Comments on: DISCLOSURE AND BEAUTY BLOGS

By: Michelle Nicoletti

Michelle Nicoletti — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 17:11:31 +0000

In such a competitive industry like Beauty, there are so many product choices for the consumer to consider. A Beauty Blog is one of the best resources available to find honest information from real people who have actually tried the products. Though some products are given for free, we are not spokespeople for any one brand or manufacturer. Most bloggers purchase items themselves and want to share their evaluation, or spread the news about a great new find. We write about things we know and are enthusiastic about. Our honesty is what makes us so popular.

By: Armine Abrahamyan

Armine Abrahamyan — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 06:03:32 +0000

Hi,

It was a very nice analysis of beauty blogging.
Being myself a beauty blogger, I feel comfortable analyzing and writing about beauty items and cosmetic products.

Sometimes I feel it is hard to read a lot what others say and feel about a certain product and keep myself unbiased, but I find it is really interesting.

The most interesting thing is that as soon as I write something, I find myself interested in this item.

There have been many times when I wrote about something and was glued to my computer screen trying to find this item online in order to order it.

But the peak of pleasure is when you get responses from people who have used these items or who have tried them

So much fun!
-armine

By: Christine MS

Christine MS — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 20:53:26 +0000

Hi, everyone,
Thanks so much for taking the time to write such thorough comments. The honest voices of the beauty bloggers themselves is ultimately what will allow the public to have insight into the value of blogs.
As I said in the article, I am perplexed about why the journalist chose to expose this area in such a sensationalistic way. I know that making it emotional and inflammatory will gain readership, but that’s a cheap way to go, especially for that publication. There were so many other approaches she could have taken…unless perhaps she didn’t understand the subject matter well…but from the responses of the bloggers that were interviewed, it seems as though she chose to misrepresent them. I’m not sure what was in it for her to make that choice.

By: Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 14:20:12 +0000

Very well written.

I too, started my blog a few weeks after Kristen started Beauty Addict. It’s hard to believe that I have been doing this for 3 years now. In the beginning I never received anything for free, when people began to pitch me I found it interesting, but always gave an honest review–and I still do as I know my readers trust my opinion. I also only write a “bad” review if I feel a product misleads or is overhyped.

All magazines, newspapers, TV etc. have an editorial calendar. All products they write about/talk about are “given” to them by the brands themselves or their respective PR firms. So in a sense, they too receive swag. Although, I honestly do not consider receiving free product to test and review swag.

I think Kathleen over emphasized a small minority of beauty bloggers receiving trips, etc. and generalized it across the board to all beauty bloggers. This is far from the truth. While most of us receive products to review, no one is carting us all over the place on extravagant trips. Although it does happen–it is not all of the time and only happens with a select few.

Beauty Bloggers receiving products is based on many levels–many brands and PR firms pitch those with a good Google PR (3 or higher), high traffic (both unique views and page views) and for their level of respect in the blogosphere. However, I don’t deny that there are plenty of firms that will pitch just about anyone with anything. I can’t tell you how many ridiculous pitches I get for things that have nothing to do with my blog.

There is a small ounce of credibility to Kathleen’s story in that a handful of new blogs starting are in it for the free product. A few of my PR friends have told me stories of newbie bloggers demanding product and threatening a bad write up if they don’t receive anything. Brands/PR firms are nervous–no one wants bad press, so they don’t know how to handle these “rouge” beauty bloggers. It’s unfortunate that it gets generalized to the rest of us.

By: Carleen Pruess

Carleen Pruess — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 14:17:40 +0000

Thank you for this insightful look at the New York Times article. I think this is the best presentation of the issues raised by the article that I have seen yet. You certainly have summed up my own thoughts on the matter very acurrately and more completely than I ever could. Thanks again!

By: Elke

Elke — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 12:09:14 +0000

Hi Christine, I read with interest your article about beauty blogging and the products we receive. As the founder of the Beauty Blog Network, and a beauty blogger myself with my own personal blog, I wrote a response to the author of the NYTimes articles on my network blog over the absurdity of it, but what I found so ridiculous was the fact that beauty writers and editors have been getting free products, gifts and incentives for years and what they write is highly orchestrated by the advertising dollar in their magazines. I saw no mention of that, yet when we receive products for review and give our very honest opinion, it’s considered gossip and something to write about. I feel the bottom line is the reader and their views and feelings about what they are reading. With magazines loosing their subscribers daily, and beauty bloggers gaining readership, it’s nice to see the honest opinion and review get noticed finally for a change.