Yamaguchi owns five California hair salons and is a feng shui devotee. Yet he runs into difficulty with this attempt to explain how understanding feng shui can help a woman alter her physical appearance for the better. Traditionally, the ancient Asian philosophy assists people with placing objects in the home in such a way that energy (chi
) flows and creates a positive environment. Applying that discipline more widely, Yamaguchi says we should consider our bodies as homes. By placing our hair and makeup in a certain way, chi
will flow through our souls. Feng shui, Yamaguchi explains, is based on the belief that each individual's personality is dominated by two of five elements: fire, earth, metal, water and wood. After readers take a rather involved 17-question quiz, they'll find their most dominant personality elements. They must then muddle through two chapters of jargon and complicated charts to determine the strength of each element in their personality, and then flip to the paragraphs throughout the book relating to their score to determine which hair style, hair color and makeup will bring forth their best physical traits. There are far easier ways for a woman to get advice for looking her best; indeed, the book's latter chapters, where Yamaguchi straightforwardly explains makeup and hair techniques, are its most useful sections. Photos. (Dec.)
