Your Wallet Is the Ultimate Decision Maker.

Mar 19, 2015

Shelley W.

This is going to be kinda long but I have to get this off my chest because its been annoying the mess out of me so here goes...

A couple of days ago a well-known blogger posted a not so flattering review of an eyeshadow quad. She gave it a big fat capital F. It wasn't long before women on another beauty chat site placed this blogger on the stake for her opinion. Just outright bashing her and her readers that commented on this product. These beauties on this beauty chat site made mention of missing out on great LE because of this bloggers grades/reviews. That's when I became a little irritated with the nonsense I was reading because I only came to the site to decompress from receiving horrible news about a client I worked with and there I sat reading a bunch of women get their Victoria's Secrets all in a bunch over a silly review. I wanted to scream;"Its just makeup! People are killed everyday over nonsense and you're whinning over this?!"

So I put in my two cents into the conversation and made mention that no one should take a bloggers review as golden. That a blog, no matter how popular it is, that a consumer needs to research and make the final assessment as to whether a particular product will work for them because what might work for one person may not work for another...and bloggers/YouTubers are not excluded from that. Oh, no one didn't like what I had to say and I took a little flack for my point-blank statement.

The comments made by other makeup junkies also made it very clear just how narrow-minded people can be these days...and how petty people can be over something that is not earth-shattering. Don't get me wrong I love makeup just like every other woman but at the end of the day it doesn't save lives in my line of work. My beloved Bobbi Brown gets bad reviews for some of her products here and beyond but you won't see me getting all emotionally upset over it and bash whoever gave it a bad review. And nor do I allow bad/good reviews dictate what I may or may not purchase. I will research something for days on end before buying a product because I want to be absolutely sure it will be a great fit for me.

When I suggest products to you ladies and gents it is my hope that you go back and research the listed products on your own to make sure its going to truly fit your needs. As what may work for me might not work great for you and I always feel bad when someone experiences a not so great outcome with a product I suggest. No, seriously...I truly feel sad about it for a few days. Your wallet has the final say on whether you buy a product and one should not solely depend on blogger reviews...whether it comes to makeup or skincare. And there is definitely no need to get upset if one rates your beloved HG a bomb...because at the end of the day...ITS JUST MAKEUP!!

P.S. While the BL community has had its rocky moments I stay because this site has the most down-to-earth beauties around and I felt that way long before becoming a Mod. A lot of you have played a role in me coming out of my comfort zone when it comes to makeup...this site is my escape when I need to escape the stress of my life. XXXX

Mar 19, 2015

Rissa G.

Amen! I can not stress this enough. I ALWAYS mention this disclaimer as I suggest or see questions asking for suggestions, because people get so bummed out when they don't like a recommended product, and act as if the suggester was gambling their money; which is not the case.

Mar 19, 2015

Alexis C.

I agree 100%. Nothing will work the same on every single person. For example Les loves and suggests the Lancome Teint Idole all the time while I personally hated that foundation. Doesn't mean I'm wrong or that Les is wrong, it just means that particular product works great for her and suits her needs while it didn't work for me or suit my needs. It's really not a big deal. Plus you can always return something you don't like or you can even get a sample before spending the money on it. It's the consumer's responsibility to do their research and make the decision to purchase a product rather than mindlessly purchasing something because one person raved about it.

Mar 19, 2015

Shelley W.

Renay I've seen customers at Sephora act like a bunch of nuts when they buy stuff and come in the store and complain because a given product didn't work for them. I research stuff till I'm blue in the face...especially when it comes to skincare. Cosmetics I'm not too hardcore but I know which lines are successful with eye colors but I may avoid their lip colors for example because of past experience...I don't care how popular or amped up it is.

Mar 19, 2015

Taina F.

Great post Shelley! Something I need to remind myself - sometimes I get so into what beauty YouTubers rave about I forget what I already know about what works for me and what doesn't. It's just always such a good idea to research suggestions multiple ways before buying - nothing works for everyone, we are all so different!!

Mar 19, 2015

Taylor G.

I love this post! In the end, it's your decision and your body, not someone else's.

Mar 19, 2015

Diana T.

