August 2004
Dear Paula,
I have been reading your book to get a new viewpoint, but I must say you really don't like much at all, do you? I am also bothered that you said Estee Lauder's Idealist is a moisturizer. It is a repair product that requires a moisturizer afterwards! You also said Lauder's Advanced Night Repair was only for nighttime, but if you had read the directions or asked anyone, it is to be applied a.m. and p.m., that is why it has a sunscreen. Do more research, rather than just writing your personal opinions. I was very disappointed; you seem very grumpy and unhappy with everything. We all know you cannot get fabulous doctor-achieved results from something over-the-counter, but we love the fact that we can try.

Veronica, via email

Dear Veronica,
Truly, there aren't enough hours in the day for me to do any more research on the beauty industry! It's what I spend most of my time doing. Depending on how you read my book (I think you may not have read the introductory material), I do understand your confusion, but I'm not sure how you missed the many products that received a "happy face" rating in my book. There are grumpy faces in my book, but there are hundreds of happy ones, too.

By any name, Lauder's Idealist is a "moisturizer" because there is no difference between a repair product and a moisturizer. All lotions, serums, and creams, no matter what the industry calls them, should help "repair" skin or, more accurately, help skin function in a more healthier manner. These kinds of ingredients, ranging from antioxidants to cell- communicating ingredients to ingredients that mimic the structure of skin, should all be present in skin-care products. If Lauder is leaving them out of their so-called "moisturizers," that cheats a woman's skin and forces her to buy more than one product when only one is needed. The good news is that most of Lauder's products contain these state-of-the-art ingredients, so you needn't worry or have to double up on your purchases (by the way, Creme de la Mer, Clinique, Aveda, and Prescriptives, all Lauder-owned companies, are for the most part well-supplied with the latest skin-care ingredients).

Lauder's Advanced Night Repair does not have an SPF rating and does not contain sunscreen. This is clear in my book as well as on the product label itself. You were either misled by the salesperson or you missed the section in my book on sun protection. Before you return my book, which you should do if you are so disappointed with the information, at least avail yourself of the sun-care section-it could save your skin.

One other point: I, too, love the fact there are skin-care products that can deliver wonderful results for skin. However, unlike you, I can't tolerate misinformed sales pitches, disingenuous marketing claims, and deceptive advertisements that bombard women with fiction instead of facts.