I'll admit it, I like makeup. I have ever since I was old enough to get into my mom's lipstick and make a huge mess when she wasn't looking. I've been coloring my hair since the age of 15, and tried every shade under the sun. My most memorable experience was when I went from jet black to platinum - and my hair was left so porous and limp that I couldn't even dry it and had no other option but to crop it all off. It did turn out kind of cute, and since I was a fashion design student in college, looking like Annie Lennox seemed totally normal. Needless to say, I've had my share of beauty mishaps.

Nadine Hoebsh, author of Beauty Confidential: The No Preaching, No Lies, Advice-You'll- Actually-Use Guide to Looking Your Best, has had a few mishaps herself and she's here to tell you about them. Nadine certainly knows her way around the beauty products counter. As a former beauty editor for Ladies' Home Journal, she's had the chance to test out just about every product on the market. After all that experience, she has some great advice on what products really work, and those we shouldn't even bother with. She names names, as well as prices and where to get the goods.

I found Beauty Confidential to be an entertaining and informative resource. Nadine gives us the lowdown on what it's like to have a bikini wax (and why we'd even want one), the differences in the many laser treatments available (TMI), and a rundown of the products that she (and other beauty editors) are never without. What I found refreshing is that she's just as familiar with drug store brands as she is with those you'll find at Sephora, and she gives recommendations for products in all price ranges.

What she also gives us is the dirt on what the life of a beauty editor is like - boxes and boxes of the most amazing products and most coveted fragrances hurled at you throughout the day and at your disposal with just a quick call. Being swept off for lunches of salmon and blueberries (both full of antioxidants and wonderful for your skin) in a limo and gifted with IPods, gift cards to Barney's and a fabulous new wardrobe. Oh, the glamour. I guess even this life could get old after a while.

After being outed (or, rather, "dooced") for her tell-all column, Jolie in NYC, Nadine decided to put all her beauty knowledge into an unbiased book and share her tips and recommendations on everything from what to do if you have less than 5 minutes to get ready (a chapter for us moms!), how to get the most out of your haircolor and what mascara is the best (Lancome Definicils). Sure, she recommends some high-dollar items, but many products are those you'll find in the aisles of your local Target or Wal-Mart. Beauty comes at all price tags, and while we can't all rush out and spend a wad at the makeup counter every few months, we can arm ourselves with information so that we know what to splurge on and what to skip. Nadine helps us to be a bit more informed about which products are worth their weight in gold (Nars blush in "orgasm") and which products we shouldn't bother with (serums - they're just a more concentrated form of moisturizer). Knowledge is power, and Beauty Confidential offers up some great tips to keep us looking our best.

Reviewed for the Parent Bloggers Network.