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The above quote is actually from a fellow beauty blogger which I should state wasn't directed at me at all but just as a comment in general to someone else's blog post on product disclosure. But it struck a chord and pushed me to write this.
I've thought about the comment for sometime as I don't disclose any free products I receive as I know all my reviews are honest. But is she right? My conclusion in a nutshell was, no. Why? Because everyone has the right to blog!
However this definitely is a hard post to write as I know I am in the minority and that my views may be seen as wrong/dishonest by quite a lot of people. However I feel I needed to put this out there to explain why I have chosen not to disclose PR samples and the changes I want to make in regards to it.
I firstly want to explain how many PR samples/free products I featured on my blog - I had a scan over the posts on my blog and could find 1 product in the last 12 posts, of course some months I may review/mention more than that but that is how many PR samples are on the first page of my blog right now. In my email inbox out of the first twelve emails, six are actually requests to send me free products but as I'm picky the e-mails will be replied to with a simple 'thank you, but no thank you' as I only accept samples that I would only personally consider buying or that fit in with my blog meaning relativity low priced products. So you can possibly see how that one product disclaimer stating I didn't purchase the item myself (in what ever shape or form) could stand out to many people in the sea of purchased products and even more so to non-bloggers that may find the practice of a blog receiving free products to review quite alien or odd.
So I chose to see PR samples as almost the inner workings of my blog - My like how I don't disclose how much I spend on products per month or even which are gifts from family & friends, bought on eBay or even bought with the point from my Boots card! I just see it as totally irrelevant when writing an honest review and also the 'behind the scenes' of my blog. Though as my blog is about being savvy, whenever I start to write a review I have the full retail price in mind as that product needs to live up to it's price tag so whether the product was essential free to me or bought with my own money it is actually irrelevant. To that I know some people would say so why not just add a disclaimer at the end! But that would just be going against what I believe and providing something that is just there for the people that doubt my reviews or to start doubting reviews over.
I also feel a lot of other bloggers look at it from a very blogger point of view and not from a general readers perspective. I know when I started reading different types of blogs before I actually got into blogging I didn't even imagine PR companies working with blogs, it just didn't enter my head. Now as a beauty blogger it's normality and I am fine with it. But would the me that didn't know about it trust a review that disclaimed the product was sent for free, most likely not. I would actually end up dissecting the review to see if she had included some bad points to the products and if she hadn't (maybe because the product was great) I would conclude the review was biased and not worth seeing as a valid review. Which is actually how I think a lot of readers view it - they don't see disclaimers in magazines or on TV programmes they just see the products, so why should they have to face deciding whether on not to believe my review based on the little disclaimer at the bottom playing devil's advocate.
Another important point I think is worth a mention is the subject of honesty. I am personally a very honest person and it would make me cringe to decide to be dishonest in a review to keep on side with a PR company. Which I would never do as frankly my readers are what makes my blog great and what makes me happy. So in my heart I know what all my reviews are honest and I really hope my readers see that, but if they don't then it's there choice not to carry on reading, but it definitely is a shame that they can't come to trust my blog.
However to show my sheer love and commitment to my blog I have decided on something that will hopefully show how much Makeup Savvy means to me.
I have decided to make my blog PR free - which will of course mean no mention of press releases, no reviewing of free samples/no excepting samples as I frankly don't need any of that in order to write the posts I write. This I hope should make things a lot clearly for myself and others on my blog, though I won't be disclaiming that all the product are bought by myself just like how I've never disclaimed free samples. As I think that would be quite contradicting.
I do see blogging as a new type of media but frankly PR communication does take up a lot of time, time that could be spent on other people's blog, replying to comments or writing new posts. Plus like it has shown it can cause quite strong options so this is kind of my way of putting my hands up and saying 'I'm out'!
Of course over the next month or so old PR samples that I've received prior to this will pop up as I do want to review them still but from now on I won't be excepting anything else.
This may seem like a dramatic decision to some but I can hand on heart say that PR samples just don't matter to me and so without them I can get onto spending more time doing more of what I love - which is shopping and blogging!
There are fashion magazines, there are wedding magazines, there are even magazine solely on kitchen design, pets and how to make dolls house furniture! But what about a beauty magazine for the millions of beauty obsessed women in the UK!
It came to me last week whilst reading the new issue of Elle (which I don't love that much if I'm honest) it's mainly a fashion magazine as I'm sure you all know with different categories towards the back - Food, Travel, Beauty, Films, Health & Fitness. All of which have magazines dedicated to them already, except for beauty!
But I really cannot figure out why this is! I mean there are at least five hair magazines on the market but the closest we have to an actual beauty magazine is the free Health & Beauty magazine from Boots - which if we are honest is just a glorified catalogue of products that you can purchase in-store with the odd interview and handy tip thrown in for good measure.
