The Best Skin of Your Life Starts Here: Busting Beauty Myths So You Know What to Use and Why

If you want to take good care of your skin, get this book. You will feel empowered. With many years of experience Paula Begoun gives practical advice about taking care for your skin with affordable products that contain the best cosmetic ingredients available. I have read other books from Paula Begoun before and can say that my skin looks so much better when I follow her down-to-earth advice. The book addresses different skin concerns with customized morning and evening skin care routines. Paula Begoun also does a good job describing what to expect as a realistic outcome. What I like best about this book is the detailed description of a wide range of cosmetic ingredients. If you take your time to read those descriptions, you can understand the ingredient labels of cremes, lotions, and other cosmetic products so much better and avoid purchases of products that either have no positive effect on your skin at all or even do more harm than good.

I have been very frustrated with my skin for most of my life. I have struggled with acne, combination skin, now rosecea. With a climate change and a big move. My skin has been taking a hit. I thought expensive moisturizers would help, but it only made it worst.I have learned a lot by reading this book. I am more aware of what my skin is suffering from. I have a little more knowledge of what to look for on ingredient lists.It's been a great eye opening experience, finding out the expensive is not always the best for you. I have exchanged slot of my skin routine for simple products with gentle but great ingredient.

Long ago, I found myself frustrated with women's magazines and their confusing skin care advice. I decided to stop reading them and try to find my best skin care on my own. That was frustrating, too, but at least I wasn't paying for a magazine subscription on top of the sub-par products I chose.I first ran across Paula Begoun's books at the library. After reading and considering the information carefully, I started weeding out products based on her opinions and using products that have airtight packaging and ingredients she recommended. My skin started looking better, fast.This book discusses skin care basics and a few specialty treatments. First, care of skin types (dry, oily, combination) are addressed by category and basic routine. Particular types of cleansers, exfoliants, and moisturizers are suggested to comprise a basic skincare routine for each skin type.Following are chapters for caring for particular skin concerns such as acne, brown spots, rosacea, and eczema. There are advanced skin care routines for these skin care concerns.At the end of chapters, there are product recommendations, including some Paula's Choice products. I consider these suggestions, as many of them did not appeal to me. But they are useful, because you can find ingredients lists and find products more appealing to you.Medical topical applications, treatments, and tools get a mention, too. This part of the book is well updated from previous books, and even home lightbox treatments are given a nod of sorts.Altogether, this is sound skincare advice at a small price compared to magazines. OK, you can read the magazines if you want, but now you'll know if you should give more thought to the advice offered in them.I recommend the Kindle version of this book. As I read it, I found the highlighting feature very handy to view terminology on Wikipedia or the web, and to find photos of skin care concerns with which I was not familiar. And yes, it turns out I do have eczema, darn it! But now I know!There is a paucity of guidance for care of body skin; this book is aimed squarely from the neck up. Though I've read many of Paula's books, I can't rate this five stars. Not because it isn't good, and not because the information isn't updated. Simply because the body skin is largely ignored. Also, this book is clearly written for women, but as Paula herself says, men have skin, too. Men should read it, too, because the same skincare advice applies.In case you wonder if I buy Paula's Choice products, the answer is yes. I've tried many of them. They don't comprise my entire skincare routine, but I do use some as staples: any of her toners, the BHA 2% Perfecting Liquid, Resist 2% BHA Skin Lightening Gel, and the Skin Protecting 8% AHA gel (I use this product for my hands). Everything else I use I buy from other brands.

I have been reading her books since Blue Eyeshadow Should Be Illegal and have purchased her products for about 15 years. This is sound, realistic and credible information. Her books have saved me thousands of dollars and given me great advice that I have followed since I was a teen. Guided by her advice I have religiously worn sunscreen since then and now at 52, get many compliments on having smooth, even, minimally wrinkled skin. Even if you don't buy her products, which she does not pitch in this book, the advice helps you be a more educated, and savvy cosmetics buyer.

Full of useful information backed up by independent research by reputable sources (e.g., not based on any marketing claims from product manufacturers!). I refer back to it over and over again as I think about exploring more of this world. Good for people starting out as well as people who have a bit of experience in procedures who just want to know what science says truly works for a wide array of options out there.

The info is good, BUT: this book is unnecessarily long and maddeningly repetitive (I've been reading for 4 or 5 hours and am only 22% of the way through); it's impossible to skim for info relevant to me personally (there is no table of contents in the kindle version); and I do take issue with the weird condescending tone. For example: "That's a great question, with a somewhat complicated answer- but hang in there and we know you'll get it." Umm . . . I'm a 35 year old with a graduate degree, I never doubted my ability to understand how frequently sunscreen should be applied; if you don't want to lose my attention, stop repeating yourself. Or: "By now you can tell that many beauty myths drive us over the edge . . ." It's not that deep, I get that you're an expert, I don't care what annoys you, just articulate your advice succinctly PLEASE. I know I'm being harsh, but in a book written by professionals there should be a table of contents, and not every summary paragraph should conclude with the same branding statement and exclamation point (ie. blah blah best skin of your life!) A search for the phrase 'best skin of your life' shows it was used 24 TIMES. This is the only Paula Begoun book I've attempted to read, but I get the feeling that if you've read one, you've read them all! There's a relatable/ affirmative/halfhearted/superfluous closing exclamation for ya! Still gets three stars because the advice is good if you can digest it.

Not great - seemed to be mainly advertising specific brands.

Excellent !!!

Very usefull information! Must have for every woman who cares about her skin.

Wollt ihr wirklich korrekte Hautpflege betreiben? Dann kauft euch das Buch!Obwohl auf Englisch geschrieben, ist es relativ leicht verständlich! Es werden alle Inhaltsstoffe durchleuchtet und erklärt welche wirklich gut für die Haut sind. Es wird aber auch nicht verleugnet, dass Hautpflege zwar wichtig ist, aber Aging ist halt NORMAL und ohne Botox, Filler etc. kann man die Haut auch nicht wesentlich jünger aussehen lassen. Aber zumindest kann man sie richtig hegen und pflegen und damit schon ein paar Jährchen rausholen. Qintessenz: am wichtigsten ist Sonnenschutz!!!

Surprised to be the first writing a review because this book is brilliant packed full of information from a skincare rountie to acne anti aging skin conditions also myth busting facts about skincare a whole chapter on ingredients that are the best good average bad and poor and so much more as well as the added extra of a makeup chapter only got it today and already read half the book brilliant for any age for anybody in the industry or just wanting to prefect a routine brilliant all rounder