Glamorous transgender actress Candis Cayne believes beauty and confidence come from within. Her upbeat and empowering self-help guide, Hi Gorgeous!, begins by helping readers dismantle their insecurities (fed by a body-shaming media) and build up their self-confidence. "If you don't believe you're beautiful or even worthy of beauty in the first place, you're never going to experience the absolute joy that comes from living a life of radiance, happiness, and especially freedom," writes Cayne. Mixed into these opening chapters are Cayne's memories of growing up effeminate in Hawaii. "I knew in my heart and soul that I was born to be a woman," she writes. "These feelings, though, confused and angered people, so growing up was not always easy."
Cayne details how inner beauty can be achieved through yoga, visualization, exercise, meditation and diet. Steps toward outer radiance include skin care, makeup tips, hair care, clothing for every body type, jewelry/accessories and essentials for a complete wardrobe. The final chapters offer advice for online dating and for projecting confidence at job interviews.
Hi Gorgeous! is welcoming and useful to trans and cis readers alike, with the beauty and makeup sections striving toward Cayne's classic elegance. Cayne and coauthor Katina Z. Jones's energetic and encouraging advice is complemented by Frances Soo Ping Chow's fun book design and Kourosh Sotoodeh's stunning photos. This is a thoughtful, generous and helpful guide that offers solid steps to embracing and showcasing your inner and outer beauty. --Kevin Howell, independent reviewer and marketing consultant