Beauty blogger things you like / don' like?

sashafierce · 05-03-2015 9:21pm

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lazygal · 05-03-2015 9:22pm

I mainly read US blogs. There are rules in the US about disclosure of sponsored posts and the use of affiliate links. There are companies like rstyle which are making a lot of money from click through via blogs. All of which makes me very, very cynical about the reviews on all blogs, but especially the Irish ones which don't seem to have to adhere to any rules like that.

The writing skills of most Irish blogs I have looked at is very, very poor. There seems to be little evidence of proper editing or proofreading, and no one seems to know when to use a comma. I cringe when I read most of them, so I don't really bother with them anymore.

I have gotten some good tips from the US ones about living with less and decluttering your wardrobe and makeup. There are two in particular I regularly check because while they are upfront about their use of affiliate links, they are honest about their reviews and often post that a certain thing isn't worth buying based on the quality or fit. There are also really daft ones where the women are obviously buying high end pieces and either returning them or selling them on to fund their shopping, because there is no way they can afford their lifestyle as shown on the blog.

I've become very cynical about the image so many bloggers present, where they are tweeting about whatever high street brand launch they're having an AMAZING!!111!!11 time at. I used to work in retail and brands need people to show up to fill up the place for a launch, the Irish magazines need people to feature in the society pages to create a level of aspiration and the bloggers need to be able to give away a gift card for whatever brand they are OBSESSED with this week. It's a giant circle jerk in the Irish fashion and media sector.

Okay, that turned into an essay. I had a lot to say I guess!

traineeacc · 05-03-2015 9:24pm

It's all about managing the brand so deleting everything negative is part and parcel I reckon. There was a post recently that I commented on that got deleted. Earlier post showing off semi permanent lashes she had just got and then later a post which claimed they were her "own" lash range (assume she topped up semi permanent) There are strict advertising rules around misleading advertising etc however bloggers who often have a very influential presence among followers are totally exempt from it.

lazygal · 05-03-2015 9:36pm

ratmouse wrote: »

Do you know what else that reminds me of? Bloggers declaring that they have a big announcement on the way or exciting news about a new venture that they can't reveal just yet. Wrecks my head. It causes the whole chain reaction then of "OMG, please tell us now. Dying to hear" or "Can't cope with the excitement. Please tell us what the big news is"! So attention seeking. Why not just wait until whatever venture is signed and sealed and then announce it? That's so annoying as is the "oh, we're on tender hooks here waiting" attitude of the followers. And then more annoying than all of that, the big hush hush venture ends up being something awesomely disappointing like the blogger securing a column in a rubbish newspaper! ;-)

Oh I had to comment again-so very much in agreement with this. There's a massive build up, hints are dropped and the excitement grows.

Then they announce they have a Pennys gift card for twenty quid to give away. Wow.

cookiecakes · 05-03-2015 10:24pm

I've gone mad for I Covet Thee. I'm trying to spend less on make-up and she mixes high end and low end brands really well. Plus she's very pale so I can totally identify with that!

I think I've watched about 12 of her videos today!

sashafierce · 05-03-2015 10:26pm

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ratmouse · 05-03-2015 10:28pm

sashafierce wrote: »

I have actually noticed recently that Pippa gets little to no hateful comments on any of her posts, I think she just comes across so nice and modest that people don't have a bad thing to say about her! Even asking for votes on the most stylish women peter marks award yesterday she even seemed embarrassed asking!

That's because she comes across as a down to earth individual and her style is something most readers can relate to. A reason people dislike the leading blogger is because her image, as well as being so trashy, is not realistic. An example of this- who the hell wears heavy night time style make up whilst doing a work out? This is not how "real" females live, in my opinion. Pippa, dare I say, seems "normal" and that's what people want. I do find it cringey though when bloggers ask for votes for whatever award might be on offer. I think it's desperate and the leading blogger has stopped to a low level previously asking everyone to vote for her in Ireland's Sexiest Female competition. How embarrassing.

retro:electro · 05-03-2015 10:33pm

cookiecakes wrote: »

I've gone mad for I Covet Thee. I'm trying to spend less on make-up and she mixes high end and low end brands really well. Plus she's very pale so I can totally identify with that! I think I've watched about 12 of her videos today!

I absolutely love her! She is so stunning and she could sell me anything! Literally every product she mentions I'm googling and ordering! Love her hair too she's fab

ratmouse · 05-03-2015 10:35pm

traineeacc wrote: »

With that kind of following the payout is quite decent, paid per click, paid more for a purchase via the "buy here" link. The appearance fees aren't cheap! I know from a family member who works in an establishment that contemplated it but decided against it. The payout to "review" a product can be very good with that level of followers.

