Rating: 
Summary: Biased, self-promoting
Review: I flip through each new edition of this book and each time I am surprised at the "attitude" she takes with certain cosmetic lines. It seems as if she's trying to do her best to hurt these companies. I use Erno Laszlo cosmetics, I have used this product for 30 years and for me it is the best line out there. My skin looks wonderful. I am 55 years old and am very often told that I don't look a day over 40. Really!! Women ask me all the time "what do you use? Your skin is so pretty." Ms. Begoun's reviews of the Erno Laszlo line get nastier with each edition and I don't understand why. Yes, it is an expensive line. But no one is forced to buy it! I don't care if Dr. Laszlo wasn't licensed to practice medicine in the US. His ideas for skincare work wonders. Dr. Laszlo had a private practice and prescribed skin care individually. His product was used by Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Joan Crawford, Marilyn Monroe and more lately by Winona Rider as well as many other stars. Look at photographs of these women! They have/had lovely complexions! I feel sad to think that there are women out there that might believe Ms. Begoun and not try the Erno Laszlo line and miss so much. She almost seems to have a grudge against the line of cosmetics! Over the years I have tried other lines, giving up my Laszlo for a few weeks, and I always go back. I haven't tried anything else for the past 10 years. The Laszlo "rituals" are designed for several different types of skin, from very dry to normal to oil to acne-prone with different preparations for each, but for every type of skin there is the "rising" ritual where you rinse your face 30 times twice a day when you wash, before toning, moisture, treatment and makeup. My skin is so clear from years of doing this. Ms. Begoun says that soap is bad for the skin, that hot water is bad for the skin, but I know too many people, my daughters included, that use Erno Laszlo and would use nothing else. Ms. Begoun has her own line of products and I believe that since she is so against any line of cosmetics that is expensive, she probably uses the cheapest ingredients she can find. She gives so many good products, not just my favorite Laszlo but other lines as well, very negative reviews that are based mostly on her own arbitrary whims. She is very biased but I believe this is because she wants the reader to come to the conclusion, as led to by her, that her product is the one to buy. Don't waste your money on this book. She doesn't know everything.
Rating: 
Summary: Go to the cosmetics counter with this book!
Review: This book is a must-have for all women and teens who shop for cosmetics and make-up. Written by Paula Beguoun, a beauty and cosmetics expert, this book helps you make a wise descision before going to the nearest Clinique counter at your local Macy's and spending nearly $... Begoun reviews over 40,000 cosmetics including eyeshadow, blush, lipstick, lotion, powder, eyeliner, mascara, exfoliators, bath products, and much, much more. Over 300 cosmetics lines have products reviewed, including Revlon, Max Factor, Bonne Bell, Bobbi Brown, Lancome, Clinique, L'Oreal, Neutrogena, Avon, and a lot more! Also, Begoun reviews baby-care products and men's skin-care products. Each review also has the price of the product so you can determine how much you'll be spending before heading to the cosmetics counter. If you're thinking that everyone's different and that the products will affect each person individually, so you shouldn't follow the reviews in this book, don't worry! Begoun mainly lists the ingredients and how they will most likely affect everyone's skin. For example, she may give a product a low rating because it included irritating skin ingredients. If you are looking for reviews of hair-care products, however, I would suggest reading "Don't Go Shopping for Hair-Care Products Without Me", also written by Paula Begoun. This book is a wise purchase and invaluable reference for all women and teens who buy cosmetics.
Rating:
Summary: BUY THIS BOOK!!!
Review: I don't recommend books lightly, but THIS one is a KEEPER! I took it out from the library first, then when the latest edition came out, I snapped it up. Every friend and family member I've shown it to winds up buying it for themselves!! The recommendations are honest and straightforward. I can't even count how much money I've saved since I got this book....no more wasting time and cash on products that don't work, or worse, ones that clog your skin. My skin has improved dramatically since reading this book and following Paula's advice. Buy it and you won't be sorry!
Rating:
Summary: Paula Does it Again
Review: I love her reviews, I saved so much money by buying drugstore stuff as opposed to the stuff at the cosmetic counter and my skin still feels beautiful.
