Dr. Oz Promotes New Beauty Book on Oprah

I love it when Oprah and Dr. Mehmet Oz get together like they did today to promote his new book, YOU: Being Beautiful: The Owner's Manual to Inner and Outer Beauty (Buy Now) . But I found some of the advice they gave off the mark, or at the very least insufficient. One poor lady with adult acne was washing her face with anti-bacterial handsoap and a plastic puff, "toning" it with witchhazel, and then piling on cold cream to moisturize. They told her that she was causing some of her own problems but when she asked them what to do, with tears in her eyes. But no one said, "Go get a facial from an esthetician you can trust, and get advice from her on what products are best for your skin."

The whole emphasis was going to a drugstore and getting inexpensive products recommended by Paula Begoun, who wrote Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me, 7th Edition (Buy Now). The book is interesting if you REALLY love beauty products, but it's nearly 1200 pages. You're not exactly going to slip in your purse on the way to the Rite-Aid. And she ends up being a big fan of -- surprise! -- her own product line. And I don't know about you, but I've wasted a lot of money at the drugstore buying things for my skin that weren't right for me.

I also felt bad when they pulled out the Visia System, which shows people how much sun damage that lies below the surface of the skin. You could hear the gasps in the audience, and two ladies were visibly shaken. Dr. Oz and the dermatologist on hand said you could treat it, but they weren't very specific about how. And they repeated that you can't do ANYTHING about cellulite. I agree that creams and shorts don't get rid of it, but dietary changes and the right kind of exercise can make a big difference.

I like the idea of this book, but I wonder if Dr. Oz -- a heart surgeon -- is getting a little too far outside his area of expertise in recommending that you just buy $10-$12 products for your skin. I'd rather listen to the esthetician.