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Friday, February 02, 2007

Very Light Reading


This is probably not the greatest beauty book ever, but still worth mentioning. Allure editor-in-chief Linda Wells and her team of beauty editors have summarized all the ideas, facts and techniques that one needs to know when it comes to makeup and skin care. It takes a couple of hours to read, you might want to take a couple of notes while doing so, but mostly it's like an extended beauty section in a magazine. There's no new gospel here and their simple how-tos will not make you into the next Bobbi Brown, but the advice is sound, the facts are established and everyone can learn something.

I especially liked the myth busting. If enough people read it and pay attention, maybe we'll stop seeing the stupid advice to use toothpaste on pimples on every beauty message board.

What I found most useful is the part about ingredients in skin care products: what to look for according to specific needs, what should be in a good anti-aging product and why we need to use it. It puts order in the chaotic and saturated market.

They don't talk about any brand and don't make specific recommendation. But you do get the tools to use when shopping- the lingo and the labels are explained, and that's what important.

The bottom line: It's worth a couple of hours of your time even if you're well seasoned in makeup and beauty products, and would make a very nice gift to anyone who is just starting.

2 comments:

  1. I've wanted to read this...I also want to read the one about the woman who sort of got addicted to plastic surgery, but I can't remember the name of it! I read Free Gift with Purchase last year...that one was fun, but no real practical advice. I'm interested to see how Wells's book compares to Baumann's Skin Type Solution. Did you read that one? Lots of info...possibly too much!

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  2. Greeneyes- I read FGwP and it was a fun book. More for the inside look of the magazine world than for any practical advice. I honestly can't remember anything useful that I've learned there.

    I haven't read Skin Type Solution. I'll look into it, as it seems that while there's very little new to learn about makeup application, deeper understanding of skincare products is mighty useful.

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