Rating: 
Summary: Don't go to the cosmetic counter without me 4th Ed
Review: Before I go to the cosmetic counter, I always read this book first, it save me a lot of time and money. In the market there are many books talk about Beauty, but no book tells us what product is worth to buy, only cosmetics seller tell us how good are their products. This book did good job for us, and it is important for the women who is not cosmetic expers like me to know what cosmetics are really worth to pay.
Rating:
Summary: Don't Believe the Hype - Take Paula With You!
Review: Although I hardly ever give a book a 5 star rating, this one more than deserves it!
I have never ceased to be amazed at the number of intelligent, savvy women who get taken in by the outrageous claims and exorbitant prices of the cosmetics industry. Pauls aobviously feels the same way: she begins her book with a letter from, of all people, a marketing executive, who had wasted literally thousands of dollars over the years on useless beauty products.
Now, however, we have Paula, and we no longer need to believe the ridiculous hype of the beauty business. In this weightly tome, Paula cuts through the nonsense you read in ads and in magazines, and judges products the only way they should be judged: by their ingredients listings. Even if, like me, you're not a cosmetics addict and only occassionally buy beauty products, this book will still save you money and spare you disappointment. Don't go to the cosmetics counter without it!
Rating: 
Summary: Give me a BREAK!
Review: Any consumer out there with common sense will leave this book behind! Why take advice from an author who is so blantantly promoting HER OWN line of cosmetics? Wouldn't it make sense for her to shed a negative light on her biggest competitors? Plus, since everyone's skincare and makeup needs are different, why would you base your purchases on what ONE person thinks? We deserve to find the products that work best for US, NOT Paula! If you are a looking for an OBJECTIVE opinion this is NOT the book to buy!
Rating:
Summary: 1,000 pages of sales pitch!
Review: Paula Begoun's books have in the past been somewhat informative, but her latest edition is a waste of money. The reviews have not been updated, (there are a lot of products listed that are no longer made or have been reformulated) and the whole thing comes off as a sales pitch for her new line of cosmetics! She's just trying to sell that now on top of just selling her books, a bad combination! The reviews have the feel of "this is why my products are better than theirs." Taking the advice of Paula Begoun is now no different than asking Clinique what they think of Lancome! (except they would probably be more tactful!)
Rating:
Summary: Unbiased and informative
Review: I disagree with the reviewer who said that Paula Begoun is biased and only out to sell her own line of cosmetics and skin-care products. True, she does have her own line of such products, but those are hardly the only ones she recommends. If you look throughout the book, you will find positive (even glowing) reviews of some other companies' products too. To say that she gives bad reviews to all companies except her own is simply not true. In fact, in the back of the book, she has extensive lists of the "best" products in each category (moisturizer, cleanser, foundation, etc). Many of these lists include dozens of products. Nowhere in the book does Paula say that her products are the only good ones. Rather, they are just another option out of many, for women looking for quality products. She does include an entry in the book for her own products, which includes descriptions, but not ratings since she didn't feel she could be *that* objective about her own products. I do use some of Paula's products myself. For example, I buy Paula's moisturizer for oily skin because I've had a lot of trouble finding a good moisturizer that works for me. I do not buy Paula's cleanser because I decided to use another cleanser that she recommended in this book, which I buy at the drugstore, and I've found that it works well for me.I believe that every woman who uses cosmetics should read this book, as well as _The Beauty Bible_ in order to learn about the myths, lies, and half-truths used in the cosmetics industry. These two books will teach you to be smart consumers, to analyze the ridiculous, impossible claims made by some of these products, and to save time and money.
Rating:
Summary: I'll Take You With Me For Sure!`
Review: This is an excellent book. I have put it on my wish list after taking it out of the library. Being overwhelmed by the amount of products on the market and in drugstores versus department stores I knew I needed help. Begoun helps with this book! She does a number of things: 1. She talks about beauty in general - what we are told versus what her studies show, for example.
2. She talks about your face! Everything you have every wanted to know about wrinkles, antioxidents, various vitamins, what works and what doesn't.
3. Begoun then rates with explanations about 300 products including baby's and men's skin care products. In each review of the product line she gives perhaps a history of the company, she discusses ingredients, how the company has changed over the years and for whom the product may be best. She then lists many of the line's products with the price and what she thinks of it. For example, under Adrien Arpel's Bio-Cellular Night Eye Gelee with AHA Complex she asks, "How many AHA products does one face need? Thankfully none of these are effective exfolients, so don't worry. Basically this products is the "greasy kid stuff." and goes on to tell us that if we have extremely dry skin, this product would work. She ends with her picks of products by category including sunscreens, cleansers and every kind of makeup you can imagine. Finally Paula has included a wonderful glossary of words. You don't know what ximenial oil is? Look it up! It is Plum oil that can have emollient properties. This is a wonderful book. I would love to have it along with her haircare book. I just wish it were less expensive.
Rating:
Summary: BIAS! BIAS! BIAS!
