and Decoration by Anthony Blunt (1988)
Complete Paintings of Gustav Klimt by Delphi Classics
Painted Love by Hollis Clayson
Roman Portraits: Sculptures in Stone and Bronze in the Collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art by Paul Zanker
Intimacy, Eroticism, Seduction and Romance (not fictional romance novels)
A History of Courtship by Tania O'Donnell
Mistresses by Leigh Eduardo
Just Between Us Girls by Sydney Biddle Barrows
Harlots, Whores, and Hackabouts by Kate Lister
Food and Drink
On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee
The Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg
What to Drink With What You Eat by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg
Intimacy on the Plate by Olga Petrenko
Flowers, Herbs, and Gardening
The Ultimate Rose Book by Peter McHoy
Vintage Roses by Jane Eastoe
The Encyclopedia of Roses by Botanica
The Earthwise Herbal Repository by Matthew Wood and David Ryan
Spirituality (includes philosophy)
Jezebel: The Untold Story of the Bible's Harlot Queen by Lesley Hazleton
Inanna, Queen of Heaven and Earth: Her Stories and Hymns from Sumer by Diane Wolkstein
Ancient Greek Love Magic by Christopher A. Faraone
Aphrodite by Monica S. Cyrino
The Birth of Hedonism by Kurt Lampe
Ishtar by Louise M. Pryke
Flowers and Their Meanings by Katen Azoulay
Mama Gena's School of Womanly Arts by Regena Thomashauer
Little Guide to Protection Magic by Tess Whitehurst
Aphrodite's Priestess by Lorelei Black
Cult of Aphrodite by Lorelei Black
Water Magic by Lilith Dorsey
I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn't) by Brené Brown (theres also a page for the book with reading guides and some worksheets to help you connect more with her ideas, so i thought i'd link it!)
Romancing the Ordinary: A Year of Splendor by Sarah Ban Breathnach
Boobs, Boys, and High Heels by Dianne Brill (OOP)
Magazines (Fashion and Beauty)(OOP = Out of Print)
Vogue
Elle
Cosmopolitan
Allure (OOP)
Glamour (OOP)
Harper's Bazaar
Essence
Marie Claire
Girls Life
Seventeen
Popteen (JP)
Egg (JP)
Larme (JP)(OOP)
