Book Review: Toss the Gloss

Toss the Gloss by Andrea Q. Robinson
Adorably illustrated by Chelsea McLaren

Oh, this is a fun and informative read!  Originally, I pre-ordered Toss the Gloss through Amazon. When I realized the book version won't be out until mid May, I couldn't wait, so I had it whisked to my Kindle instead.

I might have erred, because this is a tome you will highlight and dog ear with turned back pages. I've bookmarked my Kindle version, but I'm not sure if there is an abridged way to pull them all back up... and there are plenty. BTW, I'm only 46% through.

Ms. Robinson has had a most illustrious career in the beauty industry, rising from a beauty editor at Vogue to the President of Ultima II, (she created, "The Nakeds" presaging Bobbi Brown by well over a decade), Chief Marketing Officer of Estee Lauder and President of both Ralph Lauren Fragances and Tom Ford Beauty.

It's pithy and brutally honest. No doubt the fur is flying behind closed doors as she spills the truth about the industry.   Certain things that you will learn you can't unlearn; like the fact that the cosmetic giants that own multiple brands only invest in one set of chemists. Thus the breakthrough ingredient in a Lancôme skincare blockbuster (like Genefique) might later be used but remarketed in a "new" launch from L'Oreal,  ie. the much less pricey Youth Code. Sure we all knew they shared the mascara lab, but even I hadn't made the leap to skincare.

Oh and ouch.

Though the book is written for women 50+,  the eye opening information about clever disclaimers like "may improve", "may help to diminish" and "results may vary" should be read by all women. Those groups of women sampled and reporting on results may be notoriously small and younger than what we imagined, seeing great results. Oh and 'buyer beware"; especially if a celeb is the spokesperson.

Ms. Robinson is specific about which products she likes and doesn't and has some great recommendations about how to apply them to help you achieve a youthful, prettier face each morning. Also appreciated is that she sites both prestige and drugstore brands as options.

The first chapters of her book talk about the necessity of purging, really purging your cosmetic stash of all the gift with purchases, unworn eye shadows, never applied red lipsticks and old foundations.

I spent an hour doing just that and as Ms. Robinson predicts and promises, I doubt I will miss any of it. I'm anxious to finish the last 54% and I just may ending buying that hard copy yet.

It's just that good...

xox,
DD