Customer Reviews

The Beauty Bible: The Ultimate Guide to Smart Beauty, 2nd Edition

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The Beauty Bible is meant as a companion volume to Paula Bogoun's Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, and it does contain some unique information not found in Don't Go..., including advice on overall body care and tips on makeup application. However, the most helpful sections of this book--eg, instructions for blemish/acne treatment, inside information about product ingredients, etc.--are covered more succinctly and clearly in Begoun's other work, which also includes a ton of useful information on specific skin care and makeup products. I recommend that you first purchase Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, and if you then require additional information, consider buying this book.

Do you find yourself spending your hard earned money on skincare products that do not improve the quality of your skin?

Do you find yourself seduced by the t.v. informercials/commercials/ magazine advertisements on the newest & greatest makeup or skincare regime that promises you will look 100% better?

Do you have skincare products or cosmetics in your bathroom drawer that has a thin film of dust on them because when you brought it home you found out it did not improve your skin care or cosmetic issues....but it was so expensive that you just could not throw it away?

If you answered yes, maybe or even no & you are a consumer of skincare or cosmetic products and want to be an INFORMED CONSUMER this book is for you.

I bought this book because I was tired of spending my hard earned money on products with empty promises. I immediately purchased this book a few days after reading DON'T GO TO THE COSMETICS COUNTER WITHOUT ME, 2003 edition. I wanted to get information on how to deal with my oily, acne proned skin. I've been to several dermatologists who told me I had cystic acne (the worst case) and basically told me I had to use Accutane. Well, being the fact that I am in my childbearing years...the risks overpowered the benefits of using such a powerful drug. Then I used an expensive skin care regime (the only one you see on t.v. informercials 2-3x's per day) which improved my skin about 70-80% , but put a dent in my wallet. I knew there had to be a better and cost effective way to treat my skin condition. Needless to say, I used the information that was suggested in the book and you would never be able to tell that I even had skin problems.

I will admit that the makeup tips are rather conservative. However, for women working in a professional & business casual environment there are some helpful tips. You can always make modifications to suit your own personal style.

When purchasing this book (which you should definitely have in your library) understand that Ms. Begoun is first a Consumer Advocate. So there is alot of information about what the Industry does not want to you know about type stuff. However, all the information crammed in this book beats a yearly subscription to some advertisement filled fashion magazine.

I recommend you buy this book along with DONT GO TO THE COSMETICS COUNTER WITHOUT ME, 2003 edition for a holistic view of Ms. Begoun's suggestions.

When I first saw this book, along with its companion 'Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me', I was very excited! I thought that I'd finally found a 'Consumer Reports'-type book on makeup. 'Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me' is very much like that priceless magazine, but you sometimes get the feeling Begoun is determined to dislike any high-end name brand simply on principle.
Although the information contained in Begoun's 'Bible' is thorough and certainly well-researched, some of her suggestions (especially for skincare) are just plain wrong. Bear in mind that although Begoun does every cosmetics-buying woman a justice with this book, she is NOT a dermatologist.
I found the book very informative and very helpful, but as with every other product purchase you will ever make in your life, you must decide what works best for you, never mind someone else's "bible".

Paula has done me a huge service in recommending Cetaphil skin cleanser. Everything I tried before, even if it was much more expensive, made my skin itch, turn red, even get hives. So for that alone, I really appreciate her. This book was also very helpful in finding a BHA product. The one I had had was the wrong PH (no wonder it didn't work). I also know ingredients to avoid in anything else I put on my face, and I'm using a sunscreen that blocks UVA and UVB both. I don't wear makeup, so I just skipped that part. I did read some of the parts on cosmetic surgery with a ghoulish fascination. I do have a scar I might want to do something about, though . . .

My older daughter is ten, so I will be giving her the chapter on break-outs soon, and then perhaps she can handle them much better than I did. I put alcohol on my skin when I was a teenager. Ouch! This section is wonderful in keeping you from making matters worse by irritating the skin or drying it out too much. It also covers all the options, even the ones you hope you'll never have to consider, like Accutane.

I'm studying beauty therapy, so books like these are of great interest to me. The thing I like about this book is that its unbiased. Sure there are things that are hard to believe, and things that you think ... sure that makes sense ... but ingeneral, Paula tries to be as objective as she can and substantiates everything that she has written in the book. I may not agree with everything she says, but I can respect what she says and the position she takes and I have learnt more than a few things from the book.

