Book excerpt: Can you repair, nourish, reconstruct, or restore hair? Are salon products better than drugstore brands? Labels and ads for shampoos, conditioners, and styling products promise brilliant results, and fashion magazines echo their claims. Who can be believed?In this objective, informative review of hair care products, consumer advocate Paula Begoun examines over 150 name-brand product lines, from Redken to L'Oreal. More than 4,000 products are described and evaluated for performance, reliability, price, and claims. Included are comparisons of good ingredients with poor ones, evaluations of what helps and what hurts hair, and descriptions of how to tell the difference between reality and hype in regards to a product's performance. Hair sprays, shampoos, conditioners, gels, mousses, and salon products are examined. A user-friendly rating system makes it easy to find recommended items."Paula Begoun will soon become your hero. Described by some as the 'Ralph Nader of rouge,' Begoun has uncovered the scams and half-truths that permeate the $30 billion beauty industry." -Boston Herald"She's the woman the cosmetics industry loves to hate. That's because she's totally honest." -The Toronto Sun