I did a bit of research and found that Vogue actually have a Beauty magazine... in Japan. I'm not too sure about the USA, maybe my US readers can enlighten me?
Other countries aside I just want a beauty magazine! Yes even a £3.90 magazine it that's what it takes; dedicated to makeup and skincare containing interviews with makeup artists, models and celebrities and in depth reviews of the latest products - not just 10 word snippets from the a beauty editor on what's hot this month. It's just not enough.
The more I think about it the more I am convinced it would make for such a good magazine - basically the best beauty blog with all the things that make it amazing plus more, but in print!
What would it be called? Makeup Savvy. No, only joking of course! I would personally love to see Red bringing out the beauty magazine and simply called it Red Beauty as I just love the laid back approach the magazine has and the beautiful photo shoots it does - just so creative. I think the last four December Christmas editions of Red magazine stored in my wardrobe says just how much I love the magazine.
I really wouldn't care who published it as long as it filled the beauty void that I think the magazine shelves are missing and us as beauty loving consumers!
So take note - Conde Nast, Hachette Filipacchi and Hearst Communications we NEED a beauty magazine!
I really wouldn't care who published it as long as it filled the beauty void that I think the magazine shelves are missing and us as beauty loving consumers!
So take note - Conde Nast, Hachette Filipacchi and Hearst Communications we NEED a beauty magazine!
I thought I would bombard you with freebies and different offers again, just so you don't all forget! Plus it's a chance to get in a swatch of the lovely Red Jemma Kidd lip gloss!
So the first offer is with Red magazine which is out now and is priced at £3.80 - there is a choice of 3 Jemma Kidd Hi-shine Silk Touch lip glosses all worth £14 each, a coral, a light pink and also a beautiful red called Perfect Red which was actually created for Red magazine. I do normally opt for more nude lip gloss shades but I have way too many now and the red just looked such a perfect colour!
As far as magazine freebies go, the quality is pretty damn good - just so pigmented but without the stickiness. Though I am going to be wise and not pick up anymore!
I have a feeling the shade is a really universal shade so will suit really light skin like my own to quite dark, as the pigment is just so good. A really lovely free gift and I have to say the issue is also very nice and summery!
The next offer really isn't an offer as such but more of a money saving deal - I normally buy Aussie 3 Minutes Miracle Reconstructor from Boots for £4.69 (here) as I love how it leaves my hair and it smells so good. The bottle size is 250ml however I have found purchasing a few of the 75ml travel size conditioners gives you more product and you also save money!
I picked up the minis from Asda as all the travel products are 4 for £3 but I'm sure Boots and Superdrug do a very similar deal. So for £3 you actually get 300ml of product (which is 50ml more than the standard size) and you save £1.69. Simples!
The next offer is a reminder of the upcoming Benefit freebies in Glamour Magazine which is out June 9th as I'm sure these will sell out pretty quick!
But I thought it was worth mentioning the size of the free products as they aren't actually full sized products which is indicated by the lower RRPs.
The full sized highlighter/tints are between 12-13ml and retail from £18.50 for High Beam and £24.50 for Benetint and Posie Tint. The freebies included with the £2 Glamour magazine are all 4mls each so just a little less then half the size of the full sized product. So definitely not as good as the Benefit freebies included in last years Glamour magazine, though the tints do last for a very long time!
Last but not least Argos... yes the secret bargain makeup central is selling Sally Hansen's Miracle Nail Growth for a only £1 down from £8.95 - here. Plus you can have it sent to store for free!
To there you have it - June is officially the month of all things bargainous!
So I thought I'd start something a bit new on Makeup Savvy, something a bit more personal and something that would give me an excuse to take more photos plus ramble about things that are in the press and everyday life etc!
1. As it was recently my birthday I decided to get a new bag, no real reason other than I fancied one. So I went for the Fiorelli Wimbledon Medium Shoulder bag in Khaki (here). When it arrived it wasn't love at first sight as I'd hoped. It was sadly smaller than I'd normally go for but I really hate having to return things so I'm going to try and get used to it and the fact it reminds me of a grandma's purse with 7 different compartments in it! But I do love the quality of the bag and the shade so I shall see.
2. I also bought some lovely 70's sunglasses from Ashley Madekwe (she plays Bambi in The Secret Diary of a Call Girl). She has such an amazing sense of style (which is the reason for me lusting after some hot pink jeans right now) and also has a fashion blog over at Ring My Bell.
3. For completing Lip balm cold turkey without cheating (even though it wasn't as successful as hoped) I treated myself to Impassioned from Mac which even though a very bright lipstick from the Amplified family it is much more versatile that I imagined. It looks really good on it's own of course, under a nude lipstick for a more softer pink lip, just dabbed on as a stain or used on the cheeks as a very summery long lasting blush. All in all more than pleased about getting this.
