I recently picked up 2 of Paula Begoun's best selling beauty books and I am OBSESSED! Ever since I got them I can't seem to put them down! Don't go the Cosmetics Counter Without Me 9th Edition contains a comprehensive review of hundreds of beauty and skincare products, what to look for and which ones are the best for you (Online version of reviews: Beautypedia). The Original Beauty Bible 3rd Edition is more of a breakdown of everything you need to know and should know about the cosmetics/beauty industry as a whole, common myths, skin care, makeup and so much more. Both books are so informative, eye-opening and fairly easy reads. I can't even believe the amount of knowledge about skincare I had absolutely no idea about.
First off, Paula Begoun is not a doctor, a cosmetologist or dermatologist. She is however incredibly knowledgeable and experienced in the beauty industry for several decades. Her books are reliable as they are based solely on published, peer reviewed and widely accepted research. She also has her own skincare brand (Paula's Choice). I will outline some highlights from her books that were most appealing to me, many of which I had no idea about.
1. There is NO such thing as a "Miracle Product". There is no single product out there that can give you the skin you always dreamed of so stop searching! Just like eating only broccoli everyday won't give you amazing health, same goes for your skin. You must have a good skin-care routine that consists of different ingredients that are good for your skin. Also, everyone has different skin so there is no one product that will work for everyone.
2. Expensive doesn't always mean better. There are several drugstore products (E.g. ELF) that Paula rates quite high and many expensive brands that she rates quite poorly (e.g Perricone MD, Dr. Hauschhka). Instead, ingredients/formulations should be considered rather than the price.
3. You don't need an Eye-Cream as they are not much different than regular face creams. You should be able to use a face moisturizer under your eyes as well. Eye creams simply allow companies to sell the product in a significantly smaller container for double the price!
4. Packaging matters when it comes to skincare products as it significantly affects their effectiveness and stability. Jar packaging should be avoided because many beneficial ingredients can easily deteriorate or breakdown upon exposure to air or light. It is also unhygienic to repeatedly put your fingers into a product. Therefore, it is best to use air-tight, opaque, non-transparent packaging.
5. If there's one thing that Paula strongly emphasizes repeatedly, it is the importance of SUN SCREEN, SUN SCREEN and SUNSCREEN!! It should be worn 365 days of the year and yes even when you are indoors (as windows don't block out UV rays). You should use a broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB protection) suncreen with a SPF of at least 15+ (more is better). The sun is a carcinogen and the leading cause for wrinkles, brown spots, etc.
6. That cooling/tingling sensation we sometimes feel when using a certain skincare product (cleanser, face mask, etc.) is NOT a indication that it is "working" or doing something good for your skin. What it actually means is it is irritating your skin and further damaging it.
7. Likewise, that overly dry/squeaky clean feeling we may feel after using a certain cleanser/soap isn't good and may just be irritating your skin.
8. Topical facial scrubs and mechanical scrubs (eg.clarisonic) simply exfoliate the top superficial layer of skin. You cannot scrub acne or blackheads away. Therefore, the best way to help shed built up layers of abnormal, rough, wrinkled, saggy, uneven, sun damaged, acne prone and dead skin cells is with AHA or BHA products.
Alpha hydroxy Acid (AHA) which includes glycolic, lactic or polyhydroxy acid, etc. (5% to 10% concentration) is best for dry and normal skin. It best for exfoliating away sun damaged and dry skin. It will also improve the skin's moisture content.
Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) which is salicylic acid (1% to 2%) is best for oily/acne prone skin and treating blackheads and white bumps. BHA can unclog oily pores and normalize the lining of the misshapen pore that contributes to acne. BHA also has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
Daily use of an AHA/BHA exfoliant can give you smoother skin overnight. It will unclog pores, reduce redness, blackheads, breakouts, diminish wrinkles, build collagen and improve uneven skin tone. Its best to use these products at night and if you choose to use them in the day then wear sunscreen on top. Also, its best to use AHA/BHA products in the form of a cream or lotion rather than a cleanser so that the ingredients can stay on your skin long enough to be absorbed.
