Rating: 
Summary: Here is why some cosmetics work, and some don't
Review: Ms. Begoun does not just tell us which products are good, she tells why. I enjoyed finding which drug-store products were better than the department store products, and actually buying them, and discovering they were great! It's nice to have a guide for cosmetics. When I can't return cosmetics, I'd like to know what it is I'm spending all my money on and if it will really work. I do it for cars and other major purchases; why not for my face? I checked this book out of the library several times before I finally broke down and bought it. I do not regret a moment of it
Rating: 
Summary: Helpful ingredient lists but it's an AD in disguise!
Review: I was feeling all vindicated and savvy, reading about which ingredients/chemicals in name brand were effective, which were neutral "fillers", and which were actually irritating.
But I was more irritated than the skin of a teenager with a Vasaline facial when I realized that Ms. Bogoun dedicated at least 1/3 of this book to plugging her stupid newsletter and even worse... HER OWN LINE OF COSMETICS!
I wish I spent my $15 on something from Guerlein. It might not have stopped my wrinkles but it sure would have smelled better than this stinky deceptive book!
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book
Review: This is a really great book that everyone who uses cosmetics should read. It covers everything from mascara to self tanning products. Buyer beware is the name of the game here! Great tips on what to buy and why and why not to buy other things. A real eye opener
Rating:
Summary: This will change how you shop
Review: This book will change how you shop for cosmetic products. I am not a very girly-girl and find cosmetic shopping to be more than a little baffling. (I mean really! Does anyone actually NEED $300 skin cream?!?) Paula is like the girlfriend that everyone needs. She walks you through what all of the products do, so if you don't know why people buy toner, she explains it to you. And she tells you what to look for when you do decide to buy the stuff. It doesn't feel like she's plugging any specific line of products (except for her own brand, but what do you expect?) and you are given good options in every price range. So, if you are dying to spend $300 on a product, go ahead. If you want to know what the $9.99 equivalent is, she tells you that too. As a self-confessed lip-balm addict, this was the section that I found most helpful. She explained what ingredients you should make sure are NOT in your lipbalm, as certain ingredients actually make your lips worse! This segment alone made the whole book a worthwhile purchase for me. Highly, highly recommended, for everyone from your grandmother, to any young teen girls just entering the land of cosmetics. I wish I'd had this book when I just started out.
Rating:
Summary: Reviewer biased, not the book
Review: I think that the San Francisco reviewer, based on his/her comments, is an employee of Dermalogica, and his/her dislike of the book is based solely on the author's comments about the company. I bet if Paula had praised Dermalogica, the reviewer would not be criticizing her credentials or knowledge. The reviewer even violated Amazon's review policy of not posting URLs, because he/she wanted to promote Dermalogica's website. Talk about a biased review!
Rating: 
Summary: These books are getting returned tomorrow!
Review: I purchased an older version of her books in the past and tried to only buy the products she recommended, only to find that the ingredients she lists as 'safe' are not as safe as she wants you to believe them to be. We take in all kinds of chemicals on a daily basis, and our largest living organ is our skin. We should therefore be extremely careful about what goes on this skin, whether in makeup, deodorant, haircare products, whatever. Ms. Begoun recommends many products with dangerous chemicals (including parabens which can alter hormone levels according to what I have researched lately), and many of the products she says are great irritated my scalp so much I had to throw them away. Man, when will I learn not to trust this woman's 'professional unbiased' opinion? Now's a good time I think...My advice to everyone is to do your homework - there are many sites on the net that advise on which chemicals are dangerous.
Rating:
Summary: Beauty for all! Not just the rich.
Review: This consumer textbook is extensive with the truth behind all sorts of marketing claims. Women are brainwashed by advertising and trick fashion photography from adolescence on the magical power of cosmetics. Begoun does a real public service in compiling an analysis of the real dal behind the most pricey and popular of brand names. At the end of the day ... paying more does not mean a cream or mascara will deliver more. Be wise and realize that buying beauty is never a right choice - for your bank account and even your health. I recommend this without reservation before any kind of purchase of a beauty item anywhere!
Rating:
Summary: A lot of impudent readers out there
Review: Good grief, it seems people can't stand to have their favorite products panned. Paula does a very good job of highlighting products that have well-known skin irritants as ingredients, such as witch hazel, methol, and speariment, as well as the lesser-kown (urea, for example). She also discusses ingredients that have unproven claims, such as Kinetin, and recommends not paying extra for them.