4. I have still yet to review my first GlossyBox as I really wanted to see other people's reactions to it and also decide what I genuinely thought about the products/samples that I received. I think there are some definite good and bad points to the beauty subscription (which I will mention in the upcoming review) but I have to say I do love the box that the samples came in. Which is now storing all the brands of nail polish that I reach for.
5. I also picked up another bag from Tesco this time which is very similar in style to the Alexander Wang Coco Duffel bag in dove gray (seen here). It was such a bargain at £9 down from £18 that I didn't hesitate in getting it. I'm quite tempted to say I like it more than the Fiorelli bag as it's just simple with details in all the right places. Just a really great everyday bag!
6. Around two weeks ago now I very kindly sent the fairly new Benefit Finding Mr. Bright kit by an online beauty shop which had actually spent the time reading my blog and in particular about how I felt that eBay was swamped with fake Benefit products and also how I had been wanting the kit since it was released. So it was more than refreshing to hear from them! The packaging I'm tempted to say is the nicest I've seen from Benefit and I've really been using all the products almost daily since I received it. I will of course be reviewing the set at a later date but so far I love Girl meets Pearl and Posietint. But as I'm loving GmP so much, Highbeam now doesn't seem as great (I've been using it for the last few years) and sadly the Erase Paste in medium is too dark for me.
7. This week I harvested the first lot of the new potatoes I have been growing - or first earlies as they are called. So we now have around 60 new potatoes which taste so good and creamy! This is the first real year me and my boyfriend have taken full advantage of the huge allotment we have (it's at the back of our actual garden so we use it as a second garden). We are now growing potatoes, red onions,tomatoes, spring onions, carrots, green beans, baby corn, sweetcorn and strawberries (which I grow every year)! It's all pretty new to me but it really is easy and just so rewarding. Next year I really hope to grow more specialist veg like little gem lettuce, peppers, pak choi for stir fries and more fruit! You really just can't believe the difference in taste when you grow your own.
8. Also lately with being more tanned/using fake tan I have been obsessed with body scrubs more so than usual! I'm absolutely in love with The Breakfast Scrub by S&G but I'm sadly hating one I thought I would love - Boots Extract Mango Sugar Scrub. It leaves just a nasty sticky residue on the skin that you have to scrub off to remove before getting out of the shower... and I had such high hopes for it.
Hairdresser James Brown in the press for all the wrong reasons (source) - Finally James Brown has been outed for being the egotistical pig that I'm pretty sure a lot of us secretly thought he was. His antics really didn't surprise me or that he played the 'too much to drink' card. But as I said on Twitter... A drunken mind speaks a sober heart. It will definitely be interesting to see how this affects his haircare line in Boots and also his TV programme.
MAC & Beauty Bloggers unite? (source) - I was tempted to write a full post on this but I've decided my opinions with be like many other bloggers I'm sure. I am definitely in the 'It's a huge marketing ploy' camp, I'd be tempted to feel otherwise if it was any other company but MAC. But I feel after the Rodarte collection controversy last year which highlighted the volumes on passionate influential beauty bloggers that existed to MAC and actually how annoyed we all where, they knew they needed to do something! So I 100% see this as MAC trying to get back 'on side' and also grabbing onto the coat tails of some very well respected beauty bloggers. Though I'm not denying how great it is too see beauty bloggers being valued enough to create actually shades. I think the collection being only online in the US & Canada for 43 days says it all really.
Naomi C in race row with Cadbury's Bliss chocolate ad (source) - Now I'm going to say I don't see racism in the advert at all, I mean why would Cadbury's be racist or want to be seen as racist! But I can see how people could see it as being of a racist nature as they are literally comparing Naomi Campbell to a chocolate bar. Though if you removed the colour of the chocolate here it is in pretty bad taste still... using Naomi's name and the diamonds just isn't needed for advert trying to sell chocolate and really isn't that humorous.
At the end of the day Cadbury definitely picked on the wrong diva here as Naomi has made a pretty big song and dance about the advert, resulting in it being pulled.
Hope you all enjoyed the post!
As per usual the Twitter chat last Sunday went great and I'm sure everyone that joined in learnt something new and had fun!
I was especially pleased that it didn't get heated or became a chat that was just about the 'don'ts' of promoting your blog, as I for one don't believe that blogging should have rules. It was just a really good informative hour full of tips from lots of different bloggers.
Like last week I have provided a summary of the chat below with some of the key points that were raised and also a full transcript of the chat (thanks to the beautiful Liloo) that you can view in full and online.
