As busters of beauty myths we’re always on the look out for other like-minded beauty insiders who can give you a behind the scenes look at the cosmetic industry. That’s why we read Lora Condon’s book “Spa Wars: The Ugly Truth About the Beauty Industry.”
Spa Wars
We were hoping for more insights into which spa treatments really work but the book spends most of its time painting a vivid picture of the interpersonal relationships that go on in (some) salons and spas. The author relates how even simple tasks, like getting the daily load of dirty towels washed, were turned into chores filled with back biting and political intrigue. (And guess what – that robe you’re wearing might not be as clean as you think!) We also learned that if you’re considering a career in a spa you should wash your hands before your job interview. (You’ll have to read that story to believe it! )
If want to find out why salons are true “catty” shacks and you enjoy hearing about all the “crazy bitches” behind the scenes you’ll like Lora’s amusing stories. She also provides tips on “Spa Do’s and Don’ts” which mostly revolve around how to make the experience easier for the esthetician (Tip number two, don’t expect sex.)
Beauty myths busted
Our favorite section was the “Beauty bullsh*t” chapter where Lora says that “some very smart sales people came up with a bunch of lies to get you to buy their products.” For example, she discloses that you don’t really need to use all the same products from the same line in order for them to work. We totally agree with her! She’s also an advocate of reading the ingredient list to find the truly active ingredients in a product. She even talks about gimmicks like gift with purchase. We would have loved to see much more of this myth busting but this chapter was way too short.
Product and service recommendations
In the final sections of the book Lora talks how to deal with skin care problems. We didn’t agree with all her skin care advice (for example her cure for dark under-eye circles is not backed by scientific data) but you may find her recommendations for the best beauty products and best spa services helpful if you’re looking for new things to try.
The Beauty Brains bottom line
You may enjoy the book’s humorous behind the scenes tales if you don’t mind the raw language that Lora uses from time to time. The section on myth busting section is very interesting but it was just too short, in our humble opinion. Regardless, Spa Wars certainly delivers on its promise of telling you what your bikini waxer is thinking while ripping out your hair!
Disclaimer: The Beauty Brains received a free copy of the book for this review but we did find three, crisp $100 bills taped inside the front cover. (HEY, I’m just kidding about the money! We reviewed the book for free because we were interested to hear what Lora had to say. All opinions are our own.)
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
If this was a book completely on beauty industry myth busting I would enjoy reading it.
I had a problem with Lora’s section on dealing with customers. One scenario she described was dealing with a client who had sensitive skin. Apparently, instead of talking about the skin issue, and using products designed for sensitive skin, Lora describes the girl as being needy and uses the products that she uses for everyone else. Then the girl came back to complain that she had broken out. Lora claimed “tip karma” for the breakout, as the girl did not tip her well. As an esthetician, this is NOT how you deal with a client and, while I enjoyed most of the book, I found that particular section appalling.
Could you do a post on the free-with-purchase gimmick? I’d like to know more!
I, for one, as a beauty blogger would love to learn how to be better at reading ingredients list and pinpointing the main active ingredients. At post on this subject would be invaluable.