Great Reads: Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me

When at the bookstore the other day, I headed straight to the (small) beauty section in hopes of finding a book with some great makeup looks and tips. After browsing and looking at nearly every book on the shelf, however, I set my eyes on something that looked to be far more promising and useful - something that could potentially save me a good deal of money.

I picked up Paula Begoun's Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, a comprehensive guide packed with information, advice, and insights to the beauty industry and cosmetics as well as thousands of product reviews from nearly every major (and many non-major) brand currently available. The book is enormous, spanning nearly 1200 pages - the bulk of which lies in the reviews.

The author's objectives are to expose the frequent falsehoods and truths behind the misleading claims made by cosmetics companies. She thoroughly examines jargon, ingredients, myths and claims, and her reviews go in-depth to examine the effectiveness and reality of products.

This guide truly is amazing - and I would honestly recommend it to any woman today who invests in the beauty industry.

That being said, it is not without its drawbacks; some reviews and advice must be taken with a grain of salt. The reviews are largely based on ingredient content, and Paula criticizes harshly where this is concerned. The guide would be extremely beneficial to those with sensitive skin, because so much attention is given to skin irritants and harmful ingredients.

In addition, although the reviews seem well-backed with solid research and information and are detailed and balanced, the author unashamedly demonstrates bias towards her own products, including glowing reviews of everything in her cosmetics and skincare line, Paula's Choice. This may not sit well with some readers, but, I think, can be forgiven. To counter this bias, there are plenty of products outside her brand that receive her strong approval and fair recommendation.

Overall, this guide is an excellent one to own. You can consult it before considering making any beauty purchase, especially for those over-hyped, overpriced products that are almost never what they're made out to be (and she'll tell you why). You don't have to make your decision based solely on her advice, but it helps to know the opinions of a professional and exactly what goes into a product and what it really does and doesn't do. You won't agree with her on everything, but that makes this no less of a worthy read.

In the end, Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me has the potential to save you tons of time, money, irritation, and a lot of false hope. At $24.95, the book doesn't necessarily run cheap - but when you consider the sheer volume of useful content and what it can do for you, it will likely end up paying for itself with one skipped product purchase. And this kind of integrity in the industry is one of the most beautiful thing of all - even if it is clear that she is, indeed, very proud of her own products, as is stated in the book's disclaimers.

Budget beauty buyers - add this to your wish list. :) Or, for $24.95 a year, you can subscribe to Paula's online review and information database, Beautypedia.com, which contains all the information of the book and is updated weekly.

You can purchase Paula's book on her website and in many major bookstores.

Happy reading!