Take Care of Your Skin: The Truth about Buying and Using Today's Skin Care Products

``I love skin care products, but I hate the sales pitch, the confusing advertising, and the high prices,'' writes Brumberg, a cosmetics consumer advocate and ``image consultant.'' Her appealingly down-to-earth guide to skin care goes beyond the usual regimens, showing readers how to resist manipulative sales techniques and the hyperbole that runs rampant in the skin-care industry. Brumberg's tone is that of a wise big sister. While she insists that we not be wimps at the beauty counter, she demonstrates through a skillful use of anecdotal material that she understands how difficult it can be to emerge from the clutches of a lab-coated ``expert'' unconverted and unscathed. The author also sympathizes with the occasional indulgence in an expensive face mask or cream--her product recommendations range from Christian Dior to plain oatmeal. All told, her book offers a much welcome relief from the countless skin-care books written by extremists, whether mystical beauty mavens or dermatological ascetics. (June)