Small rant: The Beauty Review Bandwagon

[LeeleeBell]

Ok is it just me....Lately it seems like a bunch of you-tubers and beauty bloggers will all decide to review the same product around the time at least 10 others have already reviewed it. How many reviews saying the same thing do we really need to see? Honestly, if peeps had something *new* to add to the conversation that's one thing....but to just say what everyone else has already said? Why?

I think that's why I am becoming skeptical of product reviews from anyone...even trusted sources for tips/tricks etc. If everyone starts hyping something I start to think "they must be getting free product for good reviews". Seriously, take the case of Sigma brushes. I have nothing against them, and in fact I have ordered from them before and just did again. It's just one example lately....I am not trying to accuse anyone of anything. I am not saying that "gurus" are lying. I am just saying that the redundancy is making me skeptical and turning me off to product reviews in general... I am skipping blogs and vids and such because of it.

Another recent example: the OCC lip tars. I bought one and despised it...tried to give it to a friend and she hated it too. I wasn't particularly impressed with the e/s I bought either, though it was ok....just nothing "spectacular" like the reviews have made it seem. I haven't seen one youtuber or blogger have a negative word to say about their product. I find that a bit odd. I thought at least one person out there, of the many who have decided to review OCC...might agree with us? But nope. They all say the same thing, the same reviews.

Just had to get that off my chest and please don't take offense....I do appreciate all the effort and time that so many put into reviews/tuts/blogs and I usually love watching them. I am just starting to feel like sometimes things are over-promoted...overly hyped...it starts to feel like a commercial when you see the same review 10 times from 10 different people. I know some have said "I don't have to review anything I don't like...so why would I lie?"....that's not my issue and I am not accusing anyone of lying. All I ask is before doing a review, do a search on youtube or google...or just check out your fellow bloggers/youtubers to see what they have been up to...Just check on how many other people have already done that review-and said basically the same thing- recently

[TISH1124]

I can't even begin to voice my opinion without offending people.....So let me just say

I mean like is there any product they review that is NOT GREAT??????

[malaviKat]

I have to agree with you. (And no, I don't see it as you accusing anyone of anything, least of all dishonesty). I also find there's been a dramatic increase in the number of YouTubers who focus on makeup/beauty and while it's great to have a vast array of tutorials to choose from, lately I just haven't been able to keep up with everyone.

[malaviKat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TISH1124

I can't even begin to voice my opinion without offending people.....

LOL!

[LeeleeBell]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TISH1124

I mean like is there any product they review that is NOT GREAT??????

LOL it would be refreshing to see "Stuff that sucks this month" vids from the youtubers once in a while That said, some of them do say, once in a while, when they aren't impressed...

I have seen MissChievous and TiffanyD do that...Julia hated some dazzleglasses, has criticized a lot of MAC stuff...and Tiffany has said she isn't impressed with certain MSF's or MAC collections that come out.

[frocher]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TISH1124

I can't even begin to voice my opinion without offending people.....So let me just say

I mean like is there any product they review that is NOT GREAT??????

Not when it's free I guess.

[frocher]

This bothers me too, I just ignore those reviews. They have become just about as valuable as a TV infomercial. It's a paid product endorsement. Personally though, you'd think their reputation and integrity would be worth more to them than a few freebies.

When I think of all the you tubers whose opinions I no longer trust because they sold their objectivity for free makeup, it's sad.

[TISH1124]

^I agree...I read some of the blogs and it's like every item they review is FABULOUS....and you have to wonder....ok just how much did you put into the reviewing process...you get it one day and it is so wonderful immediately...Have you had time to try all the products or does hand swatches count as a review or free products automatically get a FABULOUS stat...I just draw my own conclusions on products...My opinion is all that matters at the end of the day...what is good for one is not always great for another

[frocher]

^Ditto. I will ask more generalized questions if I am interested in a product, but when it come down to purchasing only my opinion matters.

[malaviKat]

I think I've gotten to the point where I treat YouTube as a medium for learning about new products - not as a place to hear reviews or opinions. It's just too easy to get sucked into the hype there. And, to be honest, judging by a lot of the viewer comments some of the gurus have, there are a lot of young teenagers that don't really know any better. (Sad, but true). Of course, this is the target demographic for most companies, no?

If I want to get a decent review of a product I'm more likely to check its rating on makeupalley (or something along those lines). At least there there's a potential that the reviews come from a larger sample of people.

The Sigma brush example Leelee brought up is a good one. I will admit that I have also purchased from Sigma but my decision to do so had nothing to do with Tiffany's reviews and everything to do with the discussion that took place here on Specktra. Based on that I decided to buy one brush and evaluate things myself before deciding on any larger purchases.

Good for gurus who never meet a product they don't like...but that's just not realistic.

