Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, 7th Edition (Paperback)

by Paula Begoun (Author), Bryan Barron (Author)
Key Phrases: cosmetic ingredient dictionary, combination skin, normal skin, Paula's Pick, Cover Girl, Estee Lauder (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Women spend an extraordinary amount of money on cosmetics--$45 billion a year in the U.S. alone. Now in its fourth edition, Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me strikes fear in cosmetics-counter consultants everywhere. First off, Begoun has deconstructed ingredient lists. Ever wonder what methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben are doing in your mascara? And what is diazolidinyl urea? All four are potential irritants, and the latter is a preservative that can release formaldehyde, a class A carcinogen. Buyer beware.

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. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

This well-organized, authoritative book helps women find products that make them look great without spending a fortune. From drugstores and home shopping to department stores and catalogs, Paula Begoun reviews all the major cosmetic and skin-care lines, product by product, with more than 30,000 total. Regardless of cost, there are good and bad products in almost every line, and with the turn of a page, readers can get concise reviews and fast answers. A user-friendly rating system makes it easy to find items worth trying.

Product Details

• Paperback: 1184 pages
• Publisher: Beginning Press; 7th edition (December 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1877988324
• ISBN-13: 978-1877988325
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (344 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,509 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

373 of 388 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply the best, March 30, 2003

By	Jennifer L. Metcalf (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me (Paperback)

I am amazed at some of the reviews which demonstrate that some alleged readers didn't read the book very carefully at all. Paula clearly admits that the reviews in her book are her opinions. However, I've been reading her books for over a decade, and her opinions are based on solid, thorough, scientific research NOT funded by anyone other than herself. I don't know of another book that can make that claim. She mixes her opinions with facts that few others dare because she has nothing to lose in the process. When she tells the truth, we all benefit. Articles in women's magazines stand to lose an enormous amount of advertising revenue if any editorials threaten to blow Estee Lauder, Lancome, Clinique, Maybelline, or any cosmetics company that spends literally millions of dollars in ads off their solid gold pedestals. Paula also states quite clearly that if a certain regime or product works for the consumer, then the consumer should stick with it.

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.

343 of 366 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Trying to be as thorough as possible in this review, July 7, 2006

By	Ashley Anderson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me (Paperback)

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.

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stop Wasting Money and Buy This Book!, January 19, 2000

By	Karen (Arkansas, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me: An Eye-Opening Guide to Brand-Name Cosmetics (Don't Go to the Cosmetic Counter Without Me) (Paperback)

There are a lot of ingredients in skin care products and cosmetics that are bad for ANYONE'S skin and Paula lets you know which ingredients these are and which products contain these ingredients. I like the way she's not afraid to tell it like it is and be honest (some people would refer to this as sarcasm). She also points out which expensive products and reasonably priced products have the SAME ingredients so you don't waste a lot of money. The first cosmetic purchase I made after reading Paula's book I saved enough so that the book paid for itself. I have to say that the cheaper brand is doing just as good a job as the more expensive brand. Also since I'm sure she knows what she's talking about, I purchased her skin care routine. I LOVE it. My skin looks and feels better than it has in a long time and my makeup looks great because of her opinions. Now every time I need to buy something I refer to her book.