How much do bloggers influence your purchases?

[daphnejacoba]

I was at a CCO today (for the first time) and I saw the Mac mineralize eyeshadow in "Water" from the Heavenly Creatures collection. I remember how pretty I thought it looked when it came out but I never bothered to get it because Temptalia said that the color payoff was atrocious. Well, I decided to swatch it for myself this time and the pigmentation was great! I decided to purchase it, and I wish that I had swatches it for myself when it first came out. So, my question for everyone is, how much do the bloggers influence your purchases and do you feel that they have ever steered you wrong on a product before? Just fyi, I really appreciate the bloggers and think they do a great job to make things a little easier for consumers... I just think I should do some of my own investigating and not rely on them 100%.

 

[alexisweaver]

Not too much at all. I usually don't pay attention to their overall review unless it's an extremely negative one and multiple bloggers are saying similar things about a product. I pretty much just go to blog sites to check for photos and swatches; since theirs is usually a bit better (more clear) than people's photos on their mobile device. I make my own judgement call though.

I do appreciate the time they take to review and photograph the product in depth though.

 

[alexisweaver]

Great thread.

 

[daphnejacoba]

Not too much at all. I usually don't pay attention to their overall review unless it's an extremely negative one and multiple bloggers are saying similar things about a product. I pretty much just go to blog sites to check for photos and swatches; since theirs is usually a bit better (more clear) than people's photos on their mobile device. I make my own judgement call though. I do appreciate the time they take to review and photograph the product in depth though.

Yes, and I think it's important to hear what multiple bloggers say about a product like you said. I sometimes read what one blogger says and then make my decision based on that single review.

 

[daphnejacoba]

Great thread.

Thanks

 

[pinkpaint]

I don't rely on their reviews as much as I rely on their swatches. For instance, the Nars Narsissist Palette. I had already bought mine by the time reviews began coming out, but if I hadn't I likely would have skipped because of all the bad reviews. I love it, though, and I'm glad I went for it. People just have different expectations for products.

Also, a lot of bloggers are awful at describing colors. Everything is a peachy pink to some of them. A rose is a peachy pink, a plum is a peachy pink, an orange is a peachy pink. Lord. @liba needs to give them lessons lol.

I do appreciate the work that bloggers do, though. It's not easy, especially for the big names like Beautezine, Temptalia, and Karen.

 

[BrknFlwr85]

I wouldn't say that bloggers influence my purchases a lot, but they do help me make decisions on things that I am on the fence about. I usually only go by their pictures and swatches when I only have the option to buy online and even then I might take a chance and make a purchase anyway.

As far as Temptalia (Christine) goes, she generally doesn't like MAC's mineralize products, so I skip those reviews and just look at her pics and swatches. Also, I don't bother with her eyeliner reviews because she never applies them to her upper lash line and I don't think that allows her to give an accurate review.

 

[ginestra213]

This is indeed a great thread! I consume make-up blogs all day long (e.g. during breaks at work). I try to read several reviews before I purchase something online, but it's not my only deciding factor. I live in a place where certain high-end brands aren't available for purchase in person, so unless I go to a neighboring country I have to rely on the internet before I buy certain things. If I can see the product in person, I take my own opinion plus blog info into account because obviously I can't judge a product's long-term wear in the store.

I really appreciate Temptalia because of her methodical processing of every product. I feel like it gives the reader a good baseline for knowing how she judges products. I don't agree with all of her reviews, but if she judges a product really poorly she often encourages her readers to check out other reviews to get a clearer picture of its performance.

So, on the whole, for someone who doesn't have first-hand access to a lot of products except via the internet, the blogs are worth their weight in gold! In fact, when I can't find a review for a more obscure product, I get very frustrated!

