"Learn to Save over $500 per year on beauty products"

I was always the consumer that bought whatever was new and promised to work miracles for my skin. I was my worst critic because there was nothing wrong with my complexion. I didn’t realize that putting layer upon layer on your skin is a definite no no. I finally saw a derm and the first thing she said was less is better and to throw out my large magnifying mirror! It is interesting to hear how companies can get you to spend so much money for either products that are not suited for your skin or things that don’t work. Thank you for giving us the facts about what is true and what is hype.

The report will be useful to the hair and beauty students I teach at the City of Bath College. I want my students to adopt a more scientific approach to evaluating all the products that will be recommended to them throughout their careers in this industry. I regularly use topics raised in Beauty Brains for class discussions.

I found the report very interesting and have forwarded it to my girlfriends and goddaughters. As a beauty therapist and a buddy aromatherapist I am aware many are caught by claims of some beauty houses.

Interesting information. I pretty much knew all of this anyway, but it was nice to be reminded that companies use impressive words to try and sell their products. Thanks for asking my opinion. I enjoy you site.

I really enjoyed and appreciated this paper. I am in the baby boomer designation who gets hit the hardest with advertising for cosmetics. The big deal is what it’s always been – Prevention. Genetics plays a big part of aging, so check out your relatives. Also, things that are advertised as changing the skin structure are bogus because then they would be considered a drug and have to be cleared by the FDA. I think cosmetics are way over-priced. The successful women I know who have a lot of self-confidence do not chase after these things. I do believe that skin care has come a long way and there are wonderful things out there to buy and use – but don’t throw your money away. Why make dishonest people wealthy? There is nothing wrong with it even being a hobby; trying this and that and enjoying it. My routine is in-home chemical peels, sunscreen, and moisturizing, and none of these things break the bank for me. I have more make-up than I care to admit, but I love the colors and painting my face, so it’s not like I think it’s a sin to spend money on cosmetics. Thanks for the article.

Fantastic information and straight to the point. I am not sure if this is truly the best place to ask but do you folks have any ideea where to hire some professional writers?

i already subscribe to the Cosmetics Cop’s emails and info and i find your article to be just as informative and accurate as hers.
As a Beauty Therapist i have long been aware that packaging and Advertising have nothing to do with a product’s ability to do what it claims.
i was particularly interested in the section dealing with what company owns another.
i was once told that Lancome owns L’oreal and Maybelline and that sometimes the very same formula is used under different names and of course 3 different price tags. not sure if this is true but your ebook sure made me wonder.
look forward to receiveing more informative emails from you
regards Sylvia

I knew about most of the information in the article/book from personal experience as a former hairstylist, from watching informational shows like Marketplace, and news reports over the years. There wasn’t much new in the article for me.

Thank you for providing information to share, I shared this with a lot of my girlfriends. Some of this I knew, but it was a great reminder since I do read a lot of fashion magazines and they tend to get you wrapped up in their “product”.

I found the report educational and informative. As a skeptic from way back, it didn’t really tell me much I didn’t already know (or suspect) however it is always important to constantly review one’s position on things, so it was really useful in that regard. Also, there were certain things I had never really thought of, so that was great. I certainly think that if more people were made aware of the type of things in your report, society would be far better off – I am always trying to encourage my friends to inform themselves before paying ridiculous amounts of money for products they don’t need. I also very much like that as genuine scientists, you do refrain from endorsing any particular products. This absolutely enhances your credibility as independent scientists. Thanks!

A cleverly written book with a comfortable sequence that places itself in a regular consumer’s shoes to cut through the cosmetic clutter and marketing gimmicks making a smarter and more satisfied buyer .

The report was very interesting and informative. I learned a lot. Thank you!

