The Problem with Pretty

Beauty, Bias and the Surprising Science of Good Looks

By: Allycin Powell-Hicks

A beauty and mental health expert exposes how Western society has controlled the narrative on feminine aesthetics, and breaks down the science and psychology of beauty to help women feel more confident.

What is beauty? Who gets to determine who is beautiful? What happens when you fall outside of beauty norms?

Most of us have been tricked into believing beauty is about how we look, but Dr. Allycin Powell-Hicks reveals that the real problem isn’t your appearance—it’s how you’re trained to see it. Blending science-based research and personal experiences, The Problem with Pretty dismantles beauty myths from their roots and dissects what it really means to be beautiful. She exposes how our brains take shortcuts, latching on to tiny visual cues and filling in the rest with socially constructed ideas that have nothing to do with reality.

The Problem with Pretty rewires how we perceive beauty. Drawing on women’s stories, Dr. Ally breaks down the biases that shape our self-worth. She sheds a much-needed light on the systems that profit from our insecurities as well as how understanding our lineage can help us reclaim our power. With humor and her signature straightforward style, Dr. Ally offers the practical tools you need to stop chasing pretty and start living free, whole, and connected to who you really are.

Critic reviews

"Conditioning around beauty is strong. We’ve been trained to think that beauty is elusive, restricted to a select few, and unobtainable unless you look a certain way. The Problem with Pretty teaches us all to take a long, hard look at where these biases came from, and by doing so, allow us to redefine and—more importantly, reclaim—society’s outdated, arbitrary, and problematic beauty standards."—Eboni K. Williams, author of Bet on Black

"Dr. Allycin Powell-Hicks masterfully unpacks the intricate web of beauty, perception, and societal control. The Problem with Pretty is a rallying cry for women to reclaim our narratives, liberate ourselves from oppressive beauty norms, and embrace our inherent power—we are so much more than what others see! This is a must-read for anyone ready to challenge the status quo and redefine what it means to be beautiful."—Christine Platt, author of Less Is Liberation

"A book that embodies everything Dr. Ally is and the work she is doing - smart, validating and deeply necessary. In a world that tricks us into picking ourselves apart, it's about time we start redefining what beauty is and question who decided it belongs in the eye of the beholder."—Kamie Crawford, TV and podcast host, Relationsh*t

"In The Problem with Pretty, Dr. Allycin Powell-Hicks examines beauty's seductive, uplifting—and insidious—power and its enormous effect on women."—Donna Britt, author of Brothers (and Me)