I know it’s not just me that’s finding it increasingly difficult to get a buzz from beauty right now. This site was started 8.5 years ago and I spent the previous decade writing about beauty. I have never got tired of it until now. Yes, I said it out loud. I definitely have beauty fatigue.
While social media has brought the beauty industry untold bounty in terms of exposure and sales, it’s also contributed to the current feeling of overkill. Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, Blogs, Vlogs – they all tell a beauty story, but it’s the same story time and time again. And, now that nobody has much more concentration than a flea, thanks to a surfeit of information that our under-evolved brains cannot drill down to anything other than noise, we’re not digesting beauty information in the same way. If brains could evolve as often as iPhones, we’d be fine. But they don’t.
Big brands, that start their beauty story writing years in advance (spring 2018 is probably on the production line right now), are falling behind in terms of speed, bringing out predictable range after predictable range. It’s left to the smaller brands, with shorter and more versatile lead times, to lead and develop trends with the behemoths playing catch up.
Looking at what happened to nails as a good example, we can go back only a few years to when there was a nail frenzy. Nails overtook lipstick in sales terms and we literally could not get enough of textures, nail art and meticulous manicures. But, while the nail trend came in like a lion, it left like a lamb just as quickly with no particular industry prediction that it would. We just saw too much and it just drizzled away.
Anyone on social media writing about beauty in whatever way acts as a beauty industry early warning system – if we’re over it, then the chances are that the consumer will be over it pretty sharpish, too. With nails, we (socials) stopped showing painstakingly perfect manis, we realised that showing every colour from every new collection on all of our nails was an ask too far – I spent hours and hours showing nail colours, as did many of us. It’s now rare that someone will take the time to do that anymore and particularly for a mainstream brand. Indis at least are able to gather a very loyal following who are prepared to put in the effort – big brands, with all of the expectation and none of the appreciation, are less likely to garner that loyalty.
There are collections coming up from bigger brands that this time last year I would have been all over like a rash – this year, there are several that I literally cannot muster a word for. And, it’s a very deep disservice to readers to pretend I can.. nobody needs to read hollow words. I can’t bring it for the Victoria Beckham range which looks like a blend of Estee Lauder and same old Tom Ford. I can’t muster it this time around for NARs (for many reasons actually) and if I see one more BB cream arriving at this late stage, you will hear my scream from London all the way in NYC.
Beauty fatigue is another evolution of the industry – brands wanted too much from too many and didn’t quite keep up with the things that they had to do to perpetuate interest, which is innovate, excite and appreciate. You cannot, as a brand, push out the same old things and expect the same level of excitement as you’ve enjoyed time after time. It’s not going to happen anymore. The ‘mood of the internet’ is a strange thing, but it exists, only evident usually if you’re on it 24/7 which is anyone working in social media. If we – the bridges between brands and consumers – are struggling to find different ways to sing the same song, that will trickle down to the consumer in the same way we trickled everything up (if indeed you can actually trickle upwards – perhaps not!).
I adore writing about beauty and I can’t see that stopping anytime soon, but I’m filtering differently. I don’t dash to a launch as though my life depends upon it – the sense of urgency has mostly disappeared completely and I can wait. My site is a mix anyway of news, reviews and just plain old views but I don’t feel a big pressure coming from readers to be first at a new launch or in a big rush (and I used to, so that’s a little seed of change coming from consumers actively interested in beauty and it tells me that there is certainly at least a whisper of consumer beauty fatigue) to do a same day turnaround. In certain circumstances, I am happy to do it and will, but very, very much less than before. And, I’m not the only one that feels this way.
There is are several huge positives to all of this – the first is that there is much less pressure and a less pressured blogger is a more considered blogger, with What brands think of me as a blogger matters less to me every single day although obviously I don’t feel that way for readers – that really would be the time to hang up my lipsticks!
There are plenty of blogs/vlogs expanding away from beauty and further into lifestyle where the remit is wider and content is more easily broken up – I think that’s possibly the future of beauty blogs; expansion and content diversification. Something has to change, anyway. Things aren’t going to stay the same.
So, if you’re a blogger/vlogger/instagrammer, are you feeling it, this fatigue? And as consumers and readers – are you feeling the fatigue, too? Do you never want to see a nude eyeshadow again in your life? It’s going to be all of the awkward if it’s just me, so please do leave your comments. I’d love to know what you think.