I think the report was helpful. I had learned a great deal of it from the blogs provided by the beauty brains already. I know the beauty brains do not recommend products but honestly that is what I had hoped for. I was hoping for more of a report saying if you have this problem then these products should be a solution. I feel if I knew what products would really work for me then I would truly save money because then I would not purchase a product to try it out only to find it does not work. I of course would like to purchase the more affordable product if there are two or more out there that would be a solution to my hair and skin problems and one is a better price but even more than that I’d just like to know what the correct products are that are out there that I should be spending my money on. If a product cost a little more and it works then I am okay with that but all the trial and error for so many products that just don’t work is where I find the huge waste of money to be. As far as the beauty brains report and the blogs they are both tremendously helpful. I have learned a lot since I discovered the beauty brains a few weeks ago and I appreciate all the beauty brains do. The information that the beauty brains provide is helpful and I know that it is a blessing that any and all the brains take their own time to inform us. Thank you to all who are beauty brains.

I really need to know how to stop spending my money on these product plz help
And i also never heard about Argan oil and what is it for and how to use it ,

I never heard about ARGAIN OIL before. I’m interested in more information about your beauty products.

Thank you so much for this report. I learned so much from it. I will recomend it to all of my girlfriends .

I didn’t really learn anything I already didn’t know, but that’s only because I’ve been subscribing to your RSS feed for quite a while now. For some poor soul who’s been thoroughly brainwashed by salon stylists and big marketing campaigns, though, your report would be an eye opener. I think that those who have complained about the report not containing “more complete lists” of companies, etc., should simply follow the advice you provided and do further research on their own (teach a man to fish, etc.; we all know the saying).

This part is going to be boring to readers, but I thought I’d offer you just a bit of proofreading in case you want to spiff up the next edition:
page 9, line 3 needs fixing (“two one” doesn’t make any sense)
page 13, line 5, put an “s” on product
page 37, paragraph 2, line 3, change “the” to “that”

The report was very informative and educational. I feel better able to make sound choices about beauty products available on the market.

I’ve sent a link of this website to almost all of my girlfriends : )

I thought this report was fascinating! Learned a lot that I otherwise would have never thought of! I thought some of the same ideas were repeatedly a bit much and could have been paraphrased better but it was VERY useful information. Especially since it’s free. It’s nice to see someone HONESTLY interested in the well being of others, starting with those of us that never have time to look into such obvious details. Thanks a ton!

I found the Save Money on Cosmetic report very enlightening. There was some bits of information I was definitely not aware of, and definietly think it could help a lot of people stop wasteing money on products that will not be beneficial to them. I am very grateful I had the chance to find such a great web site. Thank you

I didn’t learn anything new, but, I must say I spent 15 years in a white lab coat behind a cosmetics counter in a department store. I like your approach to this business and like your style. People will either look for the best for them and best deal or buy the newest and latest product no matter what it will do for them. That’s why we have the “cosmetics graveyard” in everyone’s bathroom.
Keep up the good work!

For something that can be downloaded for free–this has loads of information that can serve as basic guide in buying products a little more wisely.

Some people may already know these information but many of us don’t.

Love the report. Have passed info on to friends and family! Thanks.

I found this article very helpful. In really into my beauty regime so it’s interesting how to get to the facts about how companies work and sell there products. Love all your little tips you post on Facebook aswell.

My first edition – I loved it!
Cosmetic Clutter
If I don’t understand the ingredient, I Google it and only a few times I could find nothing. Even the Paula’s Choice practice of identifying the type of ingredient parenthetically isn’t the answer because of the differences between kinds of antioxidants, moisturizers, etc. I believe the real insight is understanding the formulation and synergistic ingredients – which you can do and I will never be able to do no matter how much I read. You see the forest and the trees, while I only see the trees.

The “Consider the Source” Tool
Excellent – you blew me away with examples of parent companies. I guess you don’t provide websites but I looked up more in blueturtlespa and thebeautyjournal. I found it even more confusing because each company own products I think highly of as well as some I consider close to rock bottom.

How can I tell what the FLUFF ingredients are. RE: Arbonne Skin Moisturizing lotion, I was surprised by your example because you threw out vitamins as fluff – was it because they weren’t in sufficient concentration? I thought vitamins were important. I also thought Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil and Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil were premium moisturizers. No? I guess you kept preservatives and pH adjusters because they are necessary. Is a list of fluff ingredients possible or does it depend on the formulation?