9. The buzzword "Natural or Organic" is not the solution (there are many natural irritants as well). In sum, natural doesn't always mean good and synthetic doesn't always mean bad (There is good and bad to both).
10. Paula says, the beauty industry may try to do many things but trying to KILL us is not one of them. The ingredient lists of many products may have scary sounding names that we may have trouble pronouncing but beyond that there is not much scary about them. Paula basically explains with support from extensive research that there is insufficient evidence that proves parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, petrolatum (Vaseline), Phthalates, silicones, etc. present in cosmetics are harmful and some of which is actually good for our skin (such as silicones). She states she uses sulfates and silicones in her own products as well.
11. Vitamin E oil is not a miracle ingredient to reduce scarring and the heaviness of it can be problematic for some skin types.
12. Do not steam or ice the face as doing so will damage and irritate the skin. Use only tepid, lukewarm water to wash your face + body.
13. The only real difference there should be between a night-time and a day-time moisturizer is that the daytime one should have SPF and the night time one should not.
14. A basic skincare routine (in this order) should contain: a gentle, water soluble cleanser, a toner, an AHA/BHA exfoliate, moisturizer with sunscreen (atleast spf 15 with uva/uvb protection).
15. You don't need to be loyal to one brand to reap the full benefits you need. You can mix and match to find the perfect combination of products for your skin.
16. The most irritating ingredients to avoid are: alcohol, camphor, citrus juices/oils, eucalyptus, excessive fragrances, methanol, menthyl lactate, menthoxypropanediol, mint, peppermint, sodium lauryl sulfate, arnica, bergamot, cinnamon, clove, eugenol, grapefruit, lavender, linalol, wintergreen, witch hazel, ylang-ylang, lemon.
17. The frightening claims floating around the internet that Sodium Lauryl Sulfate causes cancer or has any other long term harmful effects are false (Paula says these warnings spread from misinterpreted studies). It is however a potent skin irritant as in amounts of 2% to 5% it can cause allergic reactions to many people. It is an overly drying cleansing agent and thus best to be avoided. The similar sounding, Sodium Laureth Sulfate is however safe to use. (PS. Read about my Experience going No-Poo & using SLS-free Shampoo.)
18. Consuming an anti-inflammatory diet is one of the best things you could do for your skin ( e.g. salmon, colourful fruits and veggies, nuts, ginger, turmeric, etc). Some people may also benefit in reducing their acne by consuming a low-glycemic-load diet (limited intake of sugars and refined carbohydrates) and limiting intake of milk.
19. Four things every skin type needs (in form of a moisturizer, serum, toner): Antioxidants (alpha lipoic acid, vitamin C & E, green tea extract, grape seed extract, coenzyme Q10, etc.). Cell-communicating ingredients (niacinanide, adenosine, etc). Skin-repairing ingredients (glycerin, lecithin, fatty acids, amino acids, hyaluronic acid, etc). Anti-Irritants: allantoin, aloe, bisabolol, burdock root, chamoille extract, green tea, grape extract, etc.
20. Don't fall for the so called "studies" conducted by cosmetic companies that make statements such as "97% of users saw improvements...". Their studies are very biased and manipulated in a way to favour what they want to prove. Third party studies are much more reliable.
My overall thoughts:
In sum, those are just a few good points out of many more that Paula makes in these 2 books. Besides checking ratings on Makeupalley before making any beauty-related purchases (as I usually do), I will now also be checking Paula's Beautypedia (where herself and her research team rates hundreds of products not based on personal experiences but primarily on the formulations, research, application, colour selection, texture and in comparison to similar products).
I recommend both these books, or her "advice" articles online at Paula's Choice) to everyone as there is so much to learn, a lot more than you thought you knew (like myself).
