Complexion Perfection offers a fair amount of useful information for people who are interested in making their skin look better. Not a dermatologist but a paramedical esthetician, Somerville shares her years of experience helping people of all skin types achieve healthier, more beautiful-looking skin.

In the introduction, the author begins by relating events from her childhood and her ordeal dealing with severe eczema while growing up. In the story she stresses the relationship between a positive mental attitude and healthy skin, and talks a bit about the dangers of stress. The reader learns how the author grew from an insecure young girl to a successful esthetician and owner of a popular clinic sought out by celebrities.

The core of Somerville’s method rests on her Skin Pyramid, which consists of protecting, hydrating, stimulating, feeding, and detoxing the skin as a way of achieving a healthy complexion. The author describes various skin problems such as Sun Damage, Melasma, Pigmentation, Acne, Scarring, Redness, Rosacea, and Aging, and proceeds to offer helpful advice on how to address these issues.

Daily skin care includes the right diet (food and supplements) as well as adequate treatments for the skin. The treatments range from laser/light to injectables to pharmaceutical products to professional peels. Though most of these treatments are too expensive for the average person, Somerville states that there’s something for every budget. Particularly informative is the section on ingredients found in different products, what to look for and what to avoid depending on one’s skin type. Toward the end of the book there are many before-and-after photos highlighting the various skin types and issues mentioned.

Complexion Perfection is written in an engaging, interesting style. The prose is light and straightforward, making this book an easy read. The author’s approach is encouraging and motivational, giving the reader the feeling that healthy skin is accessible to everyone who follows her advice, tips, and suggestions. This reviewer particularly enjoyed the chapter on diet and supplements, as well as the author’s list of top 15 beneficial foods for the skin. Readers interested in how to improve their complexion will find this book useful.

Reviewer Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults. Her nonfiction work, The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing, was a ForeWord Best Book of the Year Award winner. She’s had over 300 stories, articles, interviews, and reviews published.