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The Beauty Game
The Beauty Game.
When talented copywriter Zoe Diamond first enters the plush offices of global beauty empire Visage D’Or she doesn’t own a face cream.
She thinks uplift is by Wonderbra. And wrinkles are removed with an iron.
Soon she’s seduced, manipulated and betrayed by charming words, false promises, and the powerful men behind them.
She doesn’t drink. Lie. Or have sex on the boardroom table.
Yet.
She learns beauty means pain.
Truth means legal lies.
And miracle creams make beautiful profits.
Drowning in champagne-fuelled corruption and scandal, Zoe fights to keep her job, her reputation and most importantly, the man of her dreams.
But will she succeed before The Beauty Game destroys her…?
“ ‘The Beauty Game' is tremendous good smart, sharp, frequently hilarious and packed with unforgettable characters, I can't recommend this book enough. Read it - not only will you have a fabulously good time, but you'll never see the beauty industry in quite the same light again."
When talented copywriter Zoe Diamond first enters the plush offices of global beauty empire Visage D’Or she doesn’t own a face cream.
She thinks uplift is by Wonderbra. And wrinkles are removed with an iron.
Soon she’s seduced, manipulated and betrayed by charming words, false promises, and the powerful men behind them.
She doesn’t drink. Lie. Or have sex on the boardroom table.
Yet.
She learns beauty means pain.
Truth means legal lies.
And miracle creams make beautiful profits.
Drowning in champagne-fuelled corruption and scandal, Zoe fights to keep her job, her reputation and most importantly, the man of her dreams.
But will she succeed before The Beauty Game destroys her…?
“ ‘The Beauty Game' is tremendous good smart, sharp, frequently hilarious and packed with unforgettable characters, I can't recommend this book enough. Read it - not only will you have a fabulously good time, but you'll never see the beauty industry in quite the same light again."
360 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2013
About the author
Michaela Day
1 book7 followersMichaela Day is a freelance beauty creative director whose experience in the industry spans two decades. She has worked with major high street beauty brands producing TV, press, posters and radio commercials for a range of clients in hair care, oral and skincare brands including Pantene, Garnier, TRESemmé, Max Factor and many more.
During her career in advertising she has won industry commendations and awards for her work from D&AD, ISP and New York’s One Show.
Currently living in Esher, Surrey, Michaela Day recently gained a Masters in Creative Writing at Kingston University and blogs at www.beautyholic.co.uk - searching for perfection, one expensive treatment at a time.
During her career in advertising she has won industry commendations and awards for her work from D&AD, ISP and New York’s One Show.
Currently living in Esher, Surrey, Michaela Day recently gained a Masters in Creative Writing at Kingston University and blogs at www.beautyholic.co.uk - searching for perfection, one expensive treatment at a time.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 12, 2013
This is a rollicking read! As a beauty product 'virgin' I completely identified with Zoe and her baffled but hilarious venture into beauty advertising. I've never been sure whether I believe cosmetics work or not, so this peek behind the scenes with a bona fide insider was fun as well as reassuring. The story is pacey, funny and yet genuine, with brilliant characters who dare to poke their noses where I never could. I know what I'm getting the girls in my life for Christmas!
May 6, 2014
Also available on http://chicklitpad.blogspot.com
Imagine this: You work as a copy-writer, one of your ads with your copy partner, Hugo, just won an award. You two are in the mood for some celebration, get sozzled in the process and give your boss, Dick, who happens to be a real big dick (not literally), an opportunity to sexually abuse you. Fortunately he doesn’t succeed, you thank your stars, the only mistake is you failed to resign. Now your ad agency, has posted you to another job, which you are very sure was the sole decision of Dickhead. You are going to write copy alright, probably make award-winning one-liners and scripts, but the only thing is, you’ll be writing Beauty copy. Fuck.
Take a scenario when the only beauty you apply on isn’t even lipstick, lip gloss, or even lip balm. Your encounter with Beauty might be the natural beauty you have going on there (think Audrey Hepburn) and there’s no room for eyeliners, eye shadows, consistent teeth flossing, waxing, fake tanning, real tanning. But you are asked to write on Uplift, and surprisingly, you don’t know what Uplift is (because you do not watch Fashion Police or any of the Real Housewives shows). There’s no room for failure, you have got to succeed, else you would go from award-winning to unemployed at Dickhead’s order.
