Synopsis:
Are you sick of outrageous beauty claims and over-priced products that don’t deliver? Tired of not knowing what to believe about products? Confused about who to trust for beauty tips and tricks? Well, worry no more. The popular science bloggers, The Beauty Brains, are back with another book full of informative and fun beauty advice.
The Beauty Brains is one of the first beauty blogs I’ve ever stumbled upon, and it’s been a favourite ever since.
It’s written by a group of cosmetic chemists on a mission to set the record straight on all skincare and beauty myths. They reveal what skincare products really work, which ingredients you should stay away from, and all the marketing lies beauty brand get away with.
If you want to make smarter skincare purchases, the blog is a must. So is their new book, It’s Ok To Have Lead In Your Lipstick (one of the many beauty myths the brains debunk in this book).
The book is divided into six sections:
- Clever Lies
- Scaremongering
- Makeup Or Make Believe
- Green Products
- Bizarre Beauty Ingredients
- Does Anything Really Work?
Each section is then split into mini chapters that cover skincare, makeup, haircare and general questions.
Here are a few things you’ll discover inside the book:
- Why chemical-free cosmetics don’t exist
- How to tell if brands that belong to the same parent company sell the same formula at different prices
- Whether your skin lotion can set off airport explosive detectors
- What ingredients you should look out for in your products and which are just “pixie dust”
The book follows the format of the blog. A reader asks a question and the Beauty Brains answer it in their usual straightforward, humorous style.
Everything is explained so clearly that even those who have very little knowledge of chemistry can easily understand it. Informative and entertaining, the book is a breath of fresh air.
Grab a copy. You won’t regret it.
Price & Availability
Kindle, $3.05/£2.30; paperback, $16.95/£8.83 at Amazon
Interesting read. I first found cosmetic myths busted in Paula Begoun’s “Don’t Go to the cosmetics counter without me” .. the industry changes so fast though .. it’s had to keep up.
Monica.
Monica, that’s an excellent book too. Paula is a fan of the brains as well and has written a few lines of praise for this book.
And that’s so true, keeping up is so hard! But this is a fun way to do it. 🙂
This sounds cool. You know, I always wonder if companies like Pantene put the exact same shampoo in all their bottles, and just label them different things (for color-treated hair. For oily hair, etc).
I think I might read this!
Trisha, very often the ingredients are the same indeed. Some inactive ingredients like plant extracts or thickeners may be different, but what matters, and what makes the product work, is often the same thing.
I loved this book, and their previous one as well. Great review!
Eight, I’m glad you enjoyed it too. It’s a fun and informative read, isn’t it?