Rating: 
Summary: Will prove helpful to some people
Review: While I enjoyed the author's candor, I can't give a great deal of weight to all of her opinions. Eventhough it is clear Ms. Begoun did a heck of alot of research to support her conclusions, I felt cheated when I realized she has her own product line. It bothered me that in one breath, the author would advise the reader to try products for herself, yet later she would emphatically state that a certain product was "a waste of time". Perhaps another researching ingenue should test Ms. Begoun's cosmetics and give an equally honest critique. The information I found most helpful was the explanation of what actually goes into some of the popular products used today. I was also impressed that the author stressed the importance of sunscreen. At least someone has come forth to debunk the "wrinkle cream miracle" myths. The information in this book will certainly prove helpful to some people; however, an informed cosmetics consumer, or anyone who has enjoyed a certain product for years without any problems will not need this book.
Rating:
Summary: Recently updated, a shopper's guide to cosmetic lines
Review: This is the 6th edition, recently updated to include lines of cosmetics sold on television as well as the more broadly available drugstore and department store brands. Begoun does exhaustive study on popular claims of many lines and is not afraid to debunk the sometimes incredible claims of the cosmetic companies. Is it "youth in a bottle" or are you paying for advertising and not results? Begoun is going to let you know. On the other hand, she does praise ingredients that have proven effects--so this isn't a "rub shortening on your face and wash with bar soap and call it a day." Begoun is not into the youth fads of shimmery and glittery cosmetics; if the effect is shiny, she pans it. But there are designers who want that look for a fashion statement, and a fresh-faced twenty-year old looks good practically with anything, wild or conservative, as long as her complexion is smooth. There simply isn't a better book on the market to debunk the hype and give at least some sober advice on cosmetics. With even drugstore mascara costing more than a five-spot, shopping for cosmetics can be expensive. Begoun helps the average consumer navigate the counters and make good decisions.
Rating:
Summary: Simply the best
Review: I am amazed at some of the reviews which demonstrate that some alleged readers didn't read the book very carefully at all. Paula clearly admits that the reviews in her book are her opinions. However, I've been reading her books for over a decade, and her opinions are based on solid, thorough, scientific research NOT funded by anyone other than herself. I don't know of another book that can make that claim. She mixes her opinions with facts that few others dare because she has nothing to lose in the process. When she tells the truth, we all benefit. Articles in women's magazines stand to lose an enormous amount of advertising revenue if any editorials threaten to blow Estee Lauder, Lancome, Clinique, Maybelline, or any cosmetics company that spends literally millions of dollars in ads off their solid gold pedestals. Paula also states quite clearly that if a certain regime or product works for the consumer, then the consumer should stick with it. However, for the rest of us who need guidance in choosing what is best for our skin and make-up routines, this book is a godsend. She rates products on the ingredients they contain, their effect on the skin, and how well they work. She never claims that all products purchased in a drugstore are as good as those purchased at expensive prices in department stores. She freely acknowledges some poor products that are inexpensive do exist. And she also acknowledges that some poor products which are expensive also exist. In other words, the price of the cosmetic has nothing to do with its effectiveness, safety, or application. What this book really does is give facts to help the consumer separate fact from fiction. One time when I was shopping for a toner, the cosmetics woman at the department store told me that the alcohol contained in her product was "cosmetic" alcohol - not the alcohol that would dry the skin. Sounded good to me....until I thought about it. Paula cuts through the sales talk to which too many of us have ignorantly submitted and taken as gospel. The book breaks through the "natural" myth, as well. Of course, we all want as natural as products as possible. What the natural companies don't often tell us, however, is that besides all those wonderful-sounding names are some very basic (harmless) chemicals that actually perform the task of the product. I personally like Aveda's hair products, but it isn't the natural products that are cleaning my hair - it's the chemicals. Paula helps us differentiate between what chemicals are harmful and which ones are beneficial. It often has little to do with brand name. Some products in a certain line are highly rated, and some are not recommended. The