Customer Reviews

Beauty Confidential

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I picked this up on a whim from the library, and had a blast reading through it. I am a mom of 4 kids between 4 months and 7 years old. I DO NOT get a chance to take time to make myself presentable more than a couple of times a month. What's really great about this book is she gives you the tips to do it right. Some of these things I learned the hard way after many years of trial and error, so it's nice to see it in print (and sometimes with diagrams!). The other thing that I enjoyed about this book is the tone. My best friend sounds like this when she's giving me a verbal slap upside the head as needed. :D
Lastly, she gave me names of products that there is No Way On this Green Earth that I would have looked for or tried. So, I'm here on Amazon to buy a copy for my sisters' birthday. They will love it! Thanks!

I love this book! Beauty Confidential has become my go to resource when I want to know what to do with my hair, or what kind of makeup will work best for me, or how to wash my dry clean sweaters. My husband has commented that my hair looks better than it has for years. I am using some of the products that the author recommends, but I am not spending a fortune on them, unless they are really worth it. The author has done all of the testing, so I don't have to. It is like having a girl friend who tells you all of her secrets for looking great. I save money on the items that I can, then spend money on things that really matter, like getting really good haircuts. This book was well worth the money!!!

Being a fan of beauty products since the wee age of five, I've always thought myself a beauty afficionado. That was until, I met my match--Ms. Nadine Haobsh. I've turned to her blog for advice on self tanners without the orange face effect, face moisturizers that don't make you break out, and foundations that are worth spending a quarter of that paycheck on. Now, with "Beauty Confidential", I can take her advice with me wherever I go. I love Ms. Haobsh's fun, witty and honest writing style and her unflinching devotion to her favorite products (ahem, Bare Escentuals.) I especially appreciate the way she breaks down each chapter by affordable products. If "Cosmo" is a girl's Fashion Bible, then "Confidential" is the new Beauty Bible.

The only virtues about this book are that it's a quick read and that it's cheap. For women who have even the most rudimentary understanding of beauty in the western world (i.e. knowing what a cleanser/toner/moisturiser is), however, this book offers almost nothing. Nadine Haobsh's premise is that, as a beauty editor, she's done the work for you; on her countless trips to Sephora she's sorted the gems from the cobblestones, and she's here to tell you what the picks of the bunch are, thus saving you time and money.

However, even as a moderately beauty conscious woman, I had heard virtually all this before. Go on youtube and you'll hear countless 'Gurus' talking about YSL Touche Eclat, Narciso Rodriguez For Her, Frederic Fekkai, Diorshow mascara etc. All this information is conveniently available in the public domain, for free. There are no breakthroughs here whatsoever. Also, 50% of this 'catalogue' (because it's hardly a 'book'), is about the vacuous pleasures of being a beauty editor, i.e. dousing yourself in perfume, getting massages etc -- useless and irritating to the common reader.

This book promotes mediocrity and product-hoarding, much like a beauty magazine. For example, it touts ideas like "it is accepted in the beauty industry that EVERYONE looks better with fake tan. There are, however, exceptions." These "exceptions" aren't explored at all, so a girl like myself with English Rose skin is meant to just go with the party line and get her orange on, I suppose.

The positives about this book: I did benefit from reading the study on the twins -- one wore sunscreen assiduously, the other lead a beach bunny lifestyle. At 20, there was no perceptible difference, but at 50, there could have been a 15 year age difference between the two women. The moral of this story: re-apply your sunscreen (not your cosmetic 'sunblock') every *two hours*. The specifics of this study were a wake-up call to me, though I already observe suncare. Also, despite having no pictures, which are extremely necessary for something as visual as hairstyling, the chapter on hair wasn't too bad and did have some handy tips for those who, like myself, are a bit style-challenged when it comes to hair and just want a good place to start.

One trait about this book that I found particularly annoying was the author's writing style. Obviously this is a beauty book, but this girl just wastes pages and pages with her silly jumble which she thinks is witty. Being stuck with her for the 5 hours you'll spend reading this book is slow and painful.

My advice: Skip this book and pick up Victoria Beckham's infinitely superior 'That Extra Half an Inch'. Packed with genuine wit not vacuous editor-speak, much more specific and timeless advice, great pictures, and a whole lot more fun, it is easily the better choice. Better yet, wait for Dita Von Teese's beauty book which drops next year.

