From Publishers Weekly
Yamaguchi owns five California hair salons and is a feng shui devotee. Yet he runs into difficulty with this attempt to explain how understanding feng shui can help a woman alter her physical appearance for the better. Traditionally, the ancient Asian philosophy assists people with placing objects in the home in such a way that energy (chi) flows and creates a positive environment. Applying that discipline more widely, Yamaguchi says we should consider our bodies as homes. By placing our hair and makeup in a certain way, chi will flow through our souls. Feng shui, Yamaguchi explains, is based on the belief that each individual's personality is dominated by two of five elements: fire, earth, metal, water and wood. After readers take a rather involved 17-question quiz, they'll find their most dominant personality elements. They must then muddle through two chapters of jargon and complicated charts to determine the strength of each element in their personality, and then flip to the paragraphs throughout the book relating to their score to determine which hair style, hair color and makeup will bring forth their best physical traits. There are far easier ways for a woman to get advice for looking her best; indeed, the book's latter chapters, where Yamaguchi straightforwardly explains makeup and hair techniques, are its most useful sections. Photos. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
It is an intriguing plot: California hair stylist meets 4,000-year-old Chinese art of feng shui, falls in love, and creates methodology that maximizes a woman's two dominant elements (out of the five in feng shui, including fire, water, earth, metal, and wood) in her hair, makeup, and personal style. The story line, however, doesn't end completely happily ever after. Why? The many different possible combinations of feng shui elements, while necessary to highlight, tend to drag down the text with a formulaic presentation; in other words, the earth individual is described, then examined in terms of skin tones and all conceivable earth-dominant variations of haircuts and colors. Two, the text seems to appeal more to professional stylists with its directions and explanations. And three, Yamaguchi is a bit too diligent in promoting his eponymous line of products and salons. Nonetheless, the 20 before and after photographs and captions of real women with new feng shui hairstyles and makeup will inspire and motivate, as will the author's suggestions for improvements to be made in personal styles. Appended are hair-coloring techniques for stylists. Barbara Jacobs
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Book Description
What are your Feng Shui elements? Feng Shui is an ancient and proven system for balance and harmony. Billy Yamaguchi gives you everything you need to find out which Feng Shui elements are the strongest for you right now and how to choose the hairstyle, makeup and clothing that will bring out your true inner self. --Figure out your elements from your lifestyle and personality --Find out whether you need to balance, harmonize or enhance your elements --Learn which hair lengths, cuts and highlights are the best for your elements and face shape --Discover the best makeup and hair color for your elements and skin tone You’ll end up with hair and makeup that reflect who you really are—your outer appearance will finally express your true self. Most hairstylists are trained in a particular cut and give this same haircut to all of their clients, regardless of differences in lifestyle and personality. Now Billy Yamaguchi, internationally known hairstylist to the stars, helps you bring the principles of Feng Shui to your hairstyle, makeup and fashion, so your look will express your true self. Using the five elements of Feng Shui—Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood—Billy shows you who you really are in the world, and then designs your haircut, color, makeup and fashion choices to really express your unique style. For example, the Fire element tends to be passionate and adventurous, while the Metal element is more precise and goal oriented. While everyone has all five elements in their nature, two elements are predominant at any given time. Once you know what they are, your hairstyle, makeup and clothing can be used to enhance, balance or harmonize your elements. You’ve never felt so natural, comfortable and self-expressed in your own skin before. For the first time, you will have a simple way to communicate your personality to your hairstylist and to figure out what makeup colors and fashion styles suit you best. You’ve never felt so natural, comfortable and self-expressed in your own skin before!

From the Inside Flap
What are your Feng Shui elements? Feng Shui is an ancient and proven system for balance and harmony. Billy Yamaguchi gives you everything you need to find out which Feng Shui elements are the strongest for you right now and how to choose the hairstyle, makeup and clothing that will bring out your true inner self. *Figure out your elements from your lifestyle and personality *Find out whether you need to balance, harmonize or enhance your elements *Learn which hair lengths, cuts and highlights are the best for your elements and face shape *Discover the best makeup and hair color for your elements and skin tone You'll end up with hair and makeup that reflect who you really are—your outer appearance will finally express your inner truth.

About the Author
Billy Yamaguchi is president and co-owner of Yamaguchi International, with five California salon locations in Ventura, La Quinta, San Diego, and two in Los Angeles, and a new salon opening in Maui, Hawaii. During his eighteen-year career, Billy has led seminars and workshops for beauty and skincare professionals throughout North America, Europe, Asia, South America, the Philippines and South Africa. He has been featured in Vogue, W and Town & Country, as well as on ABC and CBS, the Style Network, Lifetime and others. He and his salons have styled such celebrity clients as Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox Arquette, Julia Roberts, Mel Gibson, Drew Barrymore, Brooke Shields, Kate Moss, Phil Jackson, Ashley Judd, Carson Kressley, star of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Sean Astin and Gwyneth Paltrow. Billy lives in Ventura, California with his wife Melissa Chambers Yamaguchi and their two children.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Most hair stylists are trained in a particular cut, and give this same haircut to all of their clients, regardless of differences in lifestyle and personality. Now, Billy Yamaguchi, internationally known hairstylist to the stars, helps you bring the principles of Feng Shui into your hair style, makeup and fashion, so your look will express your true inner values.

Using the five elements of Feng Shui uses -- Earth, Fire, Water, Wood and Metal -- Billy shows you how to understand who you really are in the world, and then design your haircut, color, makeup and fashion choices to really express your unique individuality and style.

For example, someone with the Fire element tends to be passionate and adventurous, while a Metal element is more precise and goal oriented. While everyone has all five elements in their nature, there tend to be two at any given time that are predominant. Once you know what they are, your hair style, makeup and clothing can be used to enhance, balance or harmonize your elements. You￯﾿ﾽve never felt so natural, comfortable and self-expressed in your own skin before.

For the first time, women will also have a way to communicate with their hair stylist and to figure out what makeup colors and fashion styles suit them best.

Just imagine -- no more bad haircuts!

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Yamaguchi owns five California hair salons and is a feng shui devotee. Yet he runs into difficulty with this attempt to explain how understanding feng shui can help a woman alter her physical appearance for the better. Traditionally, the ancient Asian philosophy assists people with placing objects in the home in such a way that energy (chi) flows and creates a positive environment. Applying that discipline more widely, Yamaguchi says we should consider our bodies as homes. By placing our hair and makeup in a certain way, chi will flow through our souls. Feng shui, Yamaguchi explains, is based on the belief that each individual's personality is dominated by two of five elements: fire, earth, metal, water and wood. After readers take a rather involved 17-question quiz, they'll find their most dominant personality elements. They must then muddle through two chapters of jargon and complicated charts to determine the strength of each element in their personality, and then flip to the paragraphs throughout the book relating to their score to determine which hair style, hair color and makeup will bring forth their best physical traits. There are far easier ways for a woman to get advice for looking her best; indeed, the book's latter chapters, where Yamaguchi straightforwardly explains makeup and hair techniques, are its most useful sections. Photos. (Dec.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

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