Book Review- Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me By Paula Begoun

March 29, 2008 by Lleonn
Filed under Book And DVD Reviews

I have been reading this book called Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me By Paula Begoun(7th Edition) and I must tell you its a wonderful book.

Paula has reviewed more than 3000 products ( almost all the big brands in the market). She has listed why she likes a particular product and why she doesn’t like it.

She reviews products based on the claims made by the brands versus how it works(she goes by labeling). Ingredients listed on the labels help her review the products because its definitely not possible to use each and every product for reviewing them.

Paula is very particular about these points-

#She says every brand should have products with AHAs and BHAs for blemished prone skin.

# She says skin whitening creams and gels in jars are of no use because most of the ingredients used in the skin whitening/lightening creams are sensitive to air and light so these products have to be packed in an air-tight, dark colored container.

# She is completely against using soaps and bars on the skin.

# She doesn’t like fragrant essential oils because they irritate your skin, let alone synthetic fragrant oils.

# She says don’t go for Toners that contain Alcohol or Menthol because it will leave your face feeling dry, red and itchy so its not good for any skin type.

# She doesn’t believe in buying separate day and night cream except for sunscreen. She says our skin needs the same food whether its day or night.

Paula’s Rating System:

Paula’s Pick

$$$ Excellent (Paula’s Pick but overpriced)

Very Good

$$$ Very Good( but overpriced)

Average

|$$$ Average(and overpriced)

Poor( don’t buy)

Paula dispels cosmetics industry myths and answers the following questions:

# Of the thousands of anti-wrinkle products being sold which ones work?
# Are expensive skin care and makeup products better then inexpensive ones?
# What are the worst shopping mistakes women make?
# What are the best products (cleansers, moisturizers, anti-aging, foundation, blush, lipgloss, sunscreen) for the least amount of money?
# Are there any miracle skin-care ingredients?
# Can you ever understand a cosmetic ingredient label?
# What about mineral oil, parabens, or other cosmetic ingredients some cosmetic companies and web sites have labeled as dangerous?
# Are “organic”, “natural” or “botanical” products superior to those that contain synthetic ingredients?
# Why are irritating cosmetic ingredients or formulations so bad for skin?

I agree with some of her reviews and don’t agree with some. I have never had any problem using any essential oil in my skincare products so I don’t agree with her opinion towards essential oils. She’s completely right about avoiding clear jars for skin lightening or any cream because it can get contaminated easily and some of them tend to be air and light sensitive. I also agree with the fact that alcohol and menthol based toners should be avoided because it really irritates your skin.

I couldn’t understand why her own products (Paula’s Choice) are rated when most of the brands are ripped apart completely.

Here’s a sample review from her 1,200 page book:

La Mer Creme De La Mer($1200 for 16.5 ounces)

“Creme De La Mer is the original product created by Max Huber, as described in the introduction to La Mer. As enticing as this dramatic story sounds, the reality is that this very basic cream doesn’t contain anything particularly extraordinary or unique, unless you want to believe that seaweed extract (sort of like seaweed tea) can in some way heal burns and scars. Even if it could, burns and scars don’t have much to do with wrinkling, and this product is now being sold as a wrinkle cream. According to Susan Brawley, professor of plant biology at the University of Maine, “Seaweed extract isn’t a rare, exotic, or expensive ingredient. Seaweed extract is readily available and [is] used in everything from cosmetics to food products and medical applications.” Creme de la Mer contains mostly seaweed extract, mineral oil, Vaseline, glycerin, waxlike thickening agents, lime extract, plant oils, plant seeds, minerals, vitamins, more thickeners, and preservatives.

This rather standard moisturizer also contains some good antioxidants, but the jar packaging won’t keep them stable during use. This also contains a skin-stressing amount of eucalyptus oil, as well as Kathon CG, a preservative that is recommended for use only in rinse-off products. Consumers who have a “steadfast devotion” to this product are not only wasting their money but also hurting their skin.”

You will get to discover some shocking truths about the beauty industry. So Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without going through this book.

You can buy this book at Paula’s website.

at Amazon

Overall, its a very good reference book specially for those people who are particular about using and avoiding certain ingredients in their cosmetics/skincare products.