I got this book from the library. I thought it was about clothing style. When I started reading it, I realized I'd chosen a "BEAUTY" book, just like the title suggests. The book is totally interesting to read. The author has a great sense of humor and is down-to-earth in her evaluations and writing style. Within the first couple of chapters I thought, oh no, this is for 20 and 30-somethings and not for a 50+ stay at home woman who Tim Gunn would rip apart my wardrobe. I decided to keep reading. Boy, I am sooooo glad I did.
Did you know you should not dry your hair by rubbing the towel all over your head--it disturbs your hair and you get major frizzies. I cannot wait to just throw my hair into a towel and get the water out without rubbing.
Did you know, you don't have to buy expensive moisturizer, that one of the best is sold at a drug store.
The author suggests products from all spectrums from drug store to sephora and gives her suggestions about which are best.
You will not regret reading this book. It is chock full of great information, even for non-fashionista women! ENJOY......

There's a lot to like about this little book. First, she provides some great lists of "best" products, like:
-- The Products in Every Beauty Editor's Cabinet
-- Greatest Mascaras of all Time
-- Best Intensive Conditioners, etc.

Second, at the end of each chapter, she provides lists of all the products she mentioned during that chapter, along with information on cost and where you can buy the product. Very helpful.

Third, she writes in a funny, conversational style. For example, in the chapter on complexion, she says, "What do you see when you look at your skin in the mirror? Do you think, 'Oh my God, I am so gorgeous?' (Hey, there, Paris!) Or do your eyes immediately zoom in on whatever "flaws" you may have, real or imagined? (Or, um, is this just me?)"

The book is easy to read, and offers some really good advice. She does jump around a bit, but not so much that it detracts from the value of what she has to say. It's well worth the read!

If you are a fan of Nadine's blog (as I am), you will find this book filled with all of the great tips and helpful advice you're used to seeing on her Q&A type posts and more - all delivered in the down-to-earth, cute and fun way we are used to.

If you haven't read Nadine's blog (or are considering buying this for someone else), know that the book is filled with simple tips and honest advice in an easy-to-digest and fun format that any woman could use and enjoy.

What a gem of a book. Nadine Haobsh has created the go-to bible for all things beauty. She covers everything- from salon etiquette, to what products to splurge on, and best of all, what items to save money on and buy at the drugstore. Every single item I have purchased that she has recommended has not disappointed me. Anyone honest enough to say that a $6 bottle of drugstore brand fashwash is better than the ones in high department stores is a hero in my book.

Before I read this book I spent over $125 in foundation, concealor, and powder. I had red, irritated acne-prone skin. Now that I am following her product advice, I am spending only $70, and my skin is the best it has ever been. Also, I was spending $35 a bottle for a salon brand of intensive conditioner. She recommended Aussie 3 Minute Deep, which only cost me $3! And best of all, it works even better!

My only complaint is that there is no sequel (yet) to this excellent book, as there are a few products she recommends that are now discontinued. But do not worry; she writes that if items are discontinued, what alternative to look for in clear detail so that you don't wander stores unsure if your choice is a match.

Finally, a book that gives you real beauty advice, saving you time, money, and puts the fun back into beauty. I have been introduced to wonderful new products, and have had so much fun using them while saving myself money. I could not recommend it more highly. This book is worth its weight in gold.

I was scouting the bookstores for a birthday present for my sister and saw what looked like an interesting book on beauty, written by a young author who writes a successful blog offering beauty tips. My sister loved the book and has already passed it onto a friend of hers to read. The writer has a really engaging writing style - lots of humour and intelligence. I'd definitely recommend checking out the book for yourself...or if you have a sister who wants to know how to look and feel her best!

This book was amazing and I highly recommend it for all the girls out there who feel like they were out of the room when the "How To Be A Girl" Book was handed out to all the other girls. I never wore makeup and was honestly afraid of it before reading this book. How do you know what to wear, what colors work for you, and dear God, how do you apply it? Being to shy to ask my friends, because a 30 year old really should know these things, I foud my answers in Nadine's book after a beauty expert friend of mine mentioned it on her blog. What a difference! I am no longer terrified of going into Sephora, wear makeup daily and actually feel naked without it on, and feel so girly! It boosted my confidence because I tried new products that have helped my acne and made my skin shine! Overall, I've started taking care of myself, inspired by Nadine's book and pointed in the right direction by her. She gave me the tools I needed to take the initial steps towards beauty. Thanks Nadine!!!