Hot site: Cosmetics Cop

Now hear this: Paula Begoun does not want you to go shopping.

Not without her, that is. Or at least her advice.

Long before chat rooms and instant customer recommendations became de rigeur, Ms. Begoun made it her mission to cut through the marketing hype and offer clear, easy-to-understand reviews of the most popular beauty products. Her tome Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me is now on its seventh edition, and its counterpart Don't Go Shopping for Hair-Care Products Without Me is on its third go-round.

To keep her readers posted between book-writings, Ms. Begoun also hosts a hot little resource known as the Cosmetics Cop website. There you can find free reviews of hundreds of products in a searchable database; for more in-depth information, special reports, and other goodies, you can subscribe to her companion site, Beautypedia, for just $25 a year.

Who says beauty and brains don't mix?

Hot read: Celebutantes

Even if your college days are long behind you, it's never too late to grab a couple of girlfriends for a spring break getaway. And if you're looking for something to entertain on those long, languid days at the beach, look no further than Celebutantes.

This latest chick-lit sensation chronicles the adventures of Lola Santisi, a Hollywood actress who abandons the limelight for the far grittier world of red-carpet fashion. Representing designer Julian Tennant, she's on a quest to convince a Hollywod fabulista to don his finery at the upcoming Oscars. As she woos one it-girl after another, you'll recognize personalities and peculiarities taken straight out of celeb gossip headlines in a hilarious race to the red carpet.



For a fun sneak peek, check out the trailer (yes, a book with a trailer!) at amazon.com.

See who made The List of stylists

Quick, name Hollywood's top 10 "it" girls.

Nice job. Now name their stylists.

Gotcha.

While our favorite starlets get the credit (or take the blame) for their looks, it's the stylist who is out there in the trenches, hunting down the must-have accessories, negotiating with designers, matching this bag with this jacket (but not those shoes, honey!). And while the best ones may merit the occasional taste of fame, most toil away in relative anonymity.

Now these unsung heroes of the fashion world get their due in Stylist: The Interpreters of Fashion by the editors of Style.com (with an introduction by Anna Wintour). This 240-page tome, to be relased October 30, profiles 16 of the most sought-after names in the biz. Each chapter charts the career of a different sartorial wizard, with an emphasis on individual flair, uncanny instinct, and knack for trendsetting and documented in an array of dazzling color photographs.

If you're serious about style, here's your chance to learn from the true masters.

(Hat tip: All About the Pretty)