An Offer For AGT Readers From Paula’s Choice

September 9, 2008

Can I direct everyone’s attention to the Comment from Andrea Hofer, at the end of the Shill article?

Andrea is Paula Begoun’s Social Media Manager. She has posted a few notices in her comment that will be of interest. Take special notice of the free 2 day subscription to Beautypedia.

Why you should care about Beautypedia

Beautypedia is the online edition of Paula Begoun and Bryan Barron’s book, Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me , but believe me when I say it contains more. The book just couldn’t get any bigger without being hard to take upstairs, let alone shopping. There’s no limit to what the site can hold AND the site is updated daily.

I bought the book before I bought my Beautypedia subscription (there are articles regarding my thoughts about the book in these two articles, here for Part 1, and here for Part 2). Turns out I could sign up for Beautypedia at 50% off the usual price of about $25/year since I bought the book – and you can too; the offer is still valid, online or in a store. Now, there’s a deal at twice the price. Will I fork over $12/year to save an average of $30/month? Um, yeah. That’s called free money.

This offer is rather fabulous. You do realize this site includes reviews of almost every skin and beauty product in your home or at any store or website you visit, right?

We’re not talking only blush and face cream here. Hair care (yes, shampoo, conditioners, and styling products), lip balm, eyelash curlers, body lotion, men’s skin care… this is your online resource for what’s not worth your dime.

How I use it

When you get in, go to Categories. Scan down at the list just to get a sense of the range of products covered.

The Customize Search engine works incredibly well, one of the best Search functions I’ve seen on any site. If I’m looking to buy, say, Sunscreen : I click on that under Category, choose my skin type, choose Paula’s Picks (because why would I buy good if I can get extraordinary for the same money?), and de-select everything in the overpriced lineup. I get a pile of hits. If I don’t see anything I like, I go back into Customize and widen the search by re-checking the boxes besides Very Good and Paula’s Pick/Overpriced. Scan down the list of results, take a closer look at a few, and I’m off to the store.

Also to know about Beautypedia are

1. There are e-mail bulletins for the updates that are constantly being added (about 30 products this week alone) , so don’t forget to sign up.

2. The site contains background information about where the various lines originated, who’s behind them, who’s buying them, and what their philosophies (gimmicks, if you’re in Cynical Mode) are. Look up Serious Skin Care, for a fun place to start. You will be in-the-know-and-then-some about the wheels and deals behind the scenes of the cosmetics industry.

Now start looking up everything in your makeup bag, your teenager’s skin care arsenal, your shower stall. You’re in for a good read and a few surprises.

Thanks Andrea, as well as everyone at Paula’s Choice!

Posted by Christine Scaman | Filed Under Paula's Choice