The Beauty Bible: From Acne to Wrinkles and Everything in Between

Rating:
Summary: Use as a reference book, not a Bible
Review: Every other page says the same thing over and over and over. I was so tired of reading the same advice in every chapter. It is almost like the author didn't have enough to say, if she only said each point once or even twice this book would be half as long. She states that nearly every ingredient is an irritant. Her sunscreen advice is good--more people need to know about the damage the sun causes to your skin. I also like that she explains the difference between a cosmetic and a drug or FDA approved product. People buy into the marketing and ads too much--usually people writing the copy on ads have never even used the product--sometimes it is written before the product has even come out of the development stage. So buyer beware of this--and this book does teach the reader about this issue. This is not a beauty bible--it should be used as a reference book, refer to the index and read what interests you and what is best for you. I have been trying to read it cover to cover and it is hard. Also, I personally do not feel that cosmetic/plastic surgery is something God intended for us to do except for medical purposes or seriously disfiguring diseases. i.e. burns, breast cancer, birth defects etc, and she has an entire chapter on surgeries. If you want to buy this book remember it is a Beauty and Cosmetic Reference book not a bible.

Rating:
Summary: Very good read for beginners.
Review: I have read it and I think it's good but not really worth 20 $ in my case because the level of my skin care knowledge is higher , there was nothing in this book that I did not know already. I wish I could have read it when I was 15 , in that case it would have saved me from making a lot of mistakes.
So, I highly recommended for people that want to know more about skin care.

Rating:
Summary: An eye-opener
Review: I have this book and two others of Paula's and highly recommend them. I have learned so much about skin care and saving money! I won't buy cosmetics or skin care without checking her book "Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me". The Beauty Bible has excellent skin care advice. My cystic acne is now gone thanks to her advice and products! Thank you Ms. Begoun for the excellent information!!

Rating:
Summary: Great info, worth the price
Review: I'm a woman about to turn 30 and I am suddenly worried about my skin, wearing makeup, etc. Being completely ignorant about these matters I decided to pick up a book on it.

While the title "Beauty Bible" is a bit misleading, it is jam-packed with well-written information focused mainly on skin care, followed by makeup. This won't tell you anything about exercise, healthy diet, etc. which are also essential components of beauty. It will dispel so many skincare myths and point you in the right direction. I am really enjoying reading it.

For those of you who love reading exposes on various industries, this is an excellent book on how the cosmetics industry separates women from their money! You will be innoculated to all the hype the cosmetics companies throw at you.

Of course I have to point out that Paula puts herself in that place (taking your money) - if you go to her website you can buy her skincare and makeup products (among other things) and a subscription to her newsletter. However if anyone's going to make money off of me, it might as well be a well-meaning businesswoman on her crusade for cosmetic truth, and not a heartless corporation that bases its products on marketing instead of effectiveness.

Rating:
Summary: Full of great information
Review: Some reviewers have mentioned that this book is just a rehash of Paula's other book, _Blue Eyeshadow Should be Illegal_. That is somewhat true because technically _The Beauty Bible_ is a revised/updated version of that book, just with a new name. The name change reflects the fact that, in addition to having information on cosmetics and skin care for the face, it has information on body care as well. So if you already have _Blue Eyeshadow_ you may not be interested in this book, since large parts of _The Beauty Bible_ are similar to it.

That said, I think this is a wonderful book. Paula explains why fashion magazines will never give an honest critique of beauty products (they can't say anything negative and risk angering the cosmetics companies who advertise in their pages). She explains how most moisturizers are the same, and how any claims that they can lift, firm, or tone the skin are a bunch of BS. She explains why so-called "botanicals" or "natural" products have no special benefits for the skin and are only used as a marketing strategy to make products seem more interesting or glamorous. (By the time the "natural" elements are extracted and bottled, there is hardly anything "natural" left in them.) She explains how toners/astringents and most products that supposedly help acne contain extremely irritating ingredients that can make your pimples worse. She also includes a lot of information on skincare and makeup application. I didn't always agree with her opinions about makeup, but it's still refreshing to see someone willing to speak out against the downright dishonest claims made by cosmetics companies, and to educate us consumers. Every woman who uses cosmetics or skincare products should read this book, as well as _Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me_. These two books will pay for themselves when they save you time and money. You'll learn to be a smart consumer and see right through the marketing hype and ridiculous claims that the cosmetics companies would have you believe.

Rating:
Summary: Full of great information
Review: Some reviewers have mentioned that this book is just a rehash of Paula's other book, _Blue Eyeshadow Should be Illegal_. That is somewhat true because technically _The Beauty Bible_ is a revised/updated version of that book, just with a new name. The name change reflects the fact that, in addition to having information on cosmetics and skin care for the face, it has information on body care as well. So if you already have _Blue Eyeshadow_ you may not be interested in this book, since large parts of _The Beauty Bible_ are similar to it.

That said, I think this is a wonderful book. Paula explains why fashion magazines will never give an honest critique of beauty products (they can't say anything negative and risk angering the cosmetics companies who advertise in their pages). She explains how most moisturizers are the same, and how any claims that they can lift, firm, or tone the skin are a bunch of BS. She explains why so-called "botanicals" or "natural" products have no special benefits for the skin and are only used as a marketing strategy to make products seem more interesting or glamorous. (By the time the "natural" elements are extracted and bottled, there is hardly anything "natural" left in them.) She explains how toners/astringents and most products that supposedly help acne contain extremely irritating ingredients that can make your pimples worse. She also includes a lot of information on skincare and makeup application. I didn't always agree with her opinions about makeup, but it's still refreshing to see someone willing to speak out against the downright dishonest claims made by cosmetics companies, and to educate us consumers. Every woman who uses cosmetics or skincare products should read this book, as well as _Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me_. These two books will pay for themselves when they save you time and money. You'll learn to be a smart consumer and see right through the marketing hype and ridiculous claims that the cosmetics companies would have you believe.

Rating:
Summary: An eye-opener
Review: Thanks to this book I will never again fall for the sales pitch ("even oily skin needs moisturiser") or marketing strategy ("developed by such and such famous doctor/dermatologist/scientist") skin care companies use. All I can say is I wish I bought this book sooner - it is worth its weight in gold.

Rating:
Summary: Great info, worth the price
Review: The Beauty Bible is the first book I've come across that explains skin types in more than just the usual 'oily, dry, combo, acne-prone' categories. Begoun gives straightforward, in-depth advice on sun protection, skincare routines to combat acne, hydroxy acids and much more. Her smart advice will save consumers money and her skincare plan can be used by women of just about every skin type you can imagine. The makeup application instructions are the most detailed I've ever seen. She even touches on subjects such as teens and makeup, cosmetic surgery and permanent makeup, all with a common-sense attitude.

Rating:
Summary: She tells it like it is
Review: Yes, it is true that there's no such thing as a miracle beauty product, and there's just no point on wasting your money in slick, pretty-packaged stuff that claims to be the solution to any problem you have. I only wish someone had told me that before. Anyway, better late than never. I found Ms. Begoun's advice most useful, although she focuses a bit too much on the age 40 plus group. The research she has made in beauty products is very thorough and informative, although the colors she recommends are a bit too drab for my taste, but then, I'm nineteen, so I can still get away with green nail polish and body glitter now and then. Thank you Paula, for helping me save my hard-earned bucks instead of throwing them away in hope-in-a-bottle scams.