Your introduction to the world of Beauty gives you an opportunity to meet the movers and shakers of the (Beauty) world. From tantrum-loving models, to sloven directors, to pussycat-loving female bosses, colleagues who’d shag anyone to get a promotion and uber-sexy demigod male tycoons that make your skin chill. Suddenly, your live’s a whirlwind between Paris, London, Nairobi, New York. Joggling a (kind of) long-distance relationship with a guy you met on one set, to sleeping with the big, bad evil boss with a sexy accent, preventing Dickhead from getting into your pants, avoiding Hugo――the partner who’s been laid off, resisting the urge to yell at one super-annoying female colleague, spying on a beauty company and wearing the latest Alai, Louboutins and L’Oreal. All in the name of writing copy for a revolutionary product that actually works (in taking lives of people and) giving a million girls in the world skin they’d die for. Really? Where are your morals?
Zoe Diamond’s liveS summed up for your entertainment.
MY REVIEW
I remember clearly the very first time I picked The Devil Wears Prada (sadly, the movie. One of those people who watched it before they read it), the bubbly feeling I had at the premise where different women of different tastes were dressing up for work (sadly again, it wasn’t for the appearance of female skin that gave me this walking-over-the-moon feeling). I had that same feeling when I read the blurb and the very first chapters of this book. I love fashion, beauty, magazines, ads, copy-writing, advertising, so any book based on the following themes win a star from me.
Secondly, this book has a storyline, a million readers would die for. Ugly Duckling who knows nothing about grooming is introduced to the big, bad industry of Beauty, and transforms into a Black Swan. It’s relatable, because most of us dream of big, bad jobs in the beauty/fashion industry, most of us would love to steal from the press rack of our dream magazines and most of us just love skin free of Acne, signs of ageing and the like.
I love Michaela Day’s style of writing, where she introduces her chapter as a movie scene with cuts and close-ups of girls taking selfies with the Eiffel Tower as background, or a lady strutting on Broadway (close-up on her clack-clacking zebra-print Louboutins), it gave this book somewhat of a racy feel and made me feel anticipated to know which character was chinking glasses with a gorgeous man in some limousine every time I turned a new chapter. Sweet.
This book had characters to die for. I loved Duchess, the old and idealess boss with her many gay friends and her compassion for our lead girl, Zoe. Bellini, the super-bitchy colleague who’d sleep with anyone to get promotions and negotiate her way with agents to hook high-end famous models for as little as the price of discounted Turkey on Thanksgiving. I loved Laurent, the big, bad, evil, sexy boss whose accent would sure make female readers brave enough to read this non-put-down book at bus stops weak at the knees. Laurent’s foil, Leo, whose mysterious simplicity which would be a turn-on for female readers, is also a drive to keep reading this book.
This book had so many OMG moments, I hardly kept track at a time, and kept nodding whenever they came. So many surprises, so many deaths, so much suspense that kept me on the edge of my yoga mat, all for the formula of a product that could give skin a million girls would die for.
I loved this book. But I wish I loved, loved it. I felt it lacked humor where it could have gone laugh-out-loud funny. And expected a high level of chicness for a book set in the cutthroat advertising/beauty industry where anyone would go lengths for creams that actually work. Don’t get me wrong, it was chic. But on a level of Miley Cyrus and Emma Watson, I’d rate it a Heidi Montag――which isn’t good enough.
My rating: Four Stars
I recommend this book for anyone who wants to read a book like The Devil Wears Prada, but this time, portrayed in the ever-cunning Beauty industry. Anyone who loves a book set in all the fab places in the world should also pick this. Anyone who wants secrets about the world of the Beauty products should get this. Now, ladies, if you’ve ever wondered what it takes to produce and reformularize all your fave products on the market, the ones you rave about so much and all of a sudden can’t speak bad about when they (kind of) don’t seem to work as they did anymore, get this book! Love, sex and skin a million girls would die for!