I completely agree with you Shelley - but not just in beauty products - in life in general you should always do your research and never take someone's opinion as fact - always look up the facts for yourself and if there aren't any (which is true in most skincare/makeup products because any studies are mainly made up for marketing purposes rather than actual scientific merit) then you have to just take that at face value - try it for yourself and develop your own opinion about it :) and no one should ever bash someone else's opinion - no matter how different we may feel about a product or something else - we all have the right to express our opinions - that's another thing that makes me mad is when certain bloggers or even beautylish members tell each other to flat out NOT do something and try to spew out "facts" that have no scientific evidence behind them - everyone's skin is different so everyone will have a unique experience with something - granted there are good and bad techniques when it come to makeup application - but even a bad technique can become popular (no matter how much we may not like or approve of it) just goes to show that an opinion of what's "right" or "wrong" is all relative and beauty is in the eye of the beholder so what may seem wrong and ugly to one person may be right and beautiful to another - so always take care to respect each others opinions but don't spew "facts" that are really just opinions based on experience

Mar 20, 2015

Shelley W.

@Taina...at times I've even fallen victim to the fave reviews of a YTuber and was disappointed but its only because I didn't do my due diligence.

@Taylor...my thoughts exactly. Beauty is so subjective too...especially when it comes to makeup. A lot of folks aren't fans of my Too Faced Chocolate palettes but for me its the bomb diggity because the pigmentation is perfect for me while some would disagree.

@Diana...Yes girl!! And while many of us have had disagreements here... after my experience on the other site I was like;"Omg! I really love me some BL!" Because those girls were straight up brutal over nonsense.

Mar 20, 2015

Katia M.

And sometimes these You Tubers are PAID to say what they are saying! It's a 'company sponsored' review. Can't be impartial! Sad that for most people the wallet does make the decision. I used to be like that too. Then I found something that just about cured me of my TWENTY FIVE year battle with psoriasis. Only use that brand now :)

Mar 20, 2015

Shelley W.

@Katia...I don't even bother reading or watching anything that is paid/sponsored because I feel like I'm not getting an honest review. I remember when Clarins came out with a new serum...every major YTuber and bloggers were raving endlessly about this "game changing" serum. It was junk. $80 for a mineral oil based serum mixed with common ingredients found in a typical drugstore item. Not knocking drugstore but it was not worth the $80 pricetag when one can find the same thing at Walgreens for $20 bucks. One blogger in particular raved how its become her HG skincare item and that she'll never go without it. After about a month I never heard her talk about it in any of skincare routine videos or skincare HG videos. It mysteriously disappeared. Then the bad reviews started coming in from us regular joe's discussing skin irritation complaints from using this game changing serum. People just ran out and brought it without even investigating it on their own.

Mar 20, 2015

Mia Z.

Great post Shelly, I'm a nut before I purchase certain thing's. I research and sometimes I make pro and con list's (I'm really just a fan of list's lol)

Mar 20, 2015

Bonnie R.

So true! Everyone's skin and body chemistry are different. I also research and look sometimes for lower cost alternatives. I don't mind spending money if it really is the best product, but research is essential. This community is pretty good overall for recommendations in all price ranges, and there's a sense that not all products will work for everyone. That's why I keep coming here.

Mar 20, 2015

Diana T.

^^ exactly cocoa - see it's great to give advice based on your personal experience but you should bash others just because you had a bad experience with it - everyone's skin is different so what might work well for some will not work so well on others - all we can do is give an opinion but we shouldn't go so far as to label our opinion or the opinions of others as facts.

Mar 20, 2015

Diana T.

*shouldnt bash

Mar 20, 2015

Alma M.

I agree, this is a great thread Shelley. I use milk for dry skin, I soak on a cotton ball apply to area let it sit for a few then wash off, it has worked for me for years lol I actually learned that on a old mtv show in the 90's called house of style. I don't know if Shelley remembers that show but yes be wise and research and just try stuff out.  :)

Mar 20, 2015

Diana T.

Oh I never heard of that one alma! I've heard of using rice water on the face tho - like the water you use after you rinse out your rice (lol maybe only certain people do this) but my friend said it's supposed to be good for skin - I never actually tried it tho :P.

Mar 20, 2015

Alma M.

I've hear of that Diana but I've never tried it. I should just to see if it's useful.

Mar 20, 2015

Shelley W.

Alma yes I remember House of Style!! I loved it and was addicted to it! I was so upset when they dropped it from the line-up.