With all of the advertising and marketing in the beauty industry it’s very hard to tell what is going to work and what will not. This is so important because who wants to waste $$$ on a product that does not live up to it’s claims? So how do you research a products claims and find out if it contains ingredients that will actually make your skin better? This is where one of my favorite websites Beautypedia comes in. Beautypedia was started by Paula Begoun who is known as the cosmetics cop. For decades now she has been breaking down ingredient lists vs. manufacturer claims to de-mistify the (sometimes) fuzzy beauty science and to educate the masses. Whenever you sign on to Instagram, Youtube, open a magazine, see a commercial, etc. you’re constantly being bombarded with “This is the one! The product that will make you flawless and fix all of your skin’s problems! BUY NOW!!” and Paula helps you separate the BS from the truly beneficial products.
The other thing I like about her site is that you can choose how deeply you want to plunge into the scientific knowledge behind ingredients. You can find out if a product contains sodium hyaluronate acid and what the hell that means, or you can just find out if the MAC Pro Longwear Nourishing Waterproof Foundation lives up to it’s claims or not (PS it does according to beautypedia and now I really want to try it!).
How I use Beautypedia:
1. If a product I already own isn’t working well for me, I will look it up to see what the experts at Paula’s Choice say about it. It can then confirm to me that, for example, the Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream is in fact not helping at all, per my hunch, and totally was not worth me $30.
Here’s part of the review:
2. OK now that I know this it’s time for a new eye cream so I like to use their Best of the Best section to find a new product to try. I picked out the CeraVe Eye Repair Cream because of the great review and because it’s available in the drugstore so it’s less than half the price of the Origin’s one and works way better!
3. I also love their video reviews of new products! Here’s their review of the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream ($100!):
The downsides of this website are that they don’t have every single product I’ve ever searched for, but they have enough background info that they’ll have you reading ingredient lists like a savvy consumer in no time! I just love that they include a lot more objective information than just the opinions that beauty gurus put in their reviews. Everyone knows that some products can be holy grails for your friend/mom/favorite beauty guru and do jack all for you when you try them since everyone’s skin is so different. That’s why I think it’s important to make sure that products are safe and effective as well before spending your hard earned money on them!
How do you research beauty products before purchasing?