Finding a cheaper version of a product seems overwhelming. This makes me wonder of it wouldn’t just be easier to use one of those online companies who make formulations to match existing products (e.g. skinactives). Can you really reproduce Prevage serum by DIY?

How to find the Absolute Value of your products
Can you list more credible blogs? I am especially interested in blogs that ask you to provide: age, skin type, how long product has been used. I think Paula Begoun makes alot of mistakes, e.g. deriding creams that have glycolic acid and salicylate because the pH is not acidic enough for exfoliatiion. My understanding is that at a more alkaline pH, these provide moisture and penetrating capabilities and they are not being used for exfoliation when in creams. Also, and this is big for me, she (and almost all of the large companies) use petrolatum, sometimes as the third ingredient. Every woman who has used petrolatum in lip moisturizers know that your skin stops producing its own moisturizers and petrolatum creates dependence on feeling moisturized and you find yourself obsessively slathering the stuff on your lips. Your skin actually becomes drier and starved of moisture. If you recommend petrolatum, I would really like you to help me understand its benefits. If it’s only used as an occlusive, there are so many others. Or do all occlusives create dependence? Silicones?

What can we do to get the companies that make our favorite creams that come in jars to put them in something airless? Airless can be beautiful and elegant in the hands of a designer.

As a chemist, how do you address the fact that many of the same ingredients and products create such vastly different effects in various skin? The blog comments often cancel each other out. My experience is that you just have to try it if you have the courage after reading the blogs and the website and listening to the rep. Thus, I tend to go to product lines that will give me a week’s sample – I can check for basic compatibility this way, but this is not enough time to check out the claims. I am hoping you can help me cut through all the fruitless experimentation.

Dark Under Eye Circles
I read that Vitamin K for under eyes should be avoided because it causes clotting and what you need is better microcirculation. Any truth to this?

Natural Beauty Products do Not Work as Well
I notice that a lot of larger companies have started including botanicals, but tend to use acqueous extracts where as the “natural” lines tend to use oils which can be volatile. Esteé Lauder has a lot of botanical extracts in Time Zone and when I research them (exhausting) they are reported to have good skin benefits, some potent. Is it a different game when well-extracted plant chemicals are used as opposed to crude volatile oils?

I have many questions, but two that I would really like to know more about from you are:

1. Do some skin products create dependence and what chemicals do this?

2. Skin Biology about has me convinced that all I need are their type of copper peptides, exfoliation, and a great moisturizer and it will address every possible concern there is for skin. I would love your assessment. I am looking for anti-aging products with “Absolute Value” and most are not very effective and copper peptides seems like an answer. I think their site is weird and it puts me off. But are the product ingredients and regimen sound? I am very tempted – somewhat because of the price and simplicity.

Thank you so much for all the valuable information. I know this is too long to post. – Virginia

Your publication confirmed some things I’d heard or suspected and gave me some great ideas to use as a comsumer. It is so hard to weed out the hype from the facts.

Interested in your views of our beauty business! A salon owner… Carol bakowicz

Was pretty common sense stuff in the report on cosmetic advertising, etc. Once one gets used to the claims & labeling language, it’s a snap to navigate the “*may* reduce xyz *up to* 40%” stuff.

I love the explanations of funcitonality I’ve found elsewhere on the site (e.g. volatility of cyclopentasiloxane vs dimethicone and relationship to conditioning duration vs. slip & lubricity when using a conditioner) and wish there was a primer on this type of thing.

Am insider myself. Am not in the formulation group but within regulatory/legal team. Just another proof that what I thought about our and competitors products – is real. And knowing that The Big Guys have enough budget for R&D I even don’t want to think what the small companies do or the Private Labels Manufacturers. Thanks for this publication again. BTW have you ever had an idea to re-print your book? I was looking for it on the net and some sites sell it for >300 (!!!) USD. Thanks!

