Who is Paula?

Paula Begoun is the creator and innovative force behind Paula's Choice skin care and cosmetics. She is the author of 18 best-selling books including Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, Blue Eyeshadow Should Be Illegal, The Original Beauty Bible, and Don't Go Shopping for Hair-Care Products Without Me. Paula’s books have sold more than 2.5 million copies worldwide.

Her work as a nationally-recognized consumer expert for the cosmetics industry has led to repeat appearances on CNN, as well as programs such as Oprah, The Today Show, 20/20, Dateline NBC, The View, and Dr. Oz.

Paula's Story: In Her Own Words

My work has taken me on two paths that began with my own skin problems and blossomed into realizing how many others like me I could help. My dual roles as The Cosmetics Cop and as the owner and creator of Paula's Choice skin care and makeup have been fulfilling personally and professionally because I have the privilege of helping women around the world have the skin they've always wanted.

Looking back at how this all happened I realized my journey began with my own struggle with acne. From the age of 11 I battled the relentless, reoccurring, and red-faced torment of blemishes every day. As many do, I turned to skin-care products and medical treatments that promised to get rid of acne, close pores, and stop my oily skin from gushing. I desperately wanted to stop the acne and have clear skin. After trying everything, and I do mean everything, my acne never got better. If anything, I ended up with more problems.

Then at the age of 25—I'll never forget this moment—I read the ingredients on the bottle of toner I was using and the fourth ingredient was acetone. That's nail polish remover! Even though I had an educational background in science, it didn't take much expertise to know that acetone wasn't skin care. I started reading all of the published research I could find on skin care ingredients and through my own detective work I was able to find products with the right ingredients that actually cleared up my skin. That's how my career as the Cosmetics Cop started. I didn't want anyone else to have to suffer the way I did so I wrote the first edition of Don't Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me and eventually made this and other skin care information available online.

After reviewing thousands of skin-care products from all over the world the fact was truly great products were frustratingly difficult to find. I finally decided to start my own skin care line in 1995 with one mission: To create products that contained proven ingredients that could truly make skin look younger, flawless, radiant, and as wrinkle- and acne-free as possible. Review after review on my Web site confirms I have succeeded in my mission and I share this success with all my customers.

My passion to understand what is in skin-care products and what the research says works or doesn't work for skin has never stopped. I have written 18 books on skin care and makeup and my websites have information that is updated with new research and new facts almost every day. This drive to always keep learning has led me to create some of the most innovative, effective products the cosmetics industry offers, with every formula being supported by published studies so they work exactly as claimed.

I invite you to explore this site and Beautypedia.com to find what you need to know and what you need to use to have the skin of your dreams. Turning dreams into reality is the best part of my job!