[TISH1124]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeeleeBell

Another recent example: the OCC lip tars. I bought one and despised it...tried to give it to a friend and she hated it too. I wasn't particularly impressed with the e/s I bought either, though it was ok....just nothing "spectacular" like the reviews have made it seem. I haven't seen one youtuber or blogger have a negative word to say about their product. I find that a bit odd. I thought at least one person out there, of the many who have decided to review OCC...might agree with us? But nope. They all say the same thing, the same reviews.

Come on now...you know them OCC lip tars are the best thing since Buttered bread!!

Yep same thing...OMG so pigmented...last forever....so great! I'm in love! I have a new favorite...Don't sleep on these....

[frocher]

See, I think most of these reviewers did meet products they didn't like before they started getting them free to review on their channels or blogs. If they give a bad review, the well of free stuff dries up. They want to keep it coming in, it's only human. But to be less than honest with your viewers, your mad viewers will be stuck with crappy products which equates to less viewers/viewers that don't trust you. Seems like a bad business decision to me, or personal one for that matter.


Your reputation and word is not worth free makeup imo. That's selling yourself pretty cheap.

[malaviKat]

Quote:

Originally Posted by frocher

See, I think most of these reviewers did meet products they didn't like before they started getting them free to review on their channels or blogs. If they give a bad review, the well of free stuff dries up. They want to keep it coming in, it's only human. But to be less than honest with your viewers, your mad viewers will be stuck with crappy products which equates to less viewers/viewers that don't trust you. Seems like a bad business decision to me, or personal one for that matter.


Your reputation and word is not worth free makeup imo. That's selling yourself pretty cheap.

Here's a question... Would your opinions change at all if the reviewer(s) in question came out and admitted they were sent the product (under review) for free? Would it be better for them to admit that it might not have been a product they would have considered purchasing and advise their viewers accordingly?

[TISH1124]

Honest reviews impress me no matter what.....because we as followers expect honesty...then we go buy it and it's crap...that makes me not listen to anything else you review...If it's great say that...If you would not purchased it say that....But their hands are tied when they get it free they basically feel inclined to lie to keep the freebies coming i would think

If a reviewer said...Thank Goodness this was free because I personally wouldn't purchase it...speaks volumes ...Thats a honest person

[LeeleeBell]

Quote:

Originally Posted by malaviKat

Here's a question... Would your opinions change at all if the reviewer(s) in question came out and admitted they were sent the product (under review) for free? Would it be better for them to admit that it might not have been a product they would have considered purchasing and advise their viewers accordingly?

For me, I think it's obvious that some bloggers and "gurus" are sent a lot of stuff for free...I mean where do you buy OCC liptars or Sigma brushes? They were new products/brands that needed to get word of mouth going, so they sent freebies to people. And there's nothing wrong with people accepting that IMO...As some have said they don't "have to" review a product or hype it if they hate it.

But maybe, just maybe, a product isn't "perfect" in every way. Maybe a brush or two they got has shed several hairs...for example. Maybe the pigmentation or texture was off on some items...and not others. Maybe there was a funny scent. Maybe the company didn't package the items well and they were bent on arrival and had to be reordered. What if that information was left out of a review because "overall" a guru liked the products or the people who sold them. What if they just don't want to hurt the feelings of these new entrepreneurs who are so excited and so kind to ship their products for free? Now that's where it gets tricky for me. The hype gets passed on and some of the truth doesn't get passed along with it.
That's all I want: the whole truth.

I swear that some of the reviews online of Sigma brushes are scripted LOL! They all say the same thing....the same way...Sooo strange.

Regarding Beautychoice.com....ugh! I read the specktra thread about that and was disgusted to hear some of those experiences. Another big part of buying a product online is customer service: the gurus/people who get freebies don't have to deal with that when they get free stuff. So they might rave about a product and recommend purchasing it through an online retailer because of their own "easy" experience...They shouldn't be held accountable/blamed for stuff if they didn't know about it, but at the same time....why would they promote an online retailer they didn't have direct experience with (ordered products with their own money)? Just to get free stuff? That's so wrong

[frocher]

Quote:

Originally Posted by malaviKat

Here's a question... Would your opinions change at all if the reviewer(s) in question came out and admitted they were sent the product (under review) for free? Would it be better for them to admit that it might not have been a product they would have considered purchasing and advise their viewers accordingly?

Yes. If they stated I was sent this product by a company to review it. And then give their HONEST opinion about it. The pros and the cons, it can't be all good. Endorsements shouldn't be given so readily in the hopes of more free makeup booty.

[LMD84]

i agree that alot of people are reviewing the same products and in the same way which yes is getting a little annoying! so i agree with you totally.

as others have said some youtubers admit when a product isn't so hot. doesn't mean they hate the whole brand but certain products aren't great. to me that is honest. but other people... well i feel like they could be sent some poop and they'd say how much they love it!

[gigiopolis]

I'm like MalaviKat - I use YouTube as a way to learn about new stuff, mostly. I mean, if it weren't for these reviews some great products would have never been brought to light, and that would've been a shame. I tend to take product reviews with a grain of salt. I realize that people take their time to make these videos, but at the same time, it's pretty draining to come up with a thorough, in-depth analysis and review of a product. Much easier to just pick the stuff you like and talk about that.

