My Book, The House of Beauty, is Now Available for Pre-Order.

cue internal screaming

You guys. You guys. There are quite a few new faces here from my chat with

Anne Helen Petersen

for

The Culture Study Podcast

- hello! And for those of you who have been hanging out with me for months and years across different media platforms - my loyal friends. I have been researching, reporting, and writing a very intense book on the beauty industry for years. I put everything in this, shaped my life around reporting it, knowing there was no other avenue to do it in. I am so delighted to say we are now in the pre-order stage and have a publishing date and cover: October 14th. The real countdown begins.

It is available for pre-order across all major book retailers and the Indies.

Here is the marketing copy:

The much-anticipated debut from a beauty business insider cracks open an industry designed to capitalize on our desires and reimagines a more-just future.

With the intellectual rigor of Maggie Nelson, the cultural agility of Jia Tolentino, and the sensitivity of bell hooks¹, Arabelle Sicardi brings a singular voice—poetic, candid, incisive—to the complexities of the beauty industry. Weaving sharp analysis and vivid storytelling, Sicardi explores how beauty myths are crafted, sold, and weaponized, from corporate boardrooms to local salons. Delving into such issues as the exploitation of refugee labor in nail salons, the use of fragrance in fascist propaganda, and the hidden connections between power and profit, Sicardi challenges readers to confront the industry’s costs—both personal and societal—and reconsider beauty as more than a product of consumption. Instead, they invite a vision of beauty rooted in connection and self-care, one that transcends industry-driven ideals. The House of Beauty is both an exposé and a cultural reckoning, offering insight into beauty’s true impact and the untold stories behind its illusions.

---

The stories here are brutal and sharp and worthy of obsession - I did spend years diving down rabbit holes to report them - but there is so much love, cleverness, and innovation, too. I’m gonna introduce you to so many people that make beauty possible, even though we’ll have to step through garbage fires and war zones to reach them. It has been the greatest gift of my life to spend time with them.

Can’t wait for you to read it.

📖 Where Can I Get a Copy?

Signed pre-orders will be available from Books are Magic :)

• Here are all the avenues in which to buy it in one place.

• Support your local independent bookstore by ordering through bookstore at Bookshop.org.

• An autographed copy: I’ll be doing signed pre-orders through my friends at Books are Magic (Rookie alumni 4ever). They’ll ship anywhere, US or internationally. Here is the pre-order link from them directly. They will come with scented bookmarks - more about that later. There will also be a special pre-order campaign through Skylight Books, for the west coast-loyal cuties.

• Libraries: Request a copy at your local library or for your local indie to pre-order on your behalf! It really helps. Every library website has a a means to suggest a book order - here, for example, is the LAPL one. Post-Publishing: Check your local library to see if they have a copy.

I am happy to say hi to book clubs and schools and salons virtually or in-person. Feel free to reach out to my publicist to co-ordinate directly and she can walk you through orders and scheduling. You can get all their information on the book’s website or respond to this email and I’ll put you in touch.

I will be sharing more info down the line about book tour stuff when events are confirmed. If you have a cool event space that could host a beauty talk, or your company would like to sponsor some books to donate to local beauty workers and book clubs, let me know. I am interested in facilitating conversations about beauty that never really get to happen. Let’s do it together.

Ok! Thank you! It’s happening! SPOOKY FALL BOOK TOUR, BABY!

1. I KNOW, RIGHT? Writers don’t write their own marketing copy btw I’m as gagged as you are.