Begoun also lists which companies are cruelty-free and which continue to conduct animal testing. The majority of the book--and that's nearly 800 pages--is devoted to reviews of thousands of cosmetics, from cleansers, foundations, alpha-hydroxy acids, and moisturizers to lip liners, eye shadows, and concealers, all of which Begoun has personally tested. (There are no hair care products listed, as that warrants another book entirely: Don't Go Shopping for Hair Care Products Without Me.)

She's perfectly frank and tells it like it is. (On Revlon's ColorStay Makeup: "goes far beyond the claim of 'It won't come off on him.' It won't come off when you want it to.") You'll learn how to tell when you're being boondoggled by a salesperson, what's overpriced and overhyped, as well as what's overlooked. More than 200 brands are included, along with a helpful summary at the end that lists the best products for each cosmetic category. It should be noted that not only is Begoun a fine consumer advocate, she's also a self-esteem advocate: she mentions time and again that even the best cosmetics won't necessarily improve your life, and that's a point well taken.

Product Description

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.


Trying to be as thorough as possible in this review   July 8, 2006
 232 out of 252 found this review helpful

I'll try to be as thorough as I possibly can in this review.

I'm a pretty big fan of Paula although I don't agree with *everything* she has to say. Being in the skin-care industry myself (I am a bio-chemist) I feel as if I am a little more aware than the average consumer. Some of her research seems dead-on while some seems a little off-base. I'll explain:

Natural ingredients. I happen to be a huge fan of natural ingredients yet Paula, I feel, is way to harsh on companies or products who use such ingredients. As an example, she seems to be a huge fan of mineral oils and petroleum (both biproducts of the oil industry) while I am not. I just don't understand why she uses mineral oil and petroleum as her main moisturizes and praises any formulation that uses them as their main moisturizers. The molecules are simply too large to thoroughly absorb into the pores. They just sit there on the skin and look greasy. On the other hand, plant based oils are lighter in texture, are from natural sources, and are loaded with vitamins. Mineral oil just sits on your skin and clogs the pores.

Essential Oils. When used in moderation (preferably in concentrations of %0.25 - %1) essential oils can work wonders on the skin and, I feel, are much safer to use than their chemical counterparts. Tea tree essential oil, for example, is one of the few things I can use that zaps my blemishes. On the other hand, Paula seems to be a rabid fan of BHA. Although effective, it is just too harsh for most people. She seems to really bash anyone who uses essential oils in their products. These are basically natural plant extracts that have several benefits for the skin and are meant to be dilluted and used only in small amounts. Sure there are some companies that overdo it (I won't name names though I can think of one in particular) but when used in the right amounts, essential oils can have awesome and natural benefits for the body.

Fragrances. Though I totally agree with Paula in that fragrances should never be used on the face or eye area, fragrances are a nice additive in "fun products" like bath oils or shower gels. Again, they are used in such low concentrations (%0.50 - %3) that only those with extremely sensitive skin should avoid fragranced products.

Product Reviews. I understand why she did not review her own products in her book (it seems like some of the other reviews in this section have a problem with this). But it would make no sense if she did rate her own products. If she gave one of her own products a low rating then we would just think "well fix it, silly." lol On the other hand, I do think some of her reviews of other companies were completely unfair. Who cares if you don't like shiny eye-shadows or fragranced items- those are not "scientific no-nos" but personal opinion.

Pricing. This is something I agree with Paula on more than I disagree. If you are paying more than $35-$50 on a facial cream, chances are, you are getting ripped off. Remember, in order for the emulsion process to work, water makes up approximately 70% of the total formula. No matter what else is in it, these companies that charge outrages prices (like $250 for 1 fl oz. of facial lotion) are out of their gourd and are really taking advantage of the consumer. I recently purchased a facial serum for $129. The main ingredients were water and vitamin E- Something I could have made myself for $2 if I had bought the ingredients myself at a health store. So on that end, to an extent, somethings can be way overpriced so I have to give Paula kudos on exposing that one (although expensive items don't necessarily mean overpriced). I usually stick to the "$35- $50 rule of thumb." If it's over $50, chances are, you're getting ripped off.

Hope this helps some people. This book was pretty much a hit or miss with me.


