What are the lies concealed behind cosmetics? What is the link between the price and the quality?

Beatrice Mautino puts herself in the shoes of those who walk into a shop and want to buy harmless, effective products and not be swindled by advertising.

Bestseller list

Is talcum powder really carcinogenic? What about hair dyes? What are the dangers involved in using eye pencils and mascara made from carbon black, history’s earliest black pigment? Is there such a thing as vegan eyeshadow? Glitter: how is it produced? What is it? Beatrice Mautino responds to these daily questions about cosmetic products by means of nice case studies and stories. This is a book that takes the side of the consumer, trains us to read between the lines of a label and contains no advertising – only tips, real tips to help us avoid scams and false promises.

pp.240

Mascaras, shampoos and sun creams: what are we really spreading on ourselves?
An expert has tested various beauty and health products first-hand to help us protect ourselves from the risks and the scams of the cosmetic industry.

English sample available

Is cellulite really an illness we should battle against with thousands of creams, massages and shock treatments? Is there a difference between the hundreds of shampoos offered – each one promising a different type of miracle for our locks – on the shelves in our supermarkets and pharmacies? These are just two of the questions to which this investigative book provides answers. The world of cosmetics is one in which advertising rules; pharmaceutical companies make massive investments in order to sell their products, misleading possible customers with false information. On top of this comes old traditions and hearsay. Beatrice Mautino tries to illuminate us about what we daily put into our trolleys, or worse, onto our bodies, by putting to the test anti-ageing creams with outrageous ingredients, demonised parabens, anti-cancer sunscreen, hair removal products and hair growth lotions, organic or pseudo- organic cosmetics.

pp.240