Paula Begoun: A Consumer Advocate

I know that Paula Begoun sells her own cosmetics, but for me, I see her as a consumer advocate. I have never tried or bought her products, but I have learned a lot from her in terms of choosing suitable products for myself in my local drug stores and department stores. She knows about the science behind the research and manufacturing of cosmetics and she reviews products accordingly.

I happened to come across her website in the mid-90’s when I started to acquaint myself with the world of the Internet. (That seems so long ago!) What I noticed first is her opposition to alcohol in any skincare product. Ever since I started to use skincare products regularly, I noticed that my skin could not tolerate any alcohol. But, at the time, I was confused by what I had been reading. Some said alcohol could contribute to better penetration of other ingredients and some said it acted as a sterilizer.

But, for me, all alcohol did was irritating my skin, making it dry and red.

I thought what Paula said about alcohol made more sense to me, which started my interest in reading more about her views. She was also one of the first people who really emphasized the importance of using proper sunscreen products all year long.

This coincided with what my mother had always been telling me. She regularly went to health seminars in our local hospital and she always said (in the mid-90’s when the idea of everyday sun protection was not as pervasive as it is today) that a good sunscreen lotion was the best anti-ageing product. She uses a sunscreen lotion every day, and her skin looks fantastic for her age.

So, since then, I have been reading what Paula has to say about skincare and makeup products, and many of my own views are influenced by her.

Besides alcohol and sunscreen, I agree with her on the issue of eye creams. Simply speaking, there is generally no need to buy a separate moisturizer for the eye area. Most well-formulated moisturizers can be used around the eyes. Of course if a facial moisturizer has ingredients to exfoliate the skin, then it shouldn’t be used around the eyes. But what is usually the case is that the face cream and the eye cream that come in the same moisturizer range feature almost identical ingredients. If the face cream works for your skin, it should usually work around your eyes as well. I personally think eye creams are a marketing myth. They have more or less the same ingredients but cost around three times as much as the face cream equivalents in terms of unit price.

Some people think Paula’s credibility has been going down since she launched her own line. But for me, she still has the same knowledge and she doesn’t stop recommending other products that she thinks are good. Some people also point out that she doesn’t have a formal qualification to do what she is doing. But, she has the knowledge and her views are scientifically supported. Also, the studies she makes references to are not funded by private cosmetics companies. Aren’t these the most important things here?

Even in terms of the one thing I used to slightly question her, she has been modifying her view. Around ten years ago, I remember she used to almost only recommend makeup items with a matte finish and those in neutral earthy tones. I did generally agree with her view, since soft matte neutral colors suit most people for most occasions. It is the most sensible recommendation for the mass public. But I still thought she could be a little less conservative about both color and finish.

But a couple of years ago, I was pleasantly surprised to read that she thought any person could wear almost any color as long as the intensity and the application are right. (See here.) And she indeed has recommended products like Maybelline’s Dream Mousse Eyecolor and Blush, both of which have noticeable shimmer.

Overall, Paula Begoun is someone I have learned a lot from. I have learned to read the ingredient list and not to fall for the exaggerating claims of the cosmetics companies. What a product can do lies in the ingredient list (not in the ads), and we should have the knowledge to learn about what we put on our faces everyday.

We don’t necessarily need her products. We just need her knowledge.

Finally, two important reminders for everyone:

1: Learn to read the ingredient list. (Let’s all be well-informed consumers!)

2: Wear a moisturizer with proper UVA and UVB protection every day!
(See here for what ingredients you should look for.)

My next post: Dior’s Spring 2007 Collection!

(Edited on April 19, 2007: There is a great interview with Paula Begoun here.)