 

[MsKb]

In Trinidad we have 2 mac stores and a limited range of estee lauder and clinique in terms of non drugstore brands. as a result I read reviews and view products before I purchase them online. furthermore we have very limited return options here so blogs are invaluable resources. however, i tend to focus on the swatches and the way a product looks rather than performs. I love T's site and she's usually my go to blog but I know that what she says or thinks is not the end all. Where products get bad performance review then, and when I say bad I mean where the reviews are dismal I do stay away from them. Quite a few times I've succumbed and bought products that T gives a horrible review and I do tend to regret the purchase so in that respect I tend to trust her when she dishes out the D's and C's. but I always try to cross reference the reviews on those products on other blogs before I do stay away.

 

[Calla88]

I don't rely on bloggers or have them influence me as much as I do value a few opinions on things I was considering buying. Plus certain people I will check out how they wear the product or their swatches but it is a select few, and none of the really popular ones who are sent everything. I never agree with Temptalia's dupes or opinions on most lipsticks & eye shadows , and our coloring is different , her lighting is weird so I can't use her as a reference. She does have nice pics of products which I do check out from time to time , but I would never let blogger or anyone else make the decision on a product because I find make up to be personal like your favorite jeans. There are so many factors in deciding what works for you and how it will work with your skin and your collection.

 

[shellygrrl]

I tend to read review blogs mainly for swatches. That's the most important thing for me, particularly for higher-end products as I don't live near enough to counters, Sephora, or Ulta. I read the reviews as well, but I rely more on swatches. And this is where I lament the fact KarlaSugar doesn't really blog anymore. She was, as far as I know, the only beauty blogger to swatch all foundations in a range when reviewing it.

There are so many factors in deciding what works for you and how it will work with your skin and your collection.

:nods: This is why I detest "what's the best (insert product here)?" questions. There is no universal "best" of anything. Not really. It's so dependent on so many factors that what's best for one person will totally suck for someone else. The "best" products are the products that work best for you.

 

[bellaluv95]

This is why I detest "what's the best (insert product here)?" questions. There is no universal "best" of anything. Not really. It's so dependent on so many factors that what's best for one person will totally suck for someone else. The "best" products are the products that work best for you.

^^I really loved KarlaSugar, she made it so easy for me to find my shade, or presented things in a realistic way, it's sad to she's not as active...

 

[allthingsglam]

When I first started yes they did I hang on to every word now I only buy if I truly want it because some things the bloggers were saying was great not so much so I just learned colors and which ones i think will work for me I still love wanye goss he pretty much be on point he never steered me wrong so far

 

[bellaluv95]

I love wayne goss, his product recommendations have always been so nice for me as well. I trust his word on natural-looking skin products, and the basics.

 

[Dominique33]

I love Beauty blogs but I am not under influence, I know exactly what I want in fact. I am a fan reader of many blogs though. But the fact is that I am a compulsive buyer lol so I would buy Beauty products even if I didn ´ t read the blogs ! I positively dislike affiliations that is why I am not tempted at all, my addiction begins when I am at Sephora or any other Beauty store or flagship I can ´ t get enough, and blogs have nothing to do with my addiction. I simply love reading blogs and sharing, I meet very nice people doing so, it is most interesting sharing with bloggers.

 

[bellaluv95]

Rather than getting purely interested in a product by only bloggers, I'd say that specktra has had a large part in convincing me to try new items! I mean, some people are even more talented in reviewing or describing the product then the more 'professional' bloggers.

 

[shellygrrl]

Yeah, other Specktra-ites have been more influential for me than bloggers.

 

[mosha010]

I go to bloggers for techniques and stuff. But I rely on the posts here for reviews...

 

[valentine580]

I agree completely.

Not too much at all. I usually don't pay attention to their overall review unless it's an extremely negative one and multiple bloggers are saying similar things about a product. I pretty much just go to blog sites to check for photos and swatches; since theirs is usually a bit better (more clear) than people's photos on their mobile device. I make my own judgement call though. I do appreciate the time they take to review and photograph the product in depth though.

 

[PeachTwist]

Moved this to Cosmetic Discussion because it wasn't specifically related to MAC chat.