Paula does pan the more expensive lines, as well as the cheaper ones. Wet N' Wild and Sea Breeze contain some of the worst reviews, as well as Origins (how do you think they get that "tingly" sensation?).
Reading these reviews, it seems some people like feeling indulgent about overpaying, as if they're buying a fine wine. Others might just feel embarrassed at being "had". Either way, I read through more far impudence in these reviews than was warranted.
True, Paula does criticize shiney, frosty, and sparkly make-up, but so what? It's not her taste, maybe she should have kept her mouth shut, but grow up, get over it, and read about the ingredients. If you like sparkle, then wear sparkle, stop acting insecure. You're not reading this book for her taste, you're reading it for her analysis of ingredients.
Lastly, Paula does have her own line, which she provides brief descriptions of, but DOES NOT RATE with any of her smiles/frowns/faces. In fact, she admits her own line of moisturizers with SPF for oily skin are as fraught with problems as those of any other brand.
It's worth a read. I've bought some good products due to her advice, none of which were from her line, and my skin looks much better for it.
Rating:
Summary: Great Business Model - Deception for the Readers
Review: Paula Begouns's business model deserves to be studied in business schools. She started more than a decade ago as a third-party unbiased critique for cosmetic products and gained a good reputation in the cosmetic industry.
Her motto's always been "the highest price does not reflect the best quality in cosmetic products". So her mission was to uncover for her readers hundreds of inexpensive good quality cosmetic products.
When she started her own product line several years ago, everything changed. Her real intention now is to make her readers/clients buy her own products. But she still needs to look trustworthy and unbiased. So what is Paula's solution now? The solution is very clever - she only gives high ratings to expensive products, those that are not HER competition. The inexpensive products that compete with her product line are either ignored or get bad and very bad reviews. For example, it is almost impossible to find any single inexpensive day-time moisturizer with UV protection in her book, besides her own "Paula's choice". The same situation with the night-time moisturisers, lipsticks, etc.
I am very disappointed in her. Money making ability is a great skill, but when you capitalize on your good reputation, money will disappear as soon as your reputation is ruined. Today Paula is obviously cheating her readers. She may mislead one or even hundred clients (look at all those five-star reviews!), but the truth is getting out and will make her pay at the end.
Rating:
Summary: Even "updated" is outdated by YEARS.
Review: I bought her first edition a number of years ago, and most of her information regarding product ingredients and what they do is now readily available all over the internet, not only for FREE, but.... it's all manner of actual scientific research, not the opinion of someone who seems to hate everything except for her own products.
When I purchased her first edition, I was floored by her insight, her seeming awareness and down to earth "my best girlfriend" style of explaining. As I became a bit more educated over the past few years, I came to the unfortunate realization that her opinions are worse than biased, and rather pompous, I believe she thinks that her readers are genuinely stupid, or worse, lemmings. And as someone else wrote... HOW DOES SHE GET AWAY WITH CALLING HERSELF "COSMETICS COP" WHEN SHE'S SELLING HER OWN LINE OF PRODUCTS, WHILE CONDEMNING EVERYONE ELSE'S? To me, this smacks of total fraud. The reason that I'm writing this review is that I have used Paula's products in the past, and they were "okay" and I mean JUST "okay", and I've been an Origins user for a number of years also (I've tried many products, but I always end up back with Origins) and while browsing through my local bookstore, I thought I'd look through the NEWEST VERSION of Paula's book. I turned to the Origins section, to see what she had to say, and not only is the section disgracefully thin, but the list of illogically random products is so outdated that I was confounded. Who here does NOT know about Origins White Tea line, especially the anti-oxidant skin guardian? It's only been out for about FOUR years, and is incredibly popular... AND IT'S NOT IN THERE? Neither are most of their moisturizers, cleansers, exfoliators.... I suspect that IF SHE DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING BAD TO SAY, SHE DOESN'T PRINT IT! Suspecting that, I flipped to a few other sections that should have well known popular products that I like, and.... THEY'RE MISSING! I sent an e-mail off to paula's choice with this inquiry, and what I got in return was the explanation that Paula is so busy, and some products are NOT WORTH MENTIONING! HAAAAA!
Paula Begoun, just hang it up, you've been exposed. And stop having your shills post reviews about how wise you are, accusing others of working for the competition, it's unbecoming.
|