The download didn’t work for me!! It said first I had to confirm my subscription, but now that I have done that I can’t find anywhere to download it…

I read the Beauty Brains Product Report on the day that I downloaded and shared tips out loud with my family as I went. My daughter and I enjoyed your information and I feel like the knowledge that you provided was easy to understand and important for my 15 year old daughter to hear. Thank you.

I’m glad I got to read this when I did. I have been considering some of the items that seem to be a waste of money.Thanks for the heads up!! It’s hard when you’re desperate. Thanks for the valuable information.

I kinda think your group is part of marketing for P&G. I know it’s true that the large companies have more resources for R&D and that all shampoos are pretty much the same, but I also know that some (not all, I know) higher-end brands and lines use superior ingredients.
There wasn’t really any useful information as far as what to seek or avoid in cosmetics and beauty products. Not worth the inundation of junk emails that will surely follow.

I find the report very interesting and useful. Thank you

Thank you, this report was very useful to me and after reading it, i believe one of the best key we have while shopping for our products is reading the ingredients and learning how to read it cleverly by knowing what is the purpose of each ingredient listed, how it works and which benefit it has for the skin or the hair health. but talking about the vitamin supplements, i think that it’s better to state that one should really research if the vitamin taken is bioavailable rather than stating that it doesn’t work because if adding vitamin was really useless it wouldn’t be done with milk, juice, etc. once again we should be looking for the absolute value in the vitamin supplement rather the fancy benefit claim. but the best way is to eat fresh fruits and veggies.
tks again for sharing, even if there should be added more scientifc facts, i definitely learned something that will help me shop wisely and save more

Overall good, but basic. Was really hoping for more specific information, for example an expansion on the list of which brands are owned by which corporations etc.

Information itself is good, although 70% common sense and 30% too scientific.When comparing ingredients it makes sense to ‘take out the filler ingredients’ but most people reading are unaware whch ingredients are filler – and don’t want to spend hours researching. An actual list of filler ingredients would have been helpful.

Would have found information that was specific and indepth to be more helpful, although the information about which companies own the smaller companies was very helpful. The concept of understanding what’s behind the products is usefiul. I’d like to see it executed with more specificity.

The report was interesting but too wordy. Break up the content with more pictures!

The book is very interesting and useful. I would like to read more on the subject. For instance, how to read INCI and identify the truly active ingredients, at leas the most common ones.
Thank you for your wonderful work!

I found it very helpful and informative–thank you.

seems too advertorial for me. not enough science, not enough beauty, style wise not attractive compared to all the nice looking online content.

Not very useful. The information was so basic, I wasn’t sure why I needed to give you contact information to get it. However, your repeated endorsement of select brands did make me reconsider the impartiality of your online recommendations.

It was very nice as far as it went, but it really was more analysis of the issue than “learning which products really work” or “how to buy the same formula for less.” I was already aware of much of the information, tho it is well presented, and was looking for more concrete comparisons and practical ideas.

Thanks, and good luck with your endeavors.

Interesting, but not unique.

I already am aware of the information I downloaded. Guess I’m too old to learn something new.

Some of the info was more common sense than science to me, which is not to say it wasnt based on science. It did confirm that my dermatologist, who has said for years that I dont need to buy fancy, expensive moisture creams was pretty much on target.

thanks for this, i read the guide a few days ago and i find it very useful, very easy to understand and now i wonder why i can´t found it early,, i´ve wasted lot of money in innapropiated products, but from know i´ll follow yours advices and i´ll find a product perfect for my skin and my pocket, thanks so much for sharing

report was very disappointing to me, I learned very little from it
this being said I am sure many people will enjoy and learn from it

Thank you for this explicit report. I have always been sceptic about certain claims on beauty products. The trouble is we want to believe these claims as they sound so convincing. You are so right when you say the beauty artists that use any product have a way of applying the products – and this is what makes the model look so good. Do you know if there is a glimmer in the truth of imideen “this is claimed to be a beauty within” pill made by Ferrosan. I notice another lady whom has commented mentioned these pills. Thank you fornyour help and look forward to your next report. Do you have any advice on skin ceuticle products ? They claim the products are scientifically proven to work.
Thank you once again
Maria