Helpful tips on how to promote your beauty blog
Social networking is essential
This came up time and time again throughout the hour! Twitter and Facebook being the most rated and most mentioned choices. If you already have a beauty blog or are even thinking about starting one, get yourself on Twitter (if you already haven't) and get chatting! It really is a must.... and can also be a lot of fun.
Leave comments on other beauty blogs
This again is a must especially when you are starting out, set time aside to comment on other people's blogs with nice, genuine, sincere comments. Which also means you don't need to leave your blog link or put the whole 'follow me and I will follow you' business as your comment with make them want to check our your own blog.
Get involved
I guess this just backs up the first two points. But constantly leaving comments, asking questions on Twitter, talking to people via Twitter and different beauty forums will get you in the loop of blogging and get you noticed more.
Become easy to find on search engines
Promoting your blog isn't just about talking to other bloggers. Over time you will find more and more internet users becoming readers through finding you on Google and the like. So make sure your titles are unique and you add keywords into each post you write. Also if you want your images to be found via Google make sure to rename them with what is in the actual image.
Build good content
The more you blog and build a great blog the more people that will come to it and stay. So don't rush it or have an aim of so many followers by the end of your first month of blogging or even year of blogging. Just take it slow.
Help out other bloggers
It is easy to think you need to put all your efforts into your own blog, but if you like another blog, write a post on it or re-tweet posts by different bloggers you like on Twitter. They may just one day do the same for you and it will show your enthusiasm!
Join other sites
Joining sites such as Bloglovin', Tumblr and We Heart It that don't take up too much of your time can really get other people finding your blog.
I think the key point to the chat was GET INVOLVED but don't spam! It can be hard to know what people see as spamming when you are starting out but just be genuine and focus on getting to know other bloggers and getting involved rather than posting continuous comments asking people to look at your blog.
If you want to know more about the #bbloggers weekly chat just click here.
Next Sunday's topic at 8-9pm (GMT +1) will be on Photography Tips as so many people wanted to see this in an upcoming chat!
So I hope you can all join in then!
Recently I have been seeing more and more blog posts/articles on cosmetic surgery and only last week I received an e-mail from a cosmetics company asking if they could write a guest post here on my blog. I just ignored it as I personally would never want to link makeup/beauty with cosmetic surgery as I just don't feel they should go hand in hand.
Which isn't to say I'm against cosmetic surgery, each to there own and all that. But I do feel posts like that send out a bad message. So what if you have cellulite on the backs of your legs or you're aging (which happens to everyone) it's no big deal and to be honest no one really notices anyways! So instead of rambling on about what I dislike I thought it would be nice to tell you of three well known women that I love for there beauty inside and out!
Kelly Rutherford
To be honest I haven't seen much of Kelly in the media other than her playing her character in Gossip Girl but there is just something about her that makes me smile. I am aware that sounds a bit odd but she has such a kind face and I just love that happy look in her eyes. Yes, again that sounds slightly odd but she just looks such a lovely, genuine person.
Lisa Eldridge
After watching so many of her beauty videos on YouTube I feel as if I know her - which I'm sure a lot of you also feel! She is just so personable and sincere which is what I love the most about her. She is just always so glowing and willing to offer her knowledge and advice to others which is refreshing to say the least.
She is basically so beautiful and lovely and I'm sure a role model for so many girls out there watching her YouTube videos.
Marina Diamandis
Not only do I love Marina for her amazing music which is so unique and fun but I love her for her overall appearance and personality! You can just tell she is so so confident in herself without having a huge ego. Her style is definitely wacky but just so fun and like a breath of fresh air. Again she just comes across as sincere and not at all fake which is what I really admire about her.
I just feel the world would be such a nicer place if we all weren't as judgemental or negative on other peoples looks especially when it comes thinking we should all conform to this unrealistic idea of beauty that has been drummed into us via the media. I also feel the same with age - we all start to 'age' at some point but somehow we have all become scared of it and the idea that we will be past our best. It just really shouldn't matter as much as it does!
Would love to know how you feel about beauty and also who you look up to.
The time has come again for our weekly #bbloggers chat. I sadly may not be around for this one as my internet connection isn't very reliable at the moment to say the least!
However the topic is below for you all to run with and chat about in the hour....
Self promotion: How to promote your beauty blog
Now, again I am aware this could end up being a 'what not to do' or what people don't like... which I think is always going to happen (after all we are girls!) but the main aim of the chat is for us all chat about how we can get our blogs out there in a positive manner that people will take notice of! I think we all know by now spamming people via Twitter or blogs isn't the answer or way to go.
Again if I could ask everyone to remove the #bbloggers hash tag from any RT's so they don't show up in the live thread and slow it down then I would be more than grateful, as it really did help last week! Also no spamming of course!
Really hope I can make the chat, but if not hope you all have a fun time discussing the topic!
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