Imagine this: You work as a copy-writer, one of your ads with your copy partner, Hugo, just won an award. You two are in the mood for some celebration, get sozzled in the process and give your boss, Dick, who happens to be a real big dick (not literally), an opportunity to sexually abuse you. Fortunately he doesn’t succeed, you thank your stars, the only mistake is you failed to resign. Now your ad agency, has posted you to another job, which you are very sure was the sole decision of Dickhead. You are going to write copy alright, probably make award-winning one-liners and scripts, but the only thing is, you’ll be writing Beauty copy. Fuck.
Take a scenario when the only beauty you apply on isn’t even lipstick, lip gloss, or even lip balm. Your encounter with Beauty might be the natural beauty you have going on there (think Audrey Hepburn) and there’s no room for eyeliners, eye shadows, consistent teeth flossing, waxing, fake tanning, real tanning. But you are asked to write on Uplift, and surprisingly, you don’t know what Uplift is (because you do not watch Fashion Police or any of the Real Housewives shows). There’s no room for failure, you have got to succeed, else you would go from award-winning to unemployed at Dickhead’s order.
Your introduction to the world of Beauty gives you an opportunity to meet the movers and shakers of the (Beauty) world. From tantrum-loving models, to sloven directors, to pussycat-loving female bosses, colleagues who’d shag anyone to get a promotion and uber-sexy demigod male tycoons that make your skin chill. Suddenly, your live’s a whirlwind between Paris, London, Nairobi, New York. Joggling a (kind of) long-distance relationship with a guy you met on one set, to sleeping with the big, bad evil boss with a sexy accent, preventing Dickhead from getting into your pants, avoiding Hugo――the partner who’s been laid off, resisting the urge to yell at one super-annoying female colleague, spying on a beauty company and wearing the latest Alai, Louboutins and L’Oreal. All in the name of writing copy for a revolutionary product that actually works (in taking lives of people and) giving a million girls in the world skin they’d die for. Really? Where are your morals?
Zoe Diamond’s liveS summed up for your entertainment.
MY REVIEW
I remember clearly the very first time I picked The Devil Wears Prada (sadly, the movie. One of those people who watched it before they read it), the bubbly feeling I had at the premise where different women of different tastes were dressing up for work (sadly again, it wasn’t for the appearance of female skin that gave me this walking-over-the-moon feeling). I had that same feeling when I read the blurb and the very first chapters of this book. I love fashion, beauty, magazines, ads, copy-writing, advertising, so any book based on the following themes win a star from me.
Secondly, this book has a storyline, a million readers would die for. Ugly Duckling who knows nothing about grooming is introduced to the big, bad industry of Beauty, and transforms into a Black Swan. It’s relatable, because most of us dream of big, bad jobs in the beauty/fashion industry, most of us would love to steal from the press rack of our dream magazines and most of us just love skin free of Acne, signs of ageing and the like.
I love Michaela Day’s style of writing, where she introduces her chapter as a movie scene with cuts and close-ups of girls taking selfies with the Eiffel Tower as background, or a lady strutting on Broadway (close-up on her clack-clacking zebra-print Louboutins), it gave this book somewhat of a racy feel and made me feel anticipated to know which character was chinking glasses with a gorgeous man in some limousine every time I turned a new chapter. Sweet.
This book had characters to die for. I loved Duchess, the old and idealess boss with her many gay friends and her compassion for our lead girl, Zoe. Bellini, the super-bitchy colleague who’d sleep with anyone to get promotions and negotiate her way with agents to hook high-end famous models for as little as the price of discounted Turkey on Thanksgiving. I loved Laurent, the big, bad, evil, sexy boss whose accent would sure make female readers brave enough to read this non-put-down book at bus stops weak at the knees. Laurent’s foil, Leo, whose mysterious simplicity which would be a turn-on for female readers, is also a drive to keep reading this book.
This book had so many OMG moments, I hardly kept track at a time, and kept nodding whenever they came. So many surprises, so many deaths, so much suspense that kept me on the edge of my yoga mat, all for the formula of a product that could give skin a million girls would die for.
