Customer Reviews

No More Dirty Looks: The Truth about Your Beauty Products--and the Ultimate Guide to Safe and Clean Cosmetics

5 star:		(36)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

This book is a must-read for anyone who cares about health, beauty and the environment. I was shocked to learn about the cosmetic industry from up close and how little they are protecting my health. This book gave me all the info on the cosmetics I was using that were bad for me and then I got a bunch of ideas about how to change my attitude and my products. I have been using clean and natural beauty products since and my skin feels amazing and I feel better about the industry I am supporting. Great read, I'm giving it to all my loved ones.

No More Dirty Looks The Truth about Your Beauty Products--and the Ultimate Guide to Safe and Clean Cosmetics will be a real eye-opener for many readers unfamiliar with the dangers lurking in so-called beauty products.

The journey for the authors starts when they go to get a Brazilian Blow-Out and discover that formaldehyde is an active ingredient in the product. (Formaldehyde is used to embalm dead people, FYI and is considered a carcinogen.) From there, the authors begin research into all kinds of health and beauty products.

They discover that the FDA doesn't do a very good job in protecting the health of people. One of the most disturbing truths discovered is that endocrine disruptive chemicals are found in baby products and products pregnant women use.

What many people do not realize is that the skin is the largest organ and that it is porous. when you apply a products, it goes through the skin and into the bloodstream. All those chemicals found in makeup and perfume and inside your body! And there are literally 1000's of them.

The best art of the book is that safe and effective alternative beauty products are suggested. Ones that are also not tested on animals.

I have been using safe, chemical beauty products (and safe stuff for home, etc) for years now. I am familiar with many of the products suggested and YES they are effective! (Like anything else, you have to test and see for yourself.) Once you get used to these products, you will not miss the chemical-laden ones with their fake smells!

The reason for 4 stars? I was not pleased with the way this book was written at times, with way too casual words--as if these were two girls writing about some silly subject instead of the very serious subject matter that it is. It only serves to make one question their credibility....that said, I have done enough research to know they are on to the facts.

I also recommend IN DEFENSE OF FOOD by Michael Pollen to learn about healthy food( or any of his books,)HARMONIOUS ENVIRONMENT: BEAUTIFY, DETOXIFY & ENERGIZE YOUR LIFE, YOUR HOME & YOUR PLANET to discover how to detoxify all products you use AND find great, healthy alternatives, and HOW TO GROW FRESH AIR to clean your home of toxins.

Highly recommend!

I've read this book twice already and consider it essential reading for anyone who wants to take more control over what they're putting on and into their bodies. We blindly assume that cosmetics must be safe if they've made it onto the shelf of our local drugstores, and as O'Connor and Spunt make clear, nothing could be further from the truth. I've been gradually switching my products over to clean ones, but this book helped me complete the transition with concrete tips and amazing suggestions. If you care about your health, the environment, and your looks, then carry this book in your purse whenever you go shopping for products until you've memorized which chemicals to avoid! And make it a gift for any moms (and dads) you know so they can be better informed when they shop for sunscreens and soaps for their babies and children. Thanks to the authors for putting together such a groundbreaking and fun read!! (They also host a fab blog with daily posts and recommendations that will help you stay on top of your health and beauty regimes: [...])

I really wanted to hate this book. It comes highly recommended by the likes of Ralph Nader and Eric Schlosser, two of the worst fear-mongers in the United States. Yet setting aside my biases, I found that while the book's two young authors frequently attempt to be way too cute and even coarse, they have written an outstanding book.

They are bright, witty, wonderful researchers, and they certainly know how to make a buck by scaring every woman who uses beauty products.

The authors admit early on that they are taking a strong position that may not sit well with all readers, but that it is up to the reader to decide about the vast marketplace of female beauty products. No More Dirty Looks points out that while concentrations of the hazardous chemicals used in these popular products are low, they are indeed filled with chemicals with no redeeming qualities.

"We imagine that some of the information you read will spark pretty strong feelings. You might think we're fear mongering or going a little soft, depending on where you fall on the zealot spectrum," they write. "You might also feel compelled to throw out everything in your bathroom (and maybe even throw out this book)."

Little Knowledge of Ramifications
The authors trace cosmetic law back to the 1930s. They acknowledge the industry makes an effort to police itself through internal reviews by its trade groups, and they do not suggest the cosmetic industry is trying to harm anyone. The authors just don't think there's enough scrutiny of the industry.

It is amazing to me that many women use 20 products a day, from body wash to mascara, each containing 20 to 50 chemicals, not to mention the perfumes whose chemicals are kept secret. No one really knows how these chemicals interact, either in their bottles or on the human body, and there are essentially no regulations to control them. The mantra of No More Dirty Looks is simple: "If you can't be sure a product is safe--and it's not doing your looks any favors--why bother using it?"

The authors shine when, with the help of some advice from four major scientists, they give an easy-to-read treatment to a long list of common cosmetic chemicals. They explain what each is used for and how it is listed, pairing each item with the risk factors and expert opinion on the chemical.

A short list of these chemicals includes coal tar, ethanolamines, diethanolamine, triethanalomine, formaldehyde, hydroquinone, lead, mercury, parabens, nanoparticles, petroleum distillates, p-phenylenediamine, phthalates, all the glycols, a variety of sulfates, toluene, triclosan, and dozens more.

What Works, What Doesn't
The authors' surprisingly enthralling discussion of hair products includes a tutorial on the health of your scalp and the effects of hair spray, hair gel, defrizzers, shampoo, straighteners, relaxers, keratin treatments, and perms. While they explain these things are expensive and often smell bad and could be dangerous, they quote one of their consulting experts, Dr. Joe Schwarcz of McGill University, "who is of the general perspective that women's exposure to chemicals in low doses through beauty products is not something we should be losing sleep over."

