Book Club: Your Beauty Mark

Dita’s beauty mark is to the side of her left eye and was tattooed on when she was 18, by a tattooist astute enough to dissuade her from a star. The burlesque artist shares gems like this, and how to set the perfect home rollers for glam waves, alongside rather more banal beauty advice. The latter feels like it is there largely to pad out the nearly 400 pages, but as many of these contain striking images and plenty of detail about how Dita transforms herself, there’s plenty to keep fans fascinated. The tone is friendly but knowing, interspersed with some well-chosen quotes on appearance, and as dedicated Dita says, “Remember darlings: whether your stage is in a theatre or in everyday life, it’s all about smoke, mirrors, and desire ... about making it look easy and leaving your audience wanting more.”

- Your Beauty Mark: The Ultimate Guide to Eccentric Glamour, by Dita Von Teese with Rose Apodaca. Published by Harper Collins, $54.99