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Sly, surprising, and razor-sharp, Natural Beauty follows a young musician into an elite, beauty-obsessed world where perfection comes at a staggering cost. Our narrator produces a sound from the piano no one else at the conservatory can. She employs a technique she learned from her parents - also talented musicians - who fled China in the wake of the Cultural Revolution. But when an accident leaves her parents debilitated, she abandons her future for a job at a high-end beauty and wellness store in New York City. Holistik is known for its remarkable products and procedures - from remoras that suck out cheap Botox to eyelash extensions made of spider silk - and her new job affords her entry into a world of privilege and gives her a long-awaited sense of belonging.