Review of Can You Get Hooked on Lip Balm? by Perry Romanowski

Publisher: Harlequin


Release Date: February 15th, 2011

More info: Amazon

Book Blurb:

Why does my shampoo stop working? 
Are my cosmetics poisoning me?
What does hypoallergenic mean?
Are organic products better?

Every day thousands of people turn to the scientists at the popular blog TheBeautyBrains.com for answers to their most pressing beauty questions. In Can You Get Hooked on Lip Balm?* you'll learn how cosmetic products work, what advertising claims actually mean, and how to make smarter buying decisions.

You'll discover that:

• Salon products are not necessarily better than products you can buy in the store.
• Some of the most expensive cosmetics are made by the same companies that make the less expensive       brands, and often the same formulas are used in both.
• You do not need to spend hundreds of dollars to look and feel good.

You'll also find:

• 4 ways to tell if your cosmetic has expired
• 5 home beauty gadgets that really work
• 4 easy tips to longer, stronger nails
• and much, much more!

*You can! See chapter 6.

My Thoughts:

Here in the US, we use many, many personal care and body care products on a regular, even daily, basis. They have chemicals, some are practically nothing but chemicals. Companies have marketed all sorts of products: to stop sweat, to lessen wrinkles or dark spots, to clean our teeth, and to improve our appearance, or at least, our perception of our appearance. Most of us have contemplated whether those products will deliver what they promise or imply, and whether the more costly products are worth the extra expense.

"Can You Get Hooked on Lip Balm?" is an easy to read book that analyses and compares the ingredients in some of the currently popular beauty and hygiene products, comparing high-end products with their lower budget counterparts.You might actually be surprised by the results. The lower priced are often, but not always, as good as or better than the higher end items, and the book explains why, and what to look for in the labels. It also talks a bit about safety, in addition to value.

Some of the information does get a little technical, usually when Romanowski is answering a question (the book is written in a question and answer format, with the questions being taken from her website, "TheBeautyBrains.com") . Most of the book is written in an easy to understand style, but it’s not dumbed down. There’s also some myth-busting, including fragrances in skin products, getting rid of pimples and brushing your hair for 100 strokes.
 
If you’re looking for a book that tells you which brand or product to buy, this not the book for you; this gives you the information that you need so you can make informed decisions, but it also says, repeatedly, that if you like it, and can afford it, buy what you want. Romanowski doesn't tell us what to do, she presumes that we are intelligent enough to make our own decisions.

This book is a trendy, dated book in that it looks at popular products in use at the time it was written. It also addresses labeling laws and other regulatory matters pertaining to beauty and hygiene products here in the US. In a year or so, much of the book will be outdated. The chemistry likely won't change much but the products and ingredients probably will, at least somewhat, and the regulatory aspects probably will also.

I found the book to be an easy, fun to read (there were a few dry spots when it got extra-technical) that was informative and useful. The tone is that of a friend speaking to another friend, it never gets pompous or presumptuous. It was definitely worth reading.

This eARC was received from NetGalley.