Nancy Rue’s “The Beauty Book ” is a sweet recipe for self love for young women. Of course we want our children; especially our daughters to know that God is love and He loves them too. However, we also want them to love themselves. When we look at our children we want them to see the beauty that we see in them. Nancy uses teen-friendly language that is sweet and relatable. She also shares questionnaires to help readers see how to apply the advice she has provided and to see how God wants them to remember their special qualities.

Growing up, I often struggled with my physical appearance because I have four older sisters and people always compared me to them. When I realized that other people’s opinions of me was not going to help me fulfill my life’s goals any faster. I became more acquainted with my own attributes and my own unique talents and abilities. The process of cultivating my self-esteem did not happen overnight, it was in college when I concluded that I was beautiful on the inside and out just the way God made me. Sure, I have imperfections, but overall I am a wonderful representation of God’s handiwork and comparisons are not worth it. As Nancy puts it, I learned to embrace my “you-niqueness.”

Nancy’s book  provides advice many young people need to read. She even attempts to share advice on hair care and black hair care. Of course, I applaud Nancy for her bravery, but as a black female that has learned how to manage the beauty of my tight kinky curls I will add, black course hair needs moisture and hydration. Water is our friend.  It is best for us to brush, comb, and style our hair while it is wet and use conditioner, which will lock in moisture for our hair type.  Also washing our hair everyday may strip our hair of its natural oils and cause our hair to become brittle. Once or twice a week is enough, just don’t weigh it down with too many products. Additionally, for myself and my girls I use a light coconut or olive oil to add moisture back into our hair, which also helps prevent breakage.

The passion Nancy has to help young women feel better and become more educated about themselves shows clearly. She provides wonderful skin-care advice that is fun and encouraging too. I really like that she leaves makeup and shaving up to the parents to decide if it is right or wrong for their teen daughter. Every chapter closes with Nancy encouraging girls to talk to God about it. I think this is one aspect of the book that the most important.  Young girls need to know that God cares about them on a personal level and Nancy’s book encourages young women to develop a relationship with Him early in their lives.

Overall, the book is an excellent guide to empower young women. I would encourage parents to read it and allow their tween girls to read it as well. The is a really good conversation starter for parents and their girls. It will also help to teach them what godly beauty is all about. When my daughters are old enough (probably 11 or 12), I will read it with them. The book is rooted in God loving us just way we are. It includes scriptures and questions from Tweens. I highly recommend this book to every young woman because the advice is practical and beneficial.

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