We look at our faces so often we hardly notice them changing. I remember the shock of my first fine line, a thin crease between my eyebrows that is deepest in the morning because I grimace in my sleep. It bothered me how much it bothered me. But I was in my mid-twenties, and this was too early, I thought.
From 2013—just after my college graduation—to 2021, I wrote and edited articles about beauty for several popular online publications. When I started working as a beauty editor, my skincare routine consisted of sunscreen moisturizer daily and Cetaphil face wash when I felt like it. Pretty soon I was bringing home piles of serums, moisturizers, and exfoliants with artful names like “Water Drench” and “Overnight Renewal.” I didn’t understand my skin type, and on one memorable occasion I removed my makeup with coconut oil, used a “facial cleansing brush,” and woke up with a face full of tender red hives.
These experiences led me to youthjuice, my novel exploring the concept of beauty as body horror. The book follows Sophia, a young woman on the cusp of 30, who is drawn into the enigmatic world of HEBE, a beauty and wellness brand based in New York City. Named for the Greek goddess of youth, HEBE has a cult-like atmosphere revolving around its founder, Tree Whitestone, who insists she’s found the secret to eternal beauty. While Sophia quickly becomes addicted to her new lifestyle, she can’t help but notice that HEBE’s interns have a tendency to disappear.
I like to think of The Picture of Dorian Gray as the grandfather of youthjuice—in fact, I used a quote from it as an epigraph (“The secret of remaining young is never to have an emotion that is unbecoming.”). In addition to Oscar Wilde’s only novel, here is a reading list of novels about the dangerous pursuit of youth and beauty.
Aesthetica by Allie Rowbottom
Any time I find myself alone in a hotel room, I end up watching Botched on E! Morbid curiosity is part of the appeal, of course, but the emotional arc is also satisfying. By the end of each episode, the patient has been returned, however incrementally, to themselves. A similar impulse led me to pick up Aesthetica, Allie Rowbottom’s 2022 novel about a former influencer reflecting on her past as she prepares to undergo a procedure that will reverse her plastic surgery. Like Botched, I found it unexpectedly touching. Rowbottom handles her characters with care rather than judgment, but that doesn’t make her social commentary any less incisive.
Rouge by Mona Awad
Like youthjuice, Rouge dives head-first into the world of luxury skincare. The protagonist, Belle, a skincare obsessive who self-soothes by watching dermatology videos on YouTube, finds herself sucked into Rouge, the strange salon her mother frequented before her sudden death. Mona Awad uses the central mother-daughter relationship to unpack whiteness, wealth, age, and complex family dynamics, all within a fairytale dream atmosphere that lingered with me long after I turned the final page.
If I Had Your Face by Frances Cha
The four main women in Frances Cha’s debut novel illustrate the pressures applied by Korean beauty standards and economic struggles from various angles. Through the lenses of plastic surgery, sex work, K-pop fandom, economic instability, and the art world, Cha unspools a narrative of envy and friendship between women.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
In his relentless pursuit of unending beauty and youth, the titular Dorian Gray loses something of his humanity, but the ever-aging portrait in his attic demonstrates that sacrifice in a tangible way. It’s a classic for a reason!
The Glow by Jessie Gaynor
Desperate to save her career as a publicist after her work performance is called into question, Jane sets out to turn Cass, a beautiful woman running an ad-hoc wellness retreat in the country, into a Gwyneth Paltrow-esque lifestyle guru. Gaynor’s novel leans into humor and social satire, giving us truly hilarious insight into the making of an influencer.
Monarch by Candice Wuehle
In Monarch, Wuehle seamlessly combines ’90s pop culture and true crime references with commentary on beauty pageants, cryotherapy, and MKUltra. There are clear nods to JonBenét Ramsey and Nicole Brown Simpson, but it never feels tawdry or cheap. Instead, the narrative sparkles with compassion (and one of the most unforgettable character voices I’ve come across in years).
You Too Can Have a Body Like Mine by Alexandra Kleeman
The surrealist world of Kleeman’s debut novel is one of the best commentary on modern capitalism I’ve ever read. Surrealist television ads, a cult called the Church of the Conjoined Eater, a bizarre grocery store intentionally organized to confuse shoppers . . . all these elements come together to create a disorienting story that touches on body image and the pressure to optimize oneself in pursuit of perfection.
The Stepford Wives by Ira Levin
The Stepford Wives is about (spoiler alert) a town where the men are slowly replacing their strong-minded wives with docile robot versions that are exclusively interested in housekeeping and staying beautiful for their husbands. Even if you know how it ends, the sharp writing makes it well worth the read.