The Editors of GOOP - Goop Clean Beauty

The whole concept of beauty is complicated. Its kind of like loveyou know it when you see itbut that only really holds when its in the flesh, unbiased by Photoshop, Instagram filters, Glam Squads, and really great lighting and photography.

As someone who has been in the public eye for many decades, having even been heralded by People magazine as the worlds most beautiful person (I mean, what?), I can tell you firsthand that the concept of beauty in popular culture is all fantasy. It can be a fun one, but the reality is a bit like pulling back the curtain in Oz, under-eye circles, freckles, and all. And I find myself preferring the reality: Theres me, Gwyneth, in my everyday lifeand then theres Gwyneth Paltrow with the super-slick blow-out and fake lashes. I generally feel much more comfortable as the former and can be found wiping off my makeup in the car on the way home after parties and awards shows have wrapped.

This is not to say that Im not interested in beauty: While I may not have had a Kaboodle kitted out with every shade of Bonne Bell as a child, or been a masterful nail artist in high school, or be capable of making myself look even halfway done before a dinner out with friends (people are always surprised that after decades of sitting in the hair and makeup chair, I still dont know how to use bronzer), I am devoted to the concept, particularly under the lens of self-preservation and aging. Call it vanity, call it health, but I know that theres a huge correlation between how I feel internally and what I look like when I roll out of bed in the morning (preferably after 8 hours of sleep). And my goal, in general, is to look and feel as good as possible.

Thats really the thesis of this book. Those of you who have spent time on GOOP, the lifestyle site I founded in 2008, or dabbled in any of my three cookbooks, particularly Its All Good, will recognize the underlying philosophy in the following pages: Theres a little bit about foundation and concealer in the final section, along with a tutorial for a basic smoky eye (which I, evidently, need to study), but a majority of the pages explores the lifestyle we try to abide by at GOOP, which is predicated on eating clean, getting good sleep, and making sure that everything elseadrenals, hormones, micronutrients, hydration, moodis in balance. Its an entire system: beauty from the inside out.

I saw this for myself the first time I launched into a whole-foods, organic, sugar-free diet (and then some). My father had recently been diagnosed with throat cancer, and I became obsessed with the idea that diet could heal the body, particularly by eliminating the things that could make us unwell (pesticides, processed foods, growth hormones). What I learned during this time always stuck with me, and when I became a mom, the idea of eliminating as many toxins as possible from my kids world became all the more important.

Still, while Ive long-aimed to be healthy, there have been periods of time when I have decidedly not been (Im a fan of french fries and martinis, for starters, and like all moms, I dont always get enough sleep). Those periods of time always seem to have a way of catching up with me, physically and mentally. The day I swear off red wine and gluten for life isnt coming (ever), but Ive settled into a way of mostly clean living that lets me indulge and stay balanced while feeling really good. And when I inevitably get too far off track, Im diligent about going back to this way of eating and living until I feel pretty brand-new again. Sometimes it takes only a week.

This way of eating, exercising, detoxing, sleeping, dealing with stress, and interacting with the environment is outlined in the rest of this book, and is informed by all the experts featured within it. We are eternally curious about health and wellness, but by no means experts ourselves, which is why weve built a roster of incredible mentors to ask. Youll meet many of those people here. Youll also find a pretty comprehensive survey of all things GOOP, from detox hacks to our chosen workout sessions, staff favorite recipes, vitamins and minerals that make hair shine, sauna practices, nighttime skin routines, and some simple hairstyles and makeup looks modeled by some of GOOPs finest. Because whats the point in doing all the research and trying things out if youre not going to share what youve learned with your friends?