A must-have for every beauty enthusiast who spends thousands of dollars just to look for the next miracle cream because the last one didn't do what it was claimed to.
Written clearly and with a sense of humour The Beauty Bible is literally a bible, explaining with details all the 'You Shalt' and 'You Shalt Not' in cosmetics, including all the hype ingredients, what to do to really have a better skin (it works, I bought her products) and how to prevent future damage. The book also includes a How-To makeup section.
The best part in the book is reading how we are fed with lies by the salespeople and cosmetics companies. I was amazed!
I will never look at the beauty industry the same.

I think this is a very informative 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 - so you will rarely see anything there but glowing reviews. 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. Plus they are only added in teeny-tiny amounts, just enough so that the company can say that the product contains natural ingredients.) She explains how toners/astringents and most products that supposedly help acne contain extremely irritating ingredients that can make your pimples worse. She also explains why the terms "hypoallergenic" and "dermatologist tested" are meaningless hype, and how the cosmetic companies can get away with misleading advertizing because cosmetics are not regulated by the FDA.

Paula also includes a lot of information on skincare and makeup application. I didn't always agree with her opinions about application, 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.

I highly recommend her skincare advice for managing oily skin and acne: its sensible, easy to follow, and it works like nothing I have tried before, esp. milk of magnesia for shine control and salicylic acid for exfoliating pores. However, her one-size-fits-all approach to cosmetic colors and textures left me cold. Don't wear anything blue or green. Neutral matte eye colors, colorful cheeks and lips (creamy, not glossy). No color correcting powder (tell that to women with rosacea). No sparkles or luminescence. Pah-leeeeze. Cosmetics, like clothes, are an expression of personality and style. If you are clueless about make-up and don't mind looking like a suburban soccor mom, her style will work for you. Otherwise, for a more diverse collection of cosmetic ideas, check out The Make-up Book by Joy Terri.

I do agree with Paula's advice and reviews on skincare, and have found a system that works for me. I had the previous edition of this book too, and the updated information was very helpful. The beauty application techniques are pretty classic and useful. However, I strongly disagree with some of Paula's opinions such as "shimmery eyeshadows" and not using certain colors. This may be just fine for some women, such as middle-aged executives and such, but makeup should be FUN and express your individually. It doesn't always have to look "natural" or intend to be. Though an attractive woman, not everyone wants to look like Paul Begoun! I'm in my early 40s, a long-time cosmetics addict, somewhat amateur makeup artist -- and I wear all sorts of colors and textures and, Paula forbid, even glitter sometimes! I'd take Paula's advice with a grain of salt -- apply what works for you and ditch the rest.

Does this scenario sound familiar to you? You pick up a copy of you favorite magazine, and when you flip through the pages, you find an article on skin care. In it, you are told that if you have oily skin (and just for the sake of this arguement, let's say you do ), you still need to use a moisturizer, because oil is not a moisturizer, really, and you need to protect your skin. They tell you that you need one that is light and oil free, and usually name one or two that they recommend. So, even though you have never used one, you figure that hey, they are the experts so they should know. You go right out to buy one, start to use it, and notice that your skin seems even oiler than before. Before long, you start to break out. The next month, when you once again pick up this magazine, there is another article on skin care by someone else, only this time, they tell you NOT to use a moisturizer if you have oily skin, because oil is the skin's own natural moisturizer, and if you use one, it can cause problems, like breakouts. Now you are mad, confused, and at a total loss. Just what is going on here?
As far-fetched as it sounds, this happens all the time. And until I found this great lady, Paula Begoun, I didn't know what to believe. If you are fed up with conflicting advice, then read this book,and be confused no longer.
Paula is not a quack who decided one day to write a book. She has been at this for a long time. She does very thorough research, interviewing cosmetic chemists ( the people who formulate cosmetics ), dermatologists, she reads cosmetic industry journals and papers, medical journals and papers, etc., etc. She really is the Ralph Nader of cosmetics. She cuts through the crap that the magazines and cosmetics companies and their salespeople try to tell you. She gives practical, down to earth advice on skin care for all skin types, and she adds new information or corrects old information found to be outdated in each new addition of her books. She keeps up with everything going on in the industry, and lets you in on the latest news.Most importantly, she will tell you what the cosmetic companies wish she wouldn't: the simple truth.
If you're tired of being lied to, tired of being confused, read this book. You'll be doing yourself, your pocketbook, and your skin a big favor!