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All products are sent to me as samples from brands and agencies unless otherwise stated. Affiliate links may be used. Posts are not affiliate driven.
79 comments
I agree, I’m getting tired of seeing, watching and reading about the same ‘nude’ palette from every brand. Nothing much excites me about beauty/cosemtics anymore, I do get interested in interesting skincare from Korea and Japan. I recently cleared out a lot of youtube subscriptions I had to beauty ‘gurus’ who are brilliant at what they do but who do the same look over and over again. How do you reinvent the wheel?
Jane I totally understand the point you are making, Years ago, I would devour the monthly magazines for the few pages they devoted to beauty and get really excited by new launches and ranges, new brands that cropped up were hard to find and Oh So Exciting when you did come across them. How many products have I purchased and then found wanting ? or ‘miracle’ potions that didn’t perform ? Now I am 50 I am so much more selective, hence I would rather read your reviews and the opinions of a few others, like Sali Hughes and use my money wisely. If I find a product that suits my skin, I will be loyal to it until my skin changes and I need a different take. I do feel the beauty industry could do with slowing down somewhat, and let us all enjoy the things we buy before we push yet another palette to the back of the drawer to make way for this weeks Must Buy. Thank you for being so honest.
I cannot get excited about the many blogs out there about another nude eyeshadow pallette. There are just dull! The same about black eyeliner (Victoria Beckham – looking at you) or many of the very many same-y products. Good to hear this being topic.
That said, the new Charlotte Tilbury pallette you’ve just reviewed looks beautiful, but it is quite different to a lot of stuff out there.
I couldn’t agree more… I feel this way about fashion as well. The industry just pumps out product after product to ride a hype wave that will die out 5min later… I can’t bring myself to care about it. How many highlighter palettes do we need? Brands could be developing complexion products for all skin tones but no, matte nude eyeshadow palettes are apparently where it’s at. It feels like there’s no creative vision behind the launches.
I’m feeling exactly the same. Nothing excites me anymore really. Maybe chantecailles launches do but not the next contour palette or highlight palette or concrete coloured matte lipstick. I actually hate these trends. There I said it.
I’m in agreement with you on this. The beauty industry is expanding vastly but it’s starting to look like a replication of what came before, just churning things out without purpose or story (of course, that’s not to say all brands are doing that). I think that’s why I’ve shifted gears towards the Asian market in the last 2 years. It has opened my eyes to more innovation, ingredients and generally reignited the fun in experimenting with product.
Totally agree, as a consumer, there are so few ‘amazing’ new products that really catch my eye. I’ve reached a saturation point both in terms of what I want to buy and what interests me at the moment. (I’ve unsubscribed to lots of accounts as well as the content is so repetitive across the board.) I’m sure I’ll get a second wind but at the moment it all feels jaded.
Yep, I’m definitely feeling it!! I rarely get excited about beauty at all any more and my own blog is definitely more much lifestyle-heavy now. I think the internet seems to be feeling fatigued in general; I’m not sure where it’s going at all!
Rebecca | Notes From September
Xx
Nope hasn’t got me yet, I still enjoy seeing what’s new and nude eye shadow. A drop in big brand coverage on your site had been noted but I still enjoy reading your posts about stuff I’d never find left to my own devices. I don’t need a lot of words for the big brands just a few photos and who what where. Have you seen how short some of the posts about products are on the Vogue and other magazine websites? Just write about what interests you, you have a loyal readership that won’t mind going “off piste” with you. I miss the list of blogs that you used to publish as alternative reading. I know that no one else reciprocated but it was interesting.
It’s good to know that the site is still useful for beauty info – that’s one of its main remits so – good!
I have stopped reading much about beauty makeup etc..heard it all before . My current new interest is fragrance ..perhaps because I’m such a novice ..it excites me and it is replacing my beauty interest.
TOTALLY AGREE!!! And I am emphasizing it!
There is nothing really dynamically interesting in makeup anymore. Everything seems to be out there, although, I know there is someone probably in a stinky basement trying to discover a formula to synthetic squid ink only by mistake to turn it into some fantastic beauty product. Until then, I feel like I have seen every nude palette over and over too many times. I know the saying “what goes around comes around” but lately with beauty it has gone into a dizzying circle!