piece of advice that I garnered from the book, for which I shall forever be indebted, is the use of BHA (beta hydroxy acid) on my face. It has given my skin a brand-new look and made my skin healthier and better-looking than when I was a teenager back in the 1980s! I'd tried different ways of exfoliating but her recommendations of BHA for skin that is blemish prone and of the exact percentage (1% for me) was probably the best skin care advice I've ever received. I was nearly ready for a (completely unnecessary!) chemical peel costing an obscene amount of money and committing unknown damage to my skin when I learned about BHAs from Paula's book. It's true that Paula does have a line of both cosmetics and make-up. However, for anyone who's read her books, she does not push them at all. She speaks generally about ingredients and about what to avoid and what to seek. Her products are simply listed with the other 200+ brands! I do admit that I love her products because I know I can count on them not to contain perfumes, dyes, and other extraneous items that are used to sell most cosmetics. As someone with extremely sensitive skin, her skin care products are magnificent. I think the biggest boon to Paula's credibility is that she is not immune to changing her mind or advice, based on new research. She demonstrates a true ability to learn and grow with the rest of us. Too many "beauty" books contain a lot of fluff and little substance to really help the reader. This book contains a lot of raw facts and arms the reader with an arsenal of knowledge to help her (or him!) make the best choices she can for herself. Whether or not many people will admit it, a lot of cosmetics and skin care companies have been forced to revise their products in our favor due to the information contained in Paula's books. We owe her a lot.
Rating:
Summary: take the time to read this!
Review: After buying several HUNDRED products myself as well as buying beauty guides I'd just like to let you know that Paula is an EXTREMLY SERIOUS AND HONEST woman, I am literally impressed with her reviews, she may not be a Dr. or a dermatologist but honestly the reviews she gave to ALL of the products that I used( most of them unbelievebly BAD!!) were RIGHT on target. I used SEVERAL lines like Shiseido, Chanel, Phytomer, Lab Series from Aramis, Clinique, Vichy, Neutrogena,Dr Perricone, Clarins, Lancome, [heck] the more I write the more I remember and yes finally I used the ultimate skin care THIEF line, the chief of them all , Sisley!, I spent nearly a thousand dollars on this line alone! I regret it so much I consider it a sin! All in all Paula's reviews of all these lines were nothing short of perfect, I agree with 99% of what she has said, and that is more than I am willing to agree with anybody in the cosmetic industries nowadays, believe me I've become VERY skeptical you'd be surprised =), to my big surprise Paula is honest, and the products that she does recomend as being very good, such as clinique city block 25 SPF for example, are really the very best choices. SHE IS NOT, I repeat this, SHE IS NOT HARSH on ANY reviews!, the vast majority of the products JUST [STINK]!, and you'd think that these lines are competing to see who makes the best product,HA, what a dellusion!, they compete to see who sells more, and they dont give a [DARN] about your skin, JUST your money! so yeah, Paula does not recomend thousands of products, someone said that and thats a LIE she recomends hundreds, and these have been through a serious, honest, meticulous evaluation like I have never seen performed by anybody noy anywhere not even in NASA's space programs! I have never used Paula's products, I can tell u this much though, the ones she recomends are PERFECT and I don't think Oprah Whinphrey would have invited Paula to her show more than a DOZEN times if this woman wasn't at the very least execptionally serious about what she says. Excelent Book, you dont have to buy it, but you HAVE to read it!!
Rating:
Summary: Even if you're not into cosmetics, this is a must have book
Review: I won't buy cosmetics without referring to Paula's latest book -- yes, I have purchased every single edition. And, her hair care products book are "must haves" too. I am equally impressed by the number of products, and they keep growing, that she evaluates. Not to mention the amount of research that goes into evaluating all these products. Everyone owes it to themselves to be an educated consumer and Paula's books do just that.
Rating:
Summary: finally
Review: This up to date version is wonderful....I know that some out there don't like that Paula does have her own make-up, hair, and skin care line that she advertises in this book but beyond that, this is a good book that can save you money. Why spend lots of money for great skin products if you don't have to plus it was nice to know that the spf 15 daily moisturizer I was using doesn't really have spf in it....And I have very fair skin....I'm glad I know now! Thanks Paula!
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