No More Dirty Looks goes on to offer women alternative paths to achieving the desired results in more natural ways without chemicals, and it gives descriptions of all sorts of makeup procedures. I obviously cannot speak to this with firsthand knowledge, but the recommendations seemed logical and not contrived.

The authors also include neat descriptions of how to wash your face and hair properly, offer advice beyond cosmetics to items such as vitamins, and do a good job of separating fact from fiction.

Don't Lose Any Sleep
For some women, No More Dirty Looks' section on Botox may be worth the book's price. And the authors are brutally and amusingly honest regarding the value of acupuncture and massage--no one is putting anything over on them when it comes to real benefits to physical beauty. That said, they make the same mistake supporters of organic food make when they explain how to make your own shampoo with natural ingredients--failing to note that natural ingredients are chemicals, too.

I was particularly pleased with their knowledgeable position on the importance of vitamin D and the unnecessary fear of the sun, which has left 70 percent of our population deficient in vitamin D, a deficiency we know to be linked to any number of health issues.

Equally impressive is their awareness of stretch marks, acknowledging that tears in the dermis below the epidermis are scar tissue that no amount of any creams marketed for the purpose can ever remove. Even their chapter on diets is superior to most of what one reads in diet books.

No More Dirty Looks is an outstanding book if you read it with a grain of salt. I advise everyone to take Dr. Schwarcz's advice not to lose too much sleep over the fearful portions. What's more, I plan to put my money where my opinion is and give copies to my wife and daughters.

Jay Lehr (jlehr@heartland.org) is science director of The Heartland Institute.

pros:
1. easy to read/understand delivery. No technical jargon to wade through. Terms That the average person wouldn't know are explained in plain English.
2. Each subject (i.e. lotion, lipstick, acne cream, etc) has only a page or two to read through to get the relevant info.
3. Good organization of the information. I can find exactly what I want without wading through every thing I don't.
4. Good information. Helpful hints. Each chapter has the section "why these products are bad" followed by the section "here are products that are good and where you might find them to buy them, or how to make your own."
5. comprehensive in the types of products covered. Probably a majority I have never used, or only used once or twice in my life.
6. Also covers other ways of making yourself beautiful naturally, (i.e. good health, good lifestyle, etc.)

cons:
1. I found the use of swear words in the book to be flippant and unprofessional. While they don't occur all the time, I am one who believes that strong words should be reserved for special occasions where a strong impact is desired. That didn't happen here. There was no need, and therefore it came off as offensive rather than effective. There were also a few mild references to human sexuality that I thought didn't add to the book.
2.While it's nice not to have to read through a chapter for every cosmetic product, I felt like some things were kind of skimmed over and could have used more detail. In some places it felt more like an overview than a truly informative book. Once again, this is both a pro and a con.
3. I would have liked to see more "make at home" possibilities. Surely there's more out there that you can use to clean your hair than the old "baking soda and vinegar."
Also, they mentioned that Baby Soaps have these "bad" chemicals in them too but offered no alternatives for your little ones, nor discussed the effects of adult "clean" soaps for your little ones.

Over all I thought this book was worth the read, and the information presented was valuable.
-Melissa

I am a Sephora addict. I love makeup, and love perfume - over 180 bottles...you could say I have a problem. I first started seeing tags such as "No parabens" "PABA free" on certain brands of makeup. This got me looking into the makeup I own and all the chemicals that go in them. Reading this book was like removing the wool from my eyes, I now know what propylene glycol is and why phthalates are bad for you. So much of what goes into our cosmetics is completely unregulated by the FDA - which leaves the consumer to understand ingredients on their own. That is no simple task, but it can be with No More Dirty Looks. My sister lent me her copy, and I plan on getting a copy for myself, and spreading the word to my fellow females.

If you want to know:
what ingredients are in your makeup,
why those ingredients are bad for you,
what makeup you can replace it with,

then this is the book for you!

No More Dirty Looks is a great introduction to the ever-growing, and exciting, world of natural beauty. I was fortunate enough to meet the authors at their NYC book party, and I was so impressed that I bought a copy on the spot -- which they signed with a hilarious message: "Brian, I hope you like the organic mascara." For the record, I don't wear mascara, but I appreciate their humor in person and in the book.

There's a pretty scary amount of toxic junk in conventional cosmetics that I wouldn't want to put on my body, so it's great to have a handy guide to safer alternatives. This is a good gift for anyone in your life who uses beauty products.

I ordered this book because I was interested in finding out more information on all the cosmetics I currently use. What an eye-opener! I have re-read this book several times and am shocked and amazed at what the cosmetic companies are hiding and at what costs to our health! I have since purchased several of the suggested cosmetics and beauty products mentioned in this book and made several trips to our local health food store to do additional investigating on similar products. This is a wonderful resource for anyone who is sick and tired of getting sick and tired and possibly poisoned from the prouducts they have trusted for years. Thanks for such an informative book and looking forward to any other information I can find on these "hidden" secrets.

This book is the best buy I've made in a long time. Must read! The information it provides about the chemicals in most beauty products is invaluable! And they make the transition to clean products super easy with a guide to their favorite safe and clean cosmetics and simple DIY tricks. I'm so thankful I found this book - I've learned that it's important that we don't just trust what the big cosmetic companies are selling us. This book gives you the knowledge to make better decisions for yourself and your health! Please read this book before you judge it.

This book lays out in a straightforward way why most beauty products are hazardous to your health, why some products are safe, how to find and use safe, "clean" products, and even how to save money by making your own. I'm not one to use many products in the first place so I didn't think this book would interest me, but the sections on hair--both how to clean the hair on your head and how to remove the hair from other parts of your body--were enlightening.