Sometimes I like to think of "reviews" as literally, reviews - like a once-over of what the product is and what it does, as opposed to an opinion on the product. If I REALLY want to know how well a product performs, I'm going to check it out on Makeupalley or something for a mass opinion.

Also, maybe think about how YouTubers simply weed out the stuff they hate and talk solely about the stuff they like, i.e. they are being honest. I know some people are outspoken, but a lot of people don't have the balls to be sent something by a company, then go on to bash the product publicly in a video. As the saying goes, "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all"...after all, most YouTubers aren't professional critics. The closest I can think of is pinkiecharm, who I think gives the most thorough and objective reviews (but even she limits herself by not making How-to/tutorial videos).

I don't know. I'm a pretty optimistic person, have a pretty optimistic view of human nature. I don't think most YouTubers would lie openly just to continue getting products, so maybe these are some other reasons.

[Lauren1981]

i can dig it

[Willa]

I can't tell you guys enough how much I dislike watching youtube and vlogs now, just because of it.

As an example, I started doing videos on youtube, but mostly for the fun of it, and also in French because there are not a lot right now. Someone who knows me will tell you that I'm all for MUFE. So, in my videos, I mostly use their products. But it's been like that for years now, nobody paid me to tell how much I loved a product. If I dont like it, I'll say it. I just did a video the other day about stuff that I like to use, and compare it to other things I bought and that IMO arent worth it, even tho everyone says it is...

Some people will never admit they had stuff sent for free if they did a good review of it, some people will. I have a friend of mine who has her own blog, and she told me franckly : I'm waiting for offers before having my hair done

Right, a girl does what she can to save money I guess
But personnaly, I'm not into it at all
I hate going on a blog and seeing banners here and there, about the same products, offers, 15% off... Not for me.

As I am a very honest and direct person, I really dislike watching somebody's BS on a blog/video. I know you were ''paid'' for it, your game doesnt work on me.

What's the next hype?

[RedRibbon]

I don't get anything for free and all the reviews on my blog are honest. I've got stuff I like and don't like on there. I can't see myself lying and saying something is good when it's crap. I can understand the point made above about not wanting to say anything bad in case free stuff dries up. If you ask me, if you're out to get as much free stuff as you can and lie so other people go and waste their money then you have no place doing reviews because you're not doing a review, you're just paying lip service.

[Face2Mac]

I have taken to just listening to opinions on MAC. Because MAC is not sending out all that much product to youtube, they don't have to, so buy it with your own money.

I think the rest are getting ridiculous and I can honestly say, I saw it coming. The partnership started and that started a competition and yay, I can get paid at the same time. So now ev1 wants to be a partner, good for them, though. But before that, little things were being sent like Jessie girl products, mineral products but without paying for them. I say wait a few weeks and see if they use the products again, that will tell you if they like them or not.

Also, I have surmised that some people now come on with a new product to sell and then they disappear for 2-3 weeks until a next new freebie needs hyping.

But I do love the yt gurus but now I am trying to find new ones who I know aren't getting a freebie with every purchase and are still doing it for the love of makeup, not a infomercial.

[Shimmer]

You can tell when a reviewer doesn't like a product because s/he resorts to more of the press release information than her own opinion. To a point, in order to keep the PR companies sending product for review, there has to be a little bit of fellating.

But, most of the time, if someone doesn't like it, they'll give a lackluster review.
I've been sent product that I don't like...and generally, I don't review it, and let them know why. =/

[Willa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmer

You can tell when a reviewer doesn't like a product because s/he resorts to more of the press release information than her own opinion. To a point, in order to keep the Page Ranking companies sending product for review, there has to be a little bit of fellating.

But, most of the time, if someone doesn't like it, they'll give a lackluster review.
I've been sent product that I don't like...and generally, I don't review it, and let them know why. =/

And IMO, it's the right thing to do

Same kind of thing happened last winter when I took a class
I wanted more informations about photo and tv makeup
I left after 5 class I think, anyway, not because of this reason especially but a combination of annoying and unprofessionnal behaviors from the teacher.

One day she came in saying MAC approached her with giving her a whole new kit to work if she stopped working with her other things. She said yes! So, even tho she prefered some other companies, they now were outdated to her and not good enough

COME. ON.
o_0

[LeeleeBell]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Face2Mac

I have taken to just listening to opinions on MAC. Because MAC is not sending out all that much product to youtube, they don't have to, so buy it with your own money.

MAC does send a lot of free stuff out to MUA's/make up pro's...That's actually a big problem for some freelancers out there, and those who like to use their
own favorite brands etc (MAC is everywhere...sends out free makeup and artists to events etc to promote their brand). But at least with MAC many/most people can swatch it for ourselves in person and know if we agree or not. I have seen a lot of over-hyping for MAC products in vids and blogs too...that I definitely didn't agree with when I tried the product for myself....