A review of a book published in 2013? I admit I am late. But, in a world where pseudo-science runs rampant, a book about beauty written by scientists? YES, READ IT NOW. So here is my review of It’s OK to Have Lead in Your Lipstick by Perry Romanowski and Randy Schueller.

Would you like to understand your cosmetics better? Knowing the jargons, the ingredients in your products, are they necessary, dangerous, or just for marketing purposes?

I realized that when searching just online, we can easily get trapped in biases and fear-based marketing. For example, suppose you asked whether the organic/chemical sunscreens (everything that’s not Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide) are dangerous. You will most likely find the ‘yes they are dangerous’ answers from places that try to sell you sunscreens using Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide.

The authors of this book, Perry Romanowski & Randy Schueller, are cosmetic chemists well known for running the blog and podcast The Beauty Brains. The book was published in 2013, and Randy Schueller retired from the beauty brains in 2018. (The Beauty Brains is still active, Perry Romanowski now partners with Valerie George).

What Is in The Book?

The title, “It’s OK to Have Lead in Your Lipstick.” is cheeky. Because the book is not (just) about lead in lipstick, but it’s about questions their readers/followers have on beauty products. 

There are six chapters in the book, and all are tackling the different myths and misconceptions in cosmetics. By the end of the book, you’ll feel more knowledgeable tackling beauty myths (and things like green beauty), scaremongering, knowing what works, and, more importantly, have the tools to a more informed decision when you decide to buy something. 

Review: It’s OK to Have Lead in Your Lipstick

First things first: if you are a beauty science enthusiast, you might know some of them already. Still, I think it’s nice to have it in a book form to refer to easily.

I love this book because the Beauty Brains always have a neutral stance on the cosmetics industry. They are not in it to sell you a beauty product. (Though disclaimer, Perry Romanowski is selling cosmetic chemist courses – which I’d love to take someday) .

The Good

  • The book is funny and to the point (just like the show).
  • Presents an unbiased and unsponsored scientific opinion, which is difficult to come by these days.
  • It helps you to understand some basic beauty and ingredients concepts.
  • Make more informed purchases (aka. knowing when you fall just for marketing vs. something of value). 

The Not-So-Good

  • The Q&A format is a hit and miss. On the one hand, it presents questions that beauty mortals want to learn about, but on the other hand, it fails to give the big picture on the topic. It felt more like reading a series of blog posts instead of a full-length book.
  • Links in this book are mostly outdated (at the time I’m writing this post, March 2021).

Who should read it?

Anyone interested in the science of cosmetics and understanding the basic elements of cosmetic products. If you like blogs like ours, you’ll find the book useful (plus it’s only $3.72 on Kindle)

Rating

4/5. Excellent content, but links are outdated and could’ve been better written.

Please note that this review is not sponsored in any way. We buy products ourselves, with our own money, and don’t accept exchanging goods, or money, for reviews. We are completely independent, and our reviews reflect that.