Rating: 
Summary: Paula What's Your Point?
Review: Paula states at the beginning of the book that this is her opinion and her suggestions won't work for everyone. Then she goes on to tell us what is good and bad based largely on her own preferences. Is this about the facts or the world according to Paula? Each reader is better off learning what is best for their face and body, investigating product ingredients on their own. Save your money and read alt.fashion instead.
Rating: 
Summary: One (or two) informed purchases later, the book is paid for
Review: I had been (happily) out of the cosmetics loop for some time. Recently I got a job that required a more, umm, "polished" look. Feeling totally lost, I bought this book. I chose well. It easily paid for itself in my first "successful" makeup purchase in years that wasn't just dumb luck. I may not learn to enjoy the chore of applying makeup EVERY day, but at least now I'm getting products I like that suit my skin.One last comment. Unlike a previous reviewer, I didn't find her tone sarcastic. She doesn't waste time and makes it clear her goal is to assist the consumer through the bludgeoning of cosmetic advertising (I know that's why I bought the book) and she isn't always happy with what she sees. You know, me either.
Rating:
Summary: Great book, very useful and informative
Review: This is a great book every woman should own. If you want advice on what products work and what products are actually detrimental to your skin, this is the book for you. She gives honest reviews and ratings on a tremendously wide range of products. So forget what the magazines tell you - magazines promote certain products to make their advertisers happy. The customer is the victim here so be a smart consumer and you too will thank Paula. Many reviewers complain that Paula badmouths the more expensive cosmetic lines.. which is not true. She has given many great reviews on a lot of their products. The truth is, if you're going to spend that much money on cosmetics, you're probably not going to settle for drug store substitutes. You are simply going to be a more educated consumer and learn to choose the best products from each cosmetics line.
Rating: 
Summary: Use as reference book !
Review: I would suggest potential buyer to browse this book at a nearby bookstore before actually purchasing it. I read the book and although I didn't find her remarks sarcastic, I have to say that it would only be useful to people who wants to "check out" a new line of skin care or cosmetics. It was helpful in that it could provide insights to some of the VERY EXPENSIVE line, so in general it's a good reference book.
Rating: 
Summary: Okay for some, BUT.......
Review: This book may be great for certain people and I did get a lot of help from the section on ingredients and possible irritants. BUT....when I tried her suggestion of Cetaphil and baking soda and then the dreaded hydrogen peroxide toner, it made my face raw, red, and eventually broken out. Her product reviews are not that great and can be confusing (I noticed some products that were either out of date or not actually in a line at all). I also didn't like the tone of the book in general (sarcasm) or the fact that she spends a lot of time promoting her own stuff. If she wants to be regarded as a true, unbiased, "consumer guide", she needs to stay out of the business.
Rating: 
Summary: A helpful guide, with qualifications
Review: Ladies, ladies, ladies! Such excietment over something so relatively insignificant! I have read all of Paula's books, and am delighted that there is someone out there who is obviously knowledgeable about the cosmetics industry and interested in cutting through the hype. While I don't agree with all she says, I use the book as a reference. In defense of the book, and to respond to some of the comments and provide balance (no, I don't work for her or have anything to do with the cosmteics industry...): She clearly states that she obtains ingredient lists from the manufacturers. Since she has educated herself in cosmetic chemistry, she can tell what will irritate or clog pores from these lists without having to try everything herself. Chemicals are chemicals, no matter which manufacturer uses them or what they say about them. Also, I'm not sure why people complain about her hyping her own line - I have read the latest edition of the book cover to cover, and found mention of it on FIVE of the approximately 380 pages - hardly an egregious amount of self-promotion! Additionally, I have used her skin-care line for about two years and am very satisfied with it; it's fragrance-free, gentle and non-drying, and very reasonably priced. I don't use everything, but the products I do use I like a lot. As I understand it, the smiley faces are for the harmfulness of the product, or the degree to which it does what it says it will do, not her personal opinion or how well she likes it. They are pretty objective; that's why she can say a lipstick is greasy but still give it a smiley - maybe some people like greasy lipsticks. As long as the greasiness isn't harmful, it gets a smiley. All the salespeople who complained about her negative reviews of the products they sell say that she isn't objective. Are they? Who is more biased than a salesperson whose income depends on convincing you of the hype? I agree that she tends to be very conservative in her opinions on make-up, but you are free to ignore them. She includes reviews of products and colors she doesn't like, so you can use them or not. I value the book for it's information on ingredients, not her opinions on how I should paint my face. Lack of timeliness is a problem in any printed book - new products appear and disappear daily, so obviously no book can be completely current. But is that a reason to discount the entire book? There's a lot of information in it that is still current a year after publication, and her newsletters provide updates. I have a friend who sells BeautiControl, so I read the entire review - it seemed to me that she actually LIKED the line, with some reservations. So why are all the BC folks up in arms? There are good products and useless products in every line - this book is a tool to help sift through them and figure out which is which. And the lists of best products in the back is invaluable. So even if you don't agree with everything she says, there is a lot of good information in the book, not just on the products but also on basic skin care and new developments in research and industry. This book has something for everyone.
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Summary: Don't go to the cosmetics counter without me!
Review: I am not surprised that so many people have had a negative reaction to this book. The idea that cosmetic companies are not looking out for our best interests is unthinkable. After all, we spend our money on these "miracle" creams and lotions, hoping they will somehow erase all of our defects, and make us look like we did when we were younger. People seem to forget that cosmetic companies are businesses and they need to make money. The beef that Paula Begoun has is that these companies make outrageous claims that the consumer ends up believing because they don't know any better. A cosmetic is just that, cosmetic. It can't repair skin, or get rid of wrinkling, a fact that Paula underlines many, many times in her book. I think that her book is worth checking out, because she takes the time to go through all the major cosmetic lines and explains in detail why their products don't work. It's a bit repetitive and not the most stimulating thing to read, but she knows what she's talking about. In regards to including her own line of products and not reviewing them, how is she supposed to review these items impartially? She is fair and meticulous in her reviews, underlining the strengths and weaknessess of each line. This book is a handy reference for people who are tired of wasting time and money searching for cosmetics and skin care that suits them.
Rating:
Summary: Advice & Contradictions
Review: Ms Begoun has a strong tendency to bad-mouth the more expensive lines of cosmetics. No one wants to spend more than they have to, but too often, she just looking at the price. She's negative about lines like La Prairie, but gives them a good rating and a recommendation at the end. Has she ever used La Prairie for a substantial period of time & had a cosmetologist say, "I don't know what you're doing to your face, but keep it up. Somehow that comment and the feel of your face doesn't make the expensive jar of Age Management Cream seem so wrong. Instead of just listing the ingredients, she should try some of the products.
Rating:
Summary: Waste of time and money!
Review: This book was a waste of my time and money. She gave nothing useful and tooted her own horn - yet didn't even review her own line! Why would I listen to her? She didn't like anything about the lines I like and gave a lot of misinformation - in researching her "advice" I discovered she reviewed products that haven't been available for a LONG time or were never available - where did she buy these products that she reviewed - at garage sales and flea markets? I am angry I wasted money on this.
Rating:
Summary: Helpful informaton, but repetitive and poorly organized.
Review: Generally I have found the book helpful, but it needs to be edited down! She is very repetitive. Also, some of the smiley face ratings conflict with her prose. For instance, she says in the Mary Kay intro section that "lipsticks tend toward the greasy side." Yet in the ratings list, where the reader could make quick and easy reference, she gives Mary Kay lipsticks the smiley face, compliments the product and doesn't say anything about being greasy. Which is it? Greasy or Good?
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