Hi Gorgeous! by Candis Cayne; Running Press, $22.99
Though beauty and personal styling books are a dime a dozen these days, tomes about improving one's self-image and looking your best by a noted transgender personality like Candis Cayne deserve attention. The difference in her book "Hi Gorgeous!" is that there are few, if any, "written by women whose journey to womanhood began after being born into a male body."
Cayne's just-released guidebook, a photograph-heavy, glossy endeavor rich with beauty tips, styling, and sartorial advice, is fun, colorful, and effortlessly informative, even for readers only mildly interested in the life and transformative journey of Cayne herself.
It opens with a foreword by none other than media darling Caitlyn Jenner, who is perhaps a bit overly complimentary when gushing that "Candis is glamorous against all odds." The author appeared in Jenner's groundbreaking "I Am Cait" reality series, and the two became fast besties. Jenner's praise does provides a hearty pat on the back for the "Dirty Sexy Money" actress, but one that Cayne doesn't need. Her style guide clearly speaks for itself.
While the main thrust of her book is to provide style and beauty guidance to women everywhere, and to be all-inclusive and "free from fear and shame and judgment," there is also empowerment abound in these chapters, and spiritual coaching on how to channel and maximize your "inner radiance."
Cayne shares her own personal history growing up in Hawaii, even as a child (born male) experiencing gender confusion and ambivalence. She writes of leaving Maui behind as a teenager to head for Southern California to train as a dancer, then on to New York City, where the excitement and fearlessness of drag shows enticed her to don makeup and heels, perform, and eventually grow into her "authentic self."
She writes of being inspired, from as early on as age six, by the images of Cyd Charisse, Grace Kelly, Liz Taylor, and Sophia Loren, and shares photographs of her first time ever in drag, and her evolution up the ladder of style, grace, and fashion.
Cayne writes encouragingly on how to attain symmetry in spirit, mind, and body, while keeping the soul free of worry and fortified with pride and self-love. She reminds readers to cultivate the body you're in, but also to nourish it with cleansing breaths, visualization exercises and physical training, and to try each day to tackle the constant challenges of diet and nutrition.
Her advice is timeless. For those living in larger (i.e., smoggy) urban areas teeming with "big-city nasties," facial exfoliation is critical, as is hydration, lip care, and a less-is-more approach to cosmetics application. Some of her counsel may seem pedestrian to older readers (how to kiss, avoiding bad breath, nails, hair care, etc.), but it's suited for younger women on the verge of their first date or larger social function.
Readers should brace themselves for an onslaught of author photographs, many in the same outfits with different poses. By the end of the book, this may verge on gratuitous for some. Yet for diehard Candis Cayne fans, the photographs of her many looks, moods, styles, and trends create a pictorial scrapbook of the diva at her very contemporary best.