Great for helping you make informed skin care/makeup choices   April 5, 2004
 79 out of 94 found this review helpful

Wow, what an amazing book! It's chock-full of information on THOUSANDS of skin care and makeup products. The reviews are organized by product line, and you will find everything from celebrity indulgences like La Mer to department store staples like Lancome to mass merchandisers like Maybelline to drugstore bargain brands like Wet -n- Wild. At the start of the book, Paula describes exactly how she evaluates and rates the products. Although she hasn't personally tested every product (some of her recommendations are based mainly on the product's ingredients), with her makeup reviews in particular, the extremely specific nature of her comments makes it clear that she's actually tried the many of the items. She includes her own line, Paula's Choice, in her reviews, but other than recommending her products (along with many others), I didn't feel that she was self-advertising. I also found her general information on skin care to be very helpful--for example, I now have a much better understanding of the different factors involved in acne prevention. Similarly, her explanations and glossary vastly increased my knowledge of various ingredients and product claims, such as the difference between AHAs and BHAs, the truth behind terms like "non-comedegenic," and the usefulness of miscellaneous exotic contents. I believe that this book has made me a much more informed consumer: I am now better able to read product labels and to select the best product for my needs. I particularly like the "Paula's Picks" feature, and I definitely plan to try some of her recommendations. An indispensible and unique reference book!


Standard, Ordinary and can be irritating to some "types"   April 2, 2005
 63 out of 85 found this review helpful

I bought this book one year ago, I have read it thoroughly and I have referred to it often and followed her advice on skin care - so this review reflects 1 year's PERSONAL consideration of the book's content. Also, before writing this review I thoroughly read every review on Amazon, and I will repeat comments made by other reviewers, I am doing so because it bears repeating.

This book is basically written for gullible consumers, consumer's who believe the grandiose claims and are swayed by product labeling. For example, Lancome recently marketed a product that claimed to repair or sooth "derma-creases", if you believe that "derma-creases" is an actual scientific term, than you definitely should read this book, because all it means are "wrinkles on the surface of the skin" (that is my own anecdote - not Paula's). Or if you think that a word that is conjugated so that it is French makes it better, than you should also read this book.

But, if you do read this book you need to realize that this the only thing it teaches you - that you are being manipulated by packaging and pseudo scientific claims. Now I am not that gullible, and I know many smart women who aren't that gullible. Many Americans are bombarded by marketing and advertising campaigns on a daily basis, so this is nothing new nor is Paula's almost communistic view of big business anything new either. Unfortunately, when I purchased this book I expected more than that simplistic message.

If you are a smart woman than you may find that Paula Begoun's tone throughout the book is condescending, it is also redundant and most reviews are negative. What makes it especially condescending is that she is not a chemist, nor a dermatologist, and her sources of information come primarily from a few selected sources:

1) The FDA (the government, the same agency that approved Vioxx only to have people die from it),

2) Several published medical articles written by dermatologists, and if you know anything about scientific research, there is always a scientist who can poke holes in another's research and hypothesis. Therefore, one can always find a published article to support the claim they wish to make, and use that exclusively.

3) The beauty companies themselves.

I do not consider any of those sources objective, not even when combined.

Finally, she writes that beauty companies withhold their research or the methods behind them, which is why we shouldn't believe them. Yet, she doesn't hold herself up to the same standards as she admits that her own rating process is more challenging than she can explain or is based "opinion". Sorry, Paula but this does not give me ample reason to believe you.

The book is comprised of reviews for 99% of the skin care and makeup on the market. The reviews are based on the following:

Skin Care: based upon the ingredients, the formulations and whether than may irritate the skin.

Makeup: subjectively (her word - not mine) based upon the texture and color range of the product.

Let's start with her makeup reviews. You don't need someone to tell you if the color ranges are small or vast. One can go to a store or an online store for that. She admits she dislikes iridescent makeup and this is peppered throughout her reviews. Her personal dislike of shiny eye shadow has nothing to do with a product review and is waste of text and the reader's time. And since makeup is such a personal thing, colors are relative to skin tone, age and personal style, and formulations are relative to skin condition and texture - I HAVE TO CONCLUDE THAT HER MAKEUP REVIEWS ARE MEANINGLESS. They would have meaning if she reviewed them according to the key ingredients and why they make a product last longer, go on more smoothly etc. - But she doesn't.

