It got a 5 star thumbs up from my 15 year old daughter.

This is a brilliant book. Ideal for those who want to use more natural products on their skin and hair. This book is aimed at the ages 14-18. My daughter read it with me and she was thrilled. She tried many of the recipes and was very happy with the results. There are also excellent ideas for gifts as well as other projects to make at home.

It provided both mother and daughter many hours of fun and female bonding.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to experience this book. ( )

I am naturally skeptical of books collecting recipes that can be found easily online, but Aubre Andrus has won me over. She has used her skills as a book editor and designer to present a coherent set of recipes and patterns aimed at the older teen, although, of course, spa recipes might appeal to people of any age.

The 80 recipes use a narrow range of ingredients, scents, and household items to produce skin scrubbers and softeners and accessories to help you enjoy them. Thus we have made-at-home hair gel, face masks, painted bobby pins, decorated ribbons, a turban hair wrap, foot scrubs, and a range of items made from knotted crew socks.

The book is designed in pastel pink and blue with lots of bows and ribbons but instead of being kitsch, I think it's cute.

I have two complaints about the discussion of essential oils, one of which is very important. Ms Andrus does not explain the difference between food grade, cosmetic grade, and common grade scents and essential oils. These are different products and the common or industrial scents (the kind used for candles or oil burners) are not interchangeable with cosmetic or food grade scents that you would use on your skin or lips.

My other complaint is that too few scent options are presented. Lavender is used in a number of these recipes and I would have liked to see an expanded range of ideas for those of us who can't stand lavender. For example, I make solid perfume using a recipe similar to the one in the book. It's great for travelling because it causes no fuss with TSA and I never have to worry about spillage. But I use my favorite commercial perfume instead of random essential oils. I also use a range of natural scents I get from suppliers in Nepal that go far beyond the lavender, orange, peppermint and tea tree (which is a kind of eucalyptus, think Vicks) that Ms Andrus suggests.

All in all this is a fun book that gave me some ideas. Who'd have thought that knotted socks could be so versatile?

I received a review copy of "Botanical Beauty: 80 Essential Recipes for Natural Spa Products" by Aubre Andrus (Capstone – Switch Press) through NetGalley.com. ( )