Wednesday 17 July 2013

Cooking Your Way to Gorgeous by Scott-Vincent Borba

HCI Books

Book Review


This isn’t the type of book that I normally read, but when I saw this one on NetGalley I thought I would give it a try since it piqued my interest. 
The title includes the word cooking, so at first glance this would appear to be a cookbook, and it is.  But it is also a beauty book on how to take care of your body starting from the inside and working towards the surface so to speak.   The author, Scott-Vincent Borba, shares some of the easy methods and techniques he developed and uses with Hollywood stars.  He suffered for years from cystic acne so he appears to have empathy for others who are self-conscious about their appearance.
 
Included are recipes for scrubs and facials for common skin problems and hair treatments that can be made using items you will find in your fridge or pantry.  Pretty much all the treatments are easy, simple and fairly economical to make, unlike most products you will find at the cosmetic counter. I haven’t tried any of the facial masks or scrubs included in the book, but I am now using rosewater on my face and I find it to be refreshing and soothing.  I have tried a number of the grain and salad recipes and they were easy to follow and tasty.
 
I like the approach he takes in the book; first explaining what foods are good for your hair, eyes, wrinkles etc. and which particular nutrient in that food is good for that area or problem.  I am not a nutritional expert, but the explanations and nutritional information are reasonable and don’t make any outlandish claims. 
 
As noted in the disclaimer at the beginning of the book, each one of us has a unique reaction to individual foods we ingest or to anything applied to our skin, so there is no guarantee anything in the book will work for you but it shouldn’t harm most people.   

Mr. Borba has a wry sense of humour that adds to the pleasure of reading the well-thought out and presented information he provides. Though I would have one question for Mr. Borba if I were to meet him.  If I follow the information in the book, do I still need to buy the skin care products that bear his name or is that just that wry sense of humour?

1 comment:

Tina said...

This book sounds interesting. I like the concept of what foods can do to you (good and bad). I am going to check this one out. Nice review.