I was recently commenting to someone how much more fun and anticipation there was with quarterly collections and the work that actually went into these collections from the ads to the colors.
Now, I see collections coming out everyday and hear/read the same words over and over from the same 10million beauty people (okay that is an exaggeration).
Yes – you’ve said it. For me personally I’ve just become disillusioned with so much that’s going on. It’s not so much the products (although crikey, how many palettes does anyone need? How much make up do people actually use in a year?), but the lack of critical analysis, for example around ingredients. I’m not talking parabens and such (though that’s some folks’ bag but it’s a mine field of conflicting research), I’m more ‘will bloggers/vloggers please take a look to see if the moisturisers being pushed contain palm oil derivatives for instance, or whether they sell in mainland China and so, by default, have to conduct animal testing’. Whether someone chooses to purchase something or not is their personal decision, but so much of the time it’s like bloggers enter into ‘magpie’ mode and are only concerned with purely superficial analysis. I appreciate a good bit of girly make up stuff but so many blogs/vloggers seems so resolutely inward looking that I’m growing a bit tired of it all. It’s as if make up has become more about ‘collecting stuff’. I really enjoy your blog because you’re one of the few writers that considers wider issues.
Yes yes yes! I’ve just completed my makeup artistry qualification and I just feel a bit blah about it all. I love makeup I always have and always will but with the constant same looks and products being shown on every Instagram I feel very underwhelmed. I have a big kit that I use extensively and know that every product in it works for me. I find myself re purchasing the same product rather than buying new releases. When I started studying makeup everything was new and exciting but now I feel like it’s the same recycled products in different packaging.
I actually love hearing about beauty products and what is new. I love how you cover the subject – it helps me know what is out there and zero in on the product that sounds the most appealing to spend my beauty dollars on. I am fatigued with a few things: bloggers writing about “anti-aging” products when they might not yet have reached 25!! (this is insane!), dubious blogging relationships with brands(very cynical re: some bloggers – don’t trust their recommendations, brands sponsoring bloggers for events unrelated to their products). I am not following some bloggers because they have branched into more lifestyle items; I started following them to know about beauty products and I really don’t care how they exercise!
Please don’t change your blog! I love how you cover things!!!!
Thank you for taking the time to write this – it’s very heartening. I try to bring a mix of reviews, views and news on the beauty industry as a whole which I don’t think many people are doing… it’s up to me to bring in changes that interest me and hopefully you to keep things lively and entertaining. I see my site as a service – it’s not really about me, it’s about the bigger picture – and that’s always top of mind when writing anything. Sponsorship is a big part of how I get any income from my site although my income is not exclusively related to my blog so I have the ability to choose and that’s a huge dose of freedom not afforded to bloggers with all their eggs in one basket. It’s how you handle these relationships and present them to readers that matters and I see a lot of lazy slip ups right now that only push readers further away.
Hello.Very well said! I agree with you.There is only a handful of things you can say about brands and their products.They are launching so fast and with no particular new discoveries that it is hard to find the word that will sell them to customers.I feel like nothing will surprise us anymore, no new launch no new makeup technique.The other thing is when something is new it is so over discussed that I find myself deleting the blogposts from my emails when I see the same topic over and over again.
I agree lifestyle topics are taking over, but I think thats a good turn.
I am completely with you, Jane! I think the new-release-rush is a bit of a thing of the past. Look at Anastasia Beverly Hills-their last two mega-releases (the modern Renaissance palette and their new stick foundations) are purposefully not limited edition. Norvina, anastasia daughter, said herself that they are over the gold-rush new release thing(I wonder, too, if that’s just a reflection of us all being over it!). I think that speaks volumes!
I have had beauty fatigue for quite some time now and have been left a bit jaded. I only look at blogs once in a while now and totally ignore Instagram and social media. I rolled my eyes when I first heard the term ‘strobing’ which almost seems like a beauty industry collective ploy to get us to buy more highlighter, a product which has been around forever…kind of like how BB creams used to be just called tinted moisturizers, etc. I am sure there will be a lot more eye rolling with the next new thing which isn’t new, but has been given a new corny name. I tend to stick with what works for me and don’t dole out cash on over-hyped products. It seems social media will love and talk about a new product and then do you notice after a while it seems like the product dropped off the face of the earth when it seemed like it had just been deemed the holy grail. That is because soon after they are paid by beauty companies to endorse the next new product or are being sent them for free. And don’t get me started on Instagram makeup. As a consumer I am just feeling that I am over all of it and I really don’t care anymore, but it felt good to get how I have been feeling off my chest.