I loved this book. But I wish I loved, loved it. I felt it lacked humor where it could have gone laugh-out-loud funny. And expected a high level of chicness for a book set in the cutthroat advertising/beauty industry where anyone would go lengths for creams that actually work. Don’t get me wrong, it was chic. But on a level of Miley Cyrus and Emma Watson, I’d rate it a Heidi Montag――which isn’t good enough.
My rating: Four Stars
I recommend this book for anyone who wants to read a book like The Devil Wears Prada, but this time, portrayed in the ever-cunning Beauty industry. Anyone who loves a book set in all the fab places in the world should also pick this. Anyone who wants secrets about the world of the Beauty products should get this. Now, ladies, if you’ve ever wondered what it takes to produce and reformularize all your fave products on the market, the ones you rave about so much and all of a sudden can’t speak bad about when they (kind of) don’t seem to work as they did anymore, get this book! Love, sex and skin a million girls would die for!
December 9, 2013
A shockingly sizzling read of sensational enlightenment and fabulous fun!
Michaela Day’s ‘The Beauty Game’ is a chick-lit novel that highlights the deliciously dark secrets of the beauty industry, so as to alter your perception and the way you envisage it. Sharp, acute and startlingly candid this strait-talking read delves into the heart of a billion pound industry to expose the facts behind the face creams. I certainly will never look at the beauty industry in the same way ever again after reading this sensational story…
Zoe Diamond enters the posh offices of the global beauty empire as innocent and naive as you or I; completely unfamiliar with what this harsh world is truly like. She thinks ‘uplift’ is Wonderbra and that an iron removes wrinkles and yet amid the laugh-out-loud humor and wit, lay a serious undertone as the author exposes the sinister side of everything. When Zoe begins to look beneath the surface and see past the perfection, she learns that beauty means pain and that it is an industry based on obtaining maximum profit within a world of corruption and scandal. It is the lies and deceit that makes one ultimately think – is it all worth it?
Reminiscent of ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ this riveting read is deeply thought-provoking, making you understand that it is what’s on the inside of a person that really matters and that the saying ’beauty is only skin deep…’ is very true. I do not particularly like it when a novel hints to certain clichés or insinuations, yet all those that this book referred to could not have been more relevant and meaningful. I found that I connected with the main character on such an intimate scale, taking the same journey with her as she uncovered more about this tough industry in which it’s staff dedicate so much of their lives and souls to it. We live in a world wherein people do judge you based on visual appearance all the time, and it is books like this that reinstall that important message of how our characters show our true beauty.
Intensely gripping and compelling this unputdownable, addictive book is a must-read and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. The author’s extensive background knowledge and insight into this industry is so evident within her writing, for it really makes her novel that much more believable and engaging to read. If you ever walk past a cosmetic counter or watch on television another advert for a ‘scientifically proven’ anti-wrinkle face cream, you will definitely think twice about those products that promise so much by powerful companies. 3.5 stars!
I won a signed copy of Michaela Day’s book ‘The Beauty Game’ through a Goodreads, first-read book giveaway.
To find out more – www.beautyholic.co.uk if you are searching for perfection, one expensive treatment at a time!
Michaela Day’s ‘The Beauty Game’ is a chick-lit novel that highlights the deliciously dark secrets of the beauty industry, so as to alter your perception and the way you envisage it. Sharp, acute and startlingly candid this strait-talking read delves into the heart of a billion pound industry to expose the facts behind the face creams. I certainly will never look at the beauty industry in the same way ever again after reading this sensational story…
Zoe Diamond enters the posh offices of the global beauty empire as innocent and naive as you or I; completely unfamiliar with what this harsh world is truly like. She thinks ‘uplift’ is Wonderbra and that an iron removes wrinkles and yet amid the laugh-out-loud humor and wit, lay a serious undertone as the author exposes the sinister side of everything. When Zoe begins to look beneath the surface and see past the perfection, she learns that beauty means pain and that it is an industry based on obtaining maximum profit within a world of corruption and scandal. It is the lies and deceit that makes one ultimately think – is it all worth it?
