The Problem with Pretty

Beauty, Bias and the Surprising Science of Good Looks

Coming Soon

Contributors

By Allycin Powell-Hicks

Formats and Prices

On Sale
Jun 2, 2026
Page Count
192 pages
Publisher
Legacy Lit
ISBN-13
9781538772713

Price

$28.00

Price

$37.00 CAD

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 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 onto tiny visual cues, 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.

  • "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

Allycin Powell-Hicks

About the Author

Dr. Allycin Powell-Hicks is a mental health and relationship expert, television personality, and the founder of the DOUX Consulting Group. She hosted the acclaimed show Like Mother Like Daughter on Discovery+ and the Oprah Winfrey Network. She’s also featured on the Never Ever MetsFamily or FianceProfiled: The Black Man, Love and Hip Hop, and on NBC, HBO Max, MTV, FOX, and VH1.

Learn more about this author