I feel blah about neutrals… UD’s Moondust was the first thing I have felt really enthusiastic about in ages.
I feel like my eyes are craving colour!!
I’m bored as a consumer – and a reader of a lot of blogs (still love yours 😉 ). Same style photos, same products, same same.
Yes you’re so on the money with this and I’m sure it must be translating into fewer sales. I need a new foundation and for the first time in probably 25 years I have nothing on my wish list of things to try. And I have no enthusiasm either – no trust in sales people or magazines and I feel worn down with blogs focus on ‘new’ rather than ‘good’. There are exceptions and I’ve been a follower and fan of yours since the early days but I agree with the need to disengage from the masses a bit. Don’t stop the blog though! And if you can tell me a really good foundation that might perk me up… X
Zoe, it’s funny you mention foundations because I can still get near hysteria if I find an amazing one. Currently, I’m mostly using Dior Nude Air, Chanel Healthy Glow and L’Oreal True Match.
Oh thank you for replying – you’ve made my day! Will check out the ones you’ve mentioned and hope they restore the love a little.
Oh yes…It actually came to a break from my blog for several months, because of that fatigue and now I dont really want to be a beauty blogger anymore. I am simply tired of showing the same colors every year. I decided to go the other way. Become a more versatile blogger, and that left me with a lot more to write about.
I am one of those who used to show every nail polish that I got in the mail. I got so tired, I couldn’t do anything else than swatch, whenever I had any spare time. At one point I swatched around 70 polishes in one day, because I was so behind… so yes, I am tired of it. And happy that I dont get swamped with products or invitations to launches anymore. I was at the cba corner.. and dont think that will change soon…
I think you’re spot on. For me the whole industry is starting to feel so cynical in the way it manipulates social media that a lot of the charm is gone.
If you watch a lot of people on YouTube you know exactly what PR packs have gone out just from looking at the products they all suddenly ‘discover’ at the same time. Then there was the whole Too Faced sweet peach nonsense. I’ve never been so aware of a product being sent out to every single influencer and then they sold out instantly. It was the most obvious engineered scarcity I’ve ever seen and it really soured my opinion of the brand.
Makeup for me is about feeling happy and inspired and uplifted and I think the most depressing thing has been watching so many young women who had started their own successful creative businesses based on the same ideals being slowly turned in to marketing mouthpieces.
The problem is that brands see appearing on social as a given right – they’re not even having to do much more than get out of bed in the morning to get coverage and in the end there is so much to see that we end up seeing nothing. Same product coverage has been a problem for a while – it’s really so boring for readers and if you don’t keep reader experience top of mind and bring something different to the party, then readers disappear and you can’t blame them.
I agree to some extent about make-up but there are some hugely exciting advances in skincare coming in the next few years. There is a lot of money being spent on research and development into innovative and powerful products that cross over between the cosmetic and medical fields. I think the difference is that skincare has the ability to have long-lasting effects on the skin whereas make-up can be amazingly creative and fun but it only lasts until you wash it off! So there is more scope for real changes to be seen by using a product, hence more investment in getting the science right.
But that’s just my opinion! x
Agree Jane, and it’s WORSE with fashion. Fashion has been taken over by celebs so it’s EVERYWHERE. It’s not special to write about any more 🙁 Fashion used to be my ‘thing’ and now it’s everyone’s thing! *Huff*
I don’t think you can just blame the PRs. As bloggers, we have to keep switching up our content to keep it interesting. This is what you do, because you have a journalistic background. You know how to find an angle. Others are just reactive, they write about whatever comes through their letterbox, partly because they feel obliged and overwhelmed and don’t have the maturity to stop and say ‘no, I’m not going to write about the new blah blah nude palette just because it was sent to me, and I don’t want to offend the PR’.
I’m not saying I haven’t been that person, but you have to look at your blog objectively as a reader and ask yourself if it’s actually interesting, and mix it up. I won’t lie, I love getting Chanel and Bobbi packages in the post, but I’ll try and find a different angle that’s not *just* ‘here’s a new red lipstick’. I will always try to add some industry insight, an observation, a quote from somewhere, a history nugget, SOMETHING that’s unique and not straight off the press release. Even sticking false eyelashes on a grapefruit like you do shows a bit of innovation and regard for giving the reader something different!
Also, I don’t see why people think beauty blogging has to just be about product reviews. There are so many other beauty-related things to talk about!
I really do try and do add something a little different from the mainstream – brands don’t like ‘honest’ reviews: they’re perfectly happy with the bland ones thank you very much! I don’t blame PRs but I feel very jaded in that area.. I know they’re just passing on the pressure because every brand thinks they’ve got a Vogue-worthy product, but when you’re last in line for it, it adds up. There are many brands I just cannot work with at all any more – their horrible attitudes, blanket arrogance and particularly when they try and make you chase them.. no, I don’t think so. My chasing days are over because there are so few bringing anything new to the party (colour) that I’d rather put my energy into writing better content than burning my oyster card on a vaguely different shade of lipstick. But that’s been the case for a while and guess what? My readership hasn’t fallen.. at all. So, what I’m learning from that is to keep transmitting solid information, and to have faith in readers that they’ll be okay if it’s done my way and not the same way as everyone else.
Hallelujah!
I agree but for me the problem isn’t brands not innovating quickly enough. It’s that all the social media noise encourages a level of consumption that by far exceeds the amount of products a normal person with one face and body could ever conceivably use. At some point after finding blogs and youtube I had such a backlog of skincare and such an excess of makeup that the primary feeling was one of disgust, waste, being duped, etc. Maintaining a sensible range of products and only consulting blogs/youtube when I’m seeking something out may not be great for bloggers, but the idea that beauty blogs and videos which are essentially part of a contemporary PR machine had become a (passive) ‘hobby’ is a bit hard to swallow. On the other hand – I completely appreciate your point. I’m no longer interested in every latest release – I’d much prefer better curated and more deeply considered reviews of products actually worth talking about.
You said it sister! The level of consumption encouraged by youtubers and instagrammers is horrifying. I feel this is a major reason why so many of us have beauty fatigue. We have seen the same old and we already OWN SO MUCH of the same old and we shudder at it all. I know I do.
Just watching youtubers show off of their makeup collections gives me the shivers for so many reasons and it makes me feel like I’m watching reruns of the same old show. Firstly, the money that was spent on 23 palettes, 45 lipsticks, 13 foundations…you get my drift. Secondly, all that stuff will eventually expire and so much of it will get tossed. I mean, how will they ever use up all of that makeup in their lifetime?! Thirdly, they all seem to use the EXACT SAME IKEA DRAWERS! WTF!! And lastly, it’s almost like a competition between youtubers (well that’s what it looks like to me anyway) to see who has the best foundation collection, the most high end lipsticks, the most obscure brands, the most nude palettes, the best makeup storage room and on and on and on.
Also all those tutorials again just feel like I’m watching reruns. How many ways can you do a neutral eye or a bold lip before those youtubers all start to sound the same? Also the challenges, geez louise! I decided I needed a break from beauty youtubers when the ‘kids makeup challenge’ was doing the rounds.
Growing up, I never remember my mum or myself holding on to so much makeup but for young girls now, youtube really puts the pressure on them to start young. I work at a primary school and one girl of eleven years old showed me a picture of her makeup collection. I kid you not, she has three shoe boxes full of lipsticks, palettes and what have you! I’m in my thirties and I don’t even have that much! I was horrified and asked her why she needed so much and she started naming her favorite youtubers and what they have. I felt so sad for her but then I felt a pang of disgust with myself because I too partake in that whole materialistic merry-go-round of watch, buy and ultimately regret albeit on a much smaller scale. I don’t have IKEA drawers full of expiring lipsticks and cream eyeshadows, just several empty candle jars worth which I feel guilty about.
This beauty fatigue is also manifesting itself on youtube of all places with new videos that are called ‘anti haul’ videos. Kimberley Clark started doing them last year and many other youtubers are doing them as well. I watch Kimberley Clark’s anti haul videos a lot as I feel like they do stop me from buying makeup I don’t need and she’s pretty funny as well. Maybe that’s where this is all heading?
I totally agree with you!
What a thoughtful post – I agree about the high rate of consumption and have always felt uncomfortable watching ‘haul’ videos!
I have a beauty and fashion blog called Shopplr which I began 8 years ago but I rarely post anymore. I will shut it down next year. Why? There’s nothing truly exciting to write about. In makeup all I see are yet more iterations of nude eyeshadow, concealers in different formats but still concealers, highlighters (again!) and gimmick after gimmick. In skin care, there have been no breakthroughs in serums that contain AHA, Vitamin C or retinol. The new formulations add a few new ingredients but that’s it. If you want to improve your skin dramatically, you will have to do lasering or some other dermatological procedure.
I’ve been on the periphery of Beauty Blogging for a long time – mainly due to not being a huge trend setter or follower.
However, having met some people recently who do do lifestyle blogging, I decided to dip back into the beauty blogging sphere, and…oh dear. The results were not encouraging. Posts that are lacking in logical thought, badly laid out, no thought as to spelling (e.g. “there” instead of “their”) and no apparent objective as to what the post was about. I didn’t want to stick around long enough to find out whether these writers were trying to sell me something, tell me not to buy something or simply gushing about a product.
I suspect these sites were not high on the influencer lists, and probably not used (much) by brands – and if they are, well shame on them. It does give some indication however, that there is a saturation level has perhaps been reached where anyone can produce any old content, no matter the quality.
Of course, the niche I am in – book blogging – is no angel and often exhibits the same issues. I make the same complaints about some of the book blogs I read. I’ve written 3 posts in 2 weeks. It’s summer, ah well
Other than basics like foundation and mascara and some nail varnishes, I’m not sure I can remember the last time I made a big beauty purchase. I’ve just been using things and rediscovering things I already have. In the last few months my eyelids have also gotten too greasy for primer and eyeshadow but I’m not bothered enough to find a solution and I’ve had braces put on so I’ve stopped wearing brighter lipsticks.
The last collection I enjoyed although I wouldn’t wear it was MAC Trolls. I did buy an eyeshadow for my mum because she used to love her troll!
Indie brands and brands like Charlotte Tilbury who seem to understand their customer more and have passion for their products appeal the most at the moment.
I am a woman of a certain age, and whilst I regularly have facials, have threading over waxing, know about cleanse, tone and moisturise, I was never really taught the “deeper” things when it comes to beauty. e.g. how to tell whether my skin tone is red or blue based (and therefore should I go with pink, purple, brown or red lipsticks), what foundation I should wear (beyond “you’re bleeding pale luv”) and how to apply eye shadow etc.
So instead of looking at the new products coming out, how bout changing it around to the question of “how do my readers use this product”? so: woman over 40, with glasses/contacts, working in high stress male dominated office for 9 hours a day, commutes on unconditioned trains both ways in summer……how does this eyeshadow/lipstick/moisturiser work for her? Or simply finding a way to have a basic makeup set?
This is great food for thought. I have been a makeup artist for 8 years and its definitely been really interesting watching the industry change as social media has made makeup more accessible to people thanks to tutorials and reviews. Wedding makeup is a HUGE part of what I do and things like Pinterest have totally changed the game in terms of what people now expect with makeup. My clients are much more savvy then they used to be and also expect for their makeup to look like the makeup people post on instagram etc. Its AWESOME to deal with clients who can bring in photos of what makeup they like but its also sometimes frustrating because I feel like social media gives people edited makeup where no one has pores or wrinkles. It sets clients up for being disappointed because I can’t make their pores disspear or completely change the texture of their skin with foundation.
People often ask me why I don’t do more makeup stuff on my blog and its honestly based around what you just wrote. Why do ANOTHER beauty blog when there’s TONS already. 5 years ago there went very many but now…its makeup blogging/youtube channel overload! Great topic/discussion!
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My name is Heidi and I suffer from social-media-beauty-fatigue!
Within the last year I unfollowed many instagram accounts and blogs on bloglovin. But I still love reading yours, especially for posts like this. Thank you, Jane!
I feel fatigued too, and I have always LOVED