But what about her reviews of skin care? They are redundant and she dislikes MOST products (with the exception of her own Paula's Choice line which gets A+).

Another reviewer mentioned that Paula's ingredient list was not complete. They were right, it isn't - there are many ingredients missing from that list. You can test this yourself, take a few products, read the labels and see if every ingredient can be found in Paula's book, you won't find it.

Her reviews are terribly redundant, if you read most of the reviews they are the same: the product is "standard", "ordinary", "possibly irritating" and doesn't contain sufficient amounts of the key ingredient to make a difference.

When I purchased this book a year ago, I agreed with Paula. I already knew that most products contain the same fundamental emollients, humectants and preservatives. Then, I started experimenting with the products and skin care advice she gave, including purchasing her own line of products (guess I am guillible). After a year, I can say I don't agree with a single review of skin care products coming from Paula.

She adores Cetaphil, and recommends it for all skin types (there are versions for oily skin and dry skin). I decided to try Cetaphil for six months and my skin broke out horribly. Withing a week, my 41 year old skin was covered in pimples on my hair and jawline. I found a site called Makeupally.com and discovered that many women had the same reaction.

In addition to trying Cetaphil, I followed her advice for the blemish prone, I even tried her own products - which were so irritating my skin was a red, raw mess, that putting water on it BURNED - AND YES I FOLLOWED HER REGIMEN EXACTLY. I couldn't believe that while her skin care product reviews frequently mention the potential for irritation, she herself advises women with blemish prone skin to use a combination of retinoids, disinfectants and BHA's. That is just too much exfoliation for even oily skin. I had to conclude that her advice cannot be counted on.

This book is interesting, it is great if you are interested in trying a new line and want to know the background of the company. However if you chose to purchase this book you need to know ahead of time that the makeup reviews are subjective and her that her research into skin care and ingredients is not complete. Much of her tone throughout the book can lead women to feel stupid and guilty for wanted to splurge on high-end brands or for liking fragrance in their products. And finally, if you are looking for new products to try good luck, because there isn't much out there that Paula likes. Most products are "ordinary", "standard", "with the key ingredients too minimum to make a difference", and "potentially irritating".

After having this book for a year, I feel that Paul's words apply to herself as well: her book is "ordinary", "standard", with "key ingredients too minimum to make a difference" and "potentially irritating".





Slightly biased view of the beauty business.   February 18, 2000
 44 out of 65 found this review helpful

I, too,upon reading this book, found that it offers great justification for downsizing, pricewise, one's beauty regime, regarding both treatment and makeup products. I immediately ran out to the closest Clinique counter, and purchased Dramatically Different Moisturizer rather than my usual Moisture on Line, which I had been pretty well pleased with. No more Lancome mascara for me...it was Maybelline all the way.

Well...three months down the road, my skin looked dull and lifeless. The Cetaphil cleanser that I had started to use was not doing what my former, more pricey cleanser had done. The Maybelline mascara was great, but it did not wear nearly as well as the Lancome mascara. It didn't take long for me to resume using products that were higher priced, yet effective. Basically, you have to determine what your priorities are, before reading this book. If your main goal is to economize, and you are willing to sacrifice benefits, results, and convenience, then look for the smiley faces without the dollar signs in Paula Begoun's book. But if it's results you are looking for, if you want your mascara to wear well, your lipstick to stay on, your foundation to hold a true color, and still be on your face, and not your clothes at the end of the day, I would suggest putting this book on a shelf, where I believe it belongs, along with every other biased and one sided works that we have spent our hard earned dollars on.

Is there no merit at all in this book? Of course there is some. I believe that Paula probably gave what she believes to be a fair and just review of her own cosmetic line. There is worth in everything. It's just that in this instance, what you get is much less than what you think you are getting from this book.

Nice try, Paula. If everything that you said was true, cosmetic counters would no longer be center stage in most of our department stores. Yes, beauty is a business, but writing books and having them published is a business as well.

May everyone enjoy the fruits of their efforts.