Reminiscent of ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ this riveting read is deeply thought-provoking, making you understand that it is what’s on the inside of a person that really matters and that the saying ’beauty is only skin deep…’ is very true. I do not particularly like it when a novel hints to certain clichés or insinuations, yet all those that this book referred to could not have been more relevant and meaningful. I found that I connected with the main character on such an intimate scale, taking the same journey with her as she uncovered more about this tough industry in which it’s staff dedicate so much of their lives and souls to it. We live in a world wherein people do judge you based on visual appearance all the time, and it is books like this that reinstall that important message of how our characters show our true beauty.
Intensely gripping and compelling this unputdownable, addictive book is a must-read and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. The author’s extensive background knowledge and insight into this industry is so evident within her writing, for it really makes her novel that much more believable and engaging to read. If you ever walk past a cosmetic counter or watch on television another advert for a ‘scientifically proven’ anti-wrinkle face cream, you will definitely think twice about those products that promise so much by powerful companies. 3.5 stars!
I won a signed copy of Michaela Day’s book ‘The Beauty Game’ through a Goodreads, first-read book giveaway.
To find out more – www.beautyholic.co.uk if you are searching for perfection, one expensive treatment at a time!
August 25, 2016
Firstly, I love the cover! Secondly, I enjoyed the story. In a way it reminded me of The Valley of the Dolls, which is one of my favourite books. I found the beauty world fascinating and 100% believable - if this went on in real life, I wouldn't actually be surprise.
Zoe was a good main character; she was naive and annoyingly placid at times, but I ended up liking her in the end and the change in her was nicely done - gradual at first, but by the end she was almost a totally different person, which I found interesting. Laurent was also intriguing and I could understand her fascination! Duchess was a great character too, in fact I'd say she was my favourite, despite certain character flaws!
The writing was nothing special; it was very simplistic, however, that's not necessarily a bad thing depending on who you talk to and it didn't bother me at all. Also, I liked the way she opened each chapter like a screen play setting the scene, I thought it was a nice, unique touch that fit the theme of the book perfectly.
However, for me, the ending let this book down. It was all very quick and jumbled. I was also expecting some kind of twist, which I never got, and I would have liked to hear more about Duchess finding her daughter.
All in all, a good book though and I enjoyed reading it for the most part.
For more reviews, or to see my favourite quotes from this book, check out my blog at http://mlsparrow.wix.com/mlsparrow
Zoe was a good main character; she was naive and annoyingly placid at times, but I ended up liking her in the end and the change in her was nicely done - gradual at first, but by the end she was almost a totally different person, which I found interesting. Laurent was also intriguing and I could understand her fascination! Duchess was a great character too, in fact I'd say she was my favourite, despite certain character flaws!
The writing was nothing special; it was very simplistic, however, that's not necessarily a bad thing depending on who you talk to and it didn't bother me at all. Also, I liked the way she opened each chapter like a screen play setting the scene, I thought it was a nice, unique touch that fit the theme of the book perfectly.
However, for me, the ending let this book down. It was all very quick and jumbled. I was also expecting some kind of twist, which I never got, and I would have liked to hear more about Duchess finding her daughter.
All in all, a good book though and I enjoyed reading it for the most part.
For more reviews, or to see my favourite quotes from this book, check out my blog at http://mlsparrow.wix.com/mlsparrow
January 6, 2014
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I enjoyed this book more than I expected. If you like the fashion/beauty scene then this is the perfect read. The added mystery elements adds urgency to the story and is written in a easy to understand style. It was nice to find out some of the beauty world secrets too. I'd recommend this to someone looking for a casual read with enough plot to stay hooked. I'm not sure if there is a sequel planned, if there is then I'd love to see what Zoe gets up to.
I enjoyed this book more than I expected. If you like the fashion/beauty scene then this is the perfect read. The added mystery elements adds urgency to the story and is written in a easy to understand style. It was nice to find out some of the beauty world secrets too. I'd recommend this to someone looking for a casual read with enough plot to stay hooked. I'm not sure if there is a sequel planned, if there is then I'd love to see what Zoe gets up to.
January 28, 2015
A decent enough story and some nice descriptions, but ... This is what happens when you give up trying to improve your writing and press the 'self-publish' button instead. It could have been a lot better. Instead, we get indistinguishable characters, execrable French, and a plot in need of reining in.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews