Customer Reviews

Total Beauty

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

 

 

I always find scary just how many products there are on the market, and how expensive the trial and error method can get.

I bought this because it claimed to have reviewed products from many brands and to give you insights on each.

Not only did I find this especially usefull (they have a panel of women who try the products and comment it) but it had a lot more information then I first thought it would.

It covers a range of different products for the face, body and hair, and includes things you can make at home and tricks on how to relax and feel better (it even includes an exercise section).

I was truly impressed by this book, it really helped me choose my products and although it sounds somewhat corny it also gave me insights on how to be healthier and happier.

I recommend it to anyone who likes pampering, cosmetics and spa-like tricks, or has a difficult skin and needs speciliazed products (like me). Even for someone who doesn't enjoy girly stuff in overdose, this book was fun to read.

The three cleansers that are rated the best (Spiezia, Liz Earle, and Eve Lom) are impossible to find in the U.S. I tried web searches and a trip to a great organic products store without success. The Lancome foundation and blush that one of the authors uses herself is not available any more either. This book appears to have products in it which you could buy if you lived in England, and the Lancome products are discontinued.

I guess I judged a book by its cover and thought it would have a lot of useful advice on makeup, beauty, etc., but it ended up being somewhat of a disappointment. Sure, the authors do offer some helpful tips and tricks on topics ranging from makeup to diet to skin care and on and on (even though I suspect many of the tips are just common, general knowledge), but they don't offer any price range for the products that were "Tried and Tested" and the rating scale seemed a little bit strange to me (why do the ratings extend to the "second decimal place" when you could just say "8.5" instead of something seemingly random like "8.62"?). And no doubt the products that were tried and tested are rather pricey, but they don't give you the prices.

Also, I think something must have gone wrong when they published this book, because on several pages, the authors just leave you hanging as the last sentence just cuts off. For example, on page 32, the authors talk about using lipstick and lip gloss, and the last line of the page says, "If skin is really pale, teeth look more yellow. Against a..." and it just stops there. Page 33 is a Tried and Tested page, and page 34 deals with eye shadow. I would buy the book just for the tips if you're a "beginner" or just want general information, and if you want to look at the pretty pictures, which there are a few in the book. But that's about all it's worth, in my opinion.

The title and book summary were a little misleading after reading the book. I was looking forward to seeing what items were top rated and attempting to use them myself. However, many of the items of impossible to find in the US. Also, prices are never mentioned, and probably for good reason because everything they recommend is EXPENSIVE!! I was quite disappointed because I am a beauty book junkie and this is the first one I believe I am going to return.

I liked the book. I wasn't really worried about the Tried and Tested because I wasn't looking for products I could use. However, the many grammar/spelling errors really irked me. The authors continuously forgot to put the second parenthese when using them.

Also, like another user said, a few times, the pages just stopped midsentence, which was really confusing. I do like how they gave some tips and tricks. Thankfully, I only got this book from the library and didn't spend anything on it