Review: You know I might buy what Ms. Begoun says in her book if it wasn't for the fact that she has her own cosmetic line which according to her...is well, better than everyone's else. To me, she can not possibly be objective knowing that she is trying to promote her own products. Of course she doesn't like or has something bad to say about most of the cosmetics she has reviewed...she wants you to buy her stuff. Don't waste your time on this, you can be a smart consumer without Paula Begoun's bias opinions.
Rating: 
Summary: A good book to get you thinking, but not the last word.
Review: I bought this book several years ago, and have peeked at the new editions in the bookstores when they come out. She does make some very good points: * the sun, not aging, does most of the damage to skin, so use a sunscreen! * The best sunscreens have avobenzone, titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide. * More expensive is not necessarily better. * Most of the hype in the cosmetic ads is misleading and they don't do what they lead you to believe they do. I've used her reviews for some products, and have generally been happy with the results. However, there are several things about the book I do not like: * She will not recommend a foundation with SPF if it does not have one of the sunscreens mentioned above. But she does recommend foundations without an SPF. That doesn't make sense. As long as you use a moisturizer with the appropriate sunscreen in them, it shouldn't matter what foundation you use. *Her focus on yellow-based foundation colors. I've tried several, and they just do not look good on me. Some people may need a bit more peach or pink in their foundation, like me. * She mentions that doctors who make their own product lines are suspect, yet she herself has produced a line of skin care products. I haven't found in the books why her products are so much better than anyone else's. She should rate her own line and explain why it is so good. *She hates products that have ingredients that might irritate the skin of some people. That is good information to have if you do have sensitive skin, but if you don't, then that is not a reason to avoid the product. *She gives negative reviews to some products that she obviously hasn't tested. For example, I recently started using the skin care products made by N.V. Perricone. He wrote The Wrinkle Cure, and developed his own line of skin care products. After about two months, my skin has never looked better. I don't even wear foundation anymore - I don't need it. I just use a tinted moisturizer (with appropriate SPF!). It IS outrageously expensive, but to me it is worth it. And I don't use the entire line - I just ignore what I think is unecessary. Nothing else has worked so well for me. Paula writes a skeptical review. But did she actually try it or talk to someone who has? * Her constant push for matte colors. I have several that have a shimmer to them, and I love them. I do not think they make me look older (eyeshadow). I love lipsticks and glosses with some shimmer. I generally don't like the feel of matte lipsticks, so I end up putting some gloss on top of them. I don't think it looks ridiculous. I don't use products or so many that I shine like a light bulb. I think she needs to get over it. * I try the cheaper brands of cosmetics, but more times than not I don't like it. Sometimes they are okay. But I usually go to othe department stores. The bottom line is that there is good information in this book to educate you so you can research and make up your own mind. Don't, however, take all of her reviews as gospel.
Rating:
Summary: Save money!!!
Review: I think this is one heck of an informative book. I no longer shop for most items at the department stores. I have found, thanks to her reviews, lots and lots of great make-up at the pharmacy and discount stores. I can go nuts on eye shadows and blush and lipsticks because Ms. Begoun has told me what has good consistency and blendability and what does not. She is not a big fan (to say the least) of shimmer and sparkle (except for special occasions). She recommends matte products. I have tried products I wouldn't have normally given a serious thought to, and love them!!! In order for her information to be exceptionally helpful, you can't be stuck on department store brand names. I found it especially intriguing how some department store companies own a lot of "discount store" lines.
Rating:
Summary: To Tell the Truth - FINALLY!
Review: I bought this book about three months ago and have already saved atleast $300.00 in cosmetics since purchasing it. Paula has really done her homework and the TRUTH about the cosmetics industry and its deceitful and outrageous advertising claims are exposed. I imagine alot of cosmetics companies are scrambling for their britches and wish Paula and her fabulous book were just a bad dream. Before I read this book I was spending about $100.00 a month + on a cosmetics line. There was the "firming eye cream", "fine line minimizer", then the "firming and lifting" moisterizer, and then the " firming neck and chest cream", night cream, and on-and-on. All of these products promised anywhere from 47 to 67% improvements and it just didn't seem to be happening. But they had been "scientifically tested" - so it must be true, right? So I kept waiting and buying. Now I know the truth. I spend about $10.00 a month now on facial cosmetics. When I read this book I felt like Paula and I were sitting at a table having a cup of coffee. She's funny, scientific but easy to understand, entertaining, and writes in a conversational style. She does not put down cosmetic companies or their products in general - just the deceitful and dishonest claims that many of them make. She stays lowkey with her own line of cosmetics. Paula also gives valuable information on the use and application of skin care products and make-up. This is a must-read for anyone and everyone who uses facial cosmetics and/or make-up and hair care products. There is also a chapter on mens products and skin care! Paula is obviously an animal lover and gives information on which companies test their products on animals. She is logical and not fanatical in this regard but is very much against animal testing when not necessary.
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