One other thing that bugs me so much is how quick certain bloggers are to delete comments who don't like outfit/hair/bag etc. People will have different opinions that's life and by putting up loads of photos a day you invite comment. I don't agree with hurtful personal comments but to go on such a defensive rant when somebody says "don't like the top" is so ott. This will then be followed by a flurry of "hattersgonnahate" hash tags!!! That phrase drives me nuts!!!

This is something that boils my blood to be honest. Fans defending her at the drop of a hat if a person dares say they don't like something that she posts. On instagram previously she had some of her followers referring to other followers who asked about the cultural side of her Egypt trip as C#nts. I don't mean to sound like a prude, but it was disgraceful to see and she didn't delete any of these foul mouthed comments either. And yet she can very quickly delete a post if, for example, someone says they didn't find the Crown make up brushes to be worth the money.

ratmouse · 05-03-2015 10:37pm

cookiecakes wrote: »

I've gone mad for I Covet Thee. I'm trying to spend less on make-up and she mixes high end and low end brands really well. Plus she's very pale so I can totally identify with that! I think I've watched about 12 of her videos today!

Sounds good. Am definitely going to check it out. Thanks!

retro:electro · 05-03-2015 10:48pm

I think why Pippa is so successful is because she just seems so normal, it's like she's one of your friends letting you in on the bargains in the shops. She has class and an air of elegance about her. She doesn't get much negativity from what I've seen but I can't imagine her using the language Ireland's leading blogger is known to use and having that level of aggression. I can't relate to The Make up Fairy either, nice girl yes but she just seems a bit away with the fairies, excuse the pun! I think she can have notions about herself too sometimes like the other one and her pics are waaaay too airbrushed that it's just pointless being interested in what product she's used because I can't see what it really looks like.

She annoyed me lately too when she said someone who questioned her make up skills was "just jealous". I left her a comment and said why does her comment mean she's jealous? Maybe that's just her opinion, it doesn't mean she's jealous of you. I absolutely hate that you can't have an opposing opinion without being accused of being jealous or a "hater" *shudder*

I think there's a gap in the market over here good bloggers like icovetthee, viviannadoesmakeup and hello october.

ratmouse · 05-03-2015 10:49pm

Sorry, I'm on a right rant here now about things I don't like on blogs! Another thing I cannot stand is a blogger pretending that they have always been into a brand or a product when they have never once mentioned them before. Again, it's clearly a paid sponsorship/product endorsement but the blogger does not admit this and instead tries to fool the reader into thinking they've always had a loyalty to this brand. An example of this is, (surprise surprise!), the leading blogger is all of a sudden declaring love for the Heatons brand and even wrote a blog about it saying something along the lines of how she's always loved their store/products. That's funny because I have never seen her mention Heaton's before either for fashion or homeware. And based on her style, I think we can all agree that you would never associate her with that store. And yet here she is, promoting them and even saying that she is thinking of popping into their Carrickmines store. Not a mention of it possibly being a paid advertisement exercise. No no, she will just be casually popping into Carrickmines (which isn't even close to where she resides) to check out a store she has always loved, loved so much that she has never mentioned before!

traineeacc · 05-03-2015 10:52pm

cookiecakes wrote: »

I've gone mad for I Covet Thee. I'm trying to spend less on make-up and she mixes high end and low end brands really well. Plus she's very pale so I can totally identify with that! I think I've watched about 12 of her videos today!

Just looked her up, I like it already, seems (first impression as) to be a "true"
Blog!

lazygal · 05-03-2015 10:53pm

I read an American forum that, shall we say, critiques a lot of blogs. Having read about how blogging works in the US I'm incredibly cynical about all the things I now see creeping into Irish blogs. I take everything with a giant pinch of salt, even what seem to be sincere and natural posts or images. Blogs are a product, and nothing is or can ever be 100% real.

ratmouse · 05-03-2015 10:55pm

anna080 wrote: »

I think why Pippa is so successful is because she just seems so normal, it's like she's one of your friends letting you in on the bargains in the shops. She has class and an air of elegance about her. She doesn't get much negativity from what I've seen but I can't imagine her using the language Ireland's leading blogger is known to use and having that level of aggression. I can't relate to The Make up Fairy either, nice girl yes but she just seems a bit away with the fairies, excuse the pun! I think she can have notions about herself too sometimes like the other one and her pics are waaaay too airbrushed that it's just pointless being interested in what product she's used because I can't see what it really looks like.
I think there's a gap in the market over here good bloggers like icovetthee, viviannadoesmakeup and hello october.

You're spot on, Pippa comes across as a real lady. You would never have her or her followers using bad language or getting defensive and aggressive. She is far too dignified for that. The make up fairy does seem far more down to earth than the lead blogger and she allows followers to give both good and bad critiques and never responds with a bad attitude. Her posts are air brushed far too much though and her make up is too over the top for me.

traineeacc · 05-03-2015 10:58pm

I did used to like make up fairy but she seems to have lost her way a little, very few reviews of actual products showing how she used them, what she thought etc. Read one review recently and it seemed to me she was going through the motions and having not actually used the product, appreciate I could be wrong here

traineeacc · 05-03-2015 11:01pm

Another pippa fan here right mix of high end and high street, she seems to want to relate to her readers and help with queries etc. The leading blogger seems to want to be an adored by "fans" without relating to them or listening to them. Again just my opinion.

I have bought items pippa blogs about, actually some from heatons following her recent Ireland am slot, I wouldn't have even considered it before saw her showing them.

retro:electro · 05-03-2015 11:03pm

Anyone see Tanya Burr's latest video? She mentioned cocoa brown tan as one of her favourites and she no more uses that tan than the man in the moon! First of all she's white as snow and if you use that tan, well you'll be scrubbing for a week before you see your real skin again! And just the way she was describing it as she was going along was so false. I'd say she was paid a fair penny for that one.

Twee. · 05-03-2015 11:08pm

ratmouse wrote: »

Sorry, I'm on a right rant here now about things I don't like on blogs! Another thing I cannot stand is a blogger pretending that they have always been into a brand or a product when they have never once mentioned them before. Again, it's clearly a paid sponsorship/product endorsement but the blogger does not admit this and instead tries to fool the reader into thinking they've always had a loyalty to this brand. An example of this is, (surprise surprise!), the leading blogger is all of a sudden declaring love for the Heatons brand and even wrote a blog about it saying something along the lines of how she's always loved their store/products. That's funny because I have seen her mention Heaton's before either for fashion or homeware. And based on her style, I think we can all agree that you would never associate her with that store. And yet here she is, promoting them and even saying that she is thinking of popping into their Carrickmines store. Not a mention of it possibly being a paid advertisement exercise. No no, she will just be casually be popping into Carrickmines (which isn't even close to where she resides) to check out a store she has always loved, loved so much that she has never mentioned before!

Just wanted to chime in here

I work for a large brand that does a very significant amount of blogger activity in Ireland. We will never ever gift anyone anything unless they have expressed an interest in the brand on their own merit. There are blogs that are huge in Ireland that aren't on target for the brand, we do not engage with them. There's three Rs that we follow very carefully - Reach, Relevence and Resonance. Gotta have all 3!

traineeacc · 05-03-2015 11:11pm

That's interesting twee, do you get bloggers begging/ asking for freebies in return for reviews? Or big name bloggers demanding a pricey sum to review/ promote?

If you can't answer no problem! Just curious

lazygal · 05-03-2015 11:11pm

Twee. wrote: »

Just wanted to chime in here I work for a large brand that does a very significant amount of blogger activity in Ireland. We will never ever gift anyone anything unless they have expressed an interest in the brand on their own merit. There are blogs that are huge in Ireland that aren't on target for the brand, we do not engage with them. There's three Rs that we follow very carefully - Reach, Relevence and Resonance. Gotta have all 3!

Do bloggers ever "reach out" (I hate that term) to you looking for freebies? I know of brands who have had that happen.

ratmouse · 05-03-2015 11:13pm

Twee. wrote: »

Just wanted to chime in here I work for a large brand that does a very significant amount of blogger activity in Ireland. We will never ever gift anyone anything unless they have expressed an interest in the brand on their own merit. There are blogs that are huge in Ireland that aren't on target for the brand, we do not engage with them. There's three Rs that we follow very carefully - Reach, Relevence and Resonance. Gotta have all 3!

That makes complete sense and is good to hear to be honest. Shows the brand respects itself, if that makes sense?

lazygal · 05-03-2015 11:18pm

Sometimes I wonder why some bloggers are invited by the high end stores to fashion events when a) they feature Pennys on a regular basis and b) they sport counterfeit "designer" gear. There's one in particular sports an obvious fake to high end brand launches in a high end store and yet never wears any of the real stuff on her blog. Showcasing collections to someone like that seems like a waste of resources.

Twee. · 05-03-2015 11:32pm

Rarely would we get people asking for product directly. Some ask to be put on mailing lists for press releases which I don't mind at all - there's so many blogs out there we'd never find them all ourselves! We also "reach out" to bloggers that we want to engage with.

With regards to bloggers charging, generally for beauty we just send samples for their consideration. We do not expect a blog post because we sent them a product. And sometimes we get bad reviews, that's fine. Proves the person actually used it and not just swatch once and dump it in a drawer. But if I sent a blogger a number of samples over a few months and didn't get any post/social media mention, I might take them off the list for a while and give someone else a chance. Product and Mail/courier costs money, so have to spend it the best way.

ratmouse · 05-03-2015 11:45pm

Twee. wrote: »

Rarely would we get people asking for product directly. Some ask to be put on mailing lists for press releases which I don't mind at all - there's so many blogs out there we'd never find them all ourselves! We also "reach out" to bloggers that we want to engage with.

With regards to bloggers charging, generally for beauty we just send samples for their consideration. We do not expect a blog post because we sent them a product. And sometimes we get bad reviews, that's fine. Proves the person actually used it and not just swatch once and dump it in a drawer. But if I sent a blogger a number of samples over a few months and didn't get any post/social media mention, I might take them off the list for a while and give someone else a chance. Product and Mail/courier costs money, so have to spend it the best way.

Very interesting to get an insight into how brands and the blogging industry works.

gossipgirl10 · 06-03-2015 6:03am

Open to correction on this but I think both Pippa and the leading blogger are 30? They just seem like worlds apart and I know they are at different stages in their lives with Pippa being married and having a child etc. I'm the same age myself and even though I'm not married and have no children I am just so much more drawn to Pippa's blog than the other blog.

As other people have said I just think Pippa has more class and also more maturity - you would never imagine her responding to negative feedback in an agressive way etc I think she would take it in her stride. It seems to me like Pippa appeals more to mid to late twenties and even much older age groups whereas the other bloggers target audience is much younger? I think alot of people were shocked when they realised that she turned 30 last year.

Also fair play to "the leading blogger" she has an amazing figure but I just think her look is not at all classy no matter how much designer gear she buys her outfits normally look cheap. She could look amazing if she pared it all back a bit and went for a more natural look. Just because you have a great figure wearing skin tight, midriff baring outfits isn't always the best way to show it off.

ratmouse · 06-03-2015 11:18am

gossipgirl10 wrote: »

Open to correction on this but I think both Pippa and the leading blogger are 30? They just seem like worlds apart and I know they are at different stages in their lives with Pippa being married and having a child etc. I'm the same age myself and even though I'm not married and have no children I am just so much more drawn to Pippa's blog than the other blog.

As other people have said I just think Pippa has more class and also more maturity - you would never imagine her responding to negative feedback in an agressive way etc I think she would take it in her stride. It seems to me like Pippa appeals more to mid to late twenties and even much older age groups whereas the other bloggers target audience is much younger? I think alot of people were shocked when they realised that she turned 30 last year.

Also fair play to "the leading blogger" she has an amazing figure but I just think her look is not at all classy no matter how much designer gear she buys her outfits normally look cheap. She could look amazing if she pared it all back a bit and went for a more natural look. Just because you have a great figure wearing skin tight, midriff baring outfits isn't always the best way to show it off.

I concur. She has a lovely figure. I think she would need to strip it all back by more than just a bit though to achieve a more natural look. She has a lot of fakery going on and even when she puts up photos of a so called "no make up" look, she still has fake lashes on, HD brows, tonnes of fake tan, fake hair, fake nails. You never see her looking natural. So paring back for her would entail getting rid of a lot more than the rest of us to get back to a natural canvas.

sashafierce · 06-03-2015 9:16pm

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sashafierce · 06-03-2015 9:17pm

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traineeacc · 06-03-2015 9:29pm

Couldn't resist looking that up! Wow is all I can say! I just can't relate to her at all, I'm a little older (not much though!) married with 2 kids and our lifestyles are poles apart! I get so mad when she posts the status about how her friends having kids but she just want to forge a career etc. I politely replied stating despite being married and having 2 kids I have a professional career - accountant and lecture in 3rd level. Needless to say my comment got deleted! Actually come to think of it I don't think any of my comments have ever the cut! I suspect it's because I haven't agreed or complimented her in some way!

Back to Pippa, love her style and the way she never flaunts her lifestyle despite I'm sure getting invited to so many great events etc. She also doesn't post up hundreds of pic of her and her hubbie, she maintains dignity about her life which I like. I was liking Ystyle there for a while but lately lots of posts plugging Savida way more than other brands starting to get suspicious about paid endorsement etc not that it matters really. I don't like bloggers misleading readers. Whoever recommend I covet thee- thanks I am hooked!! Real reviews with now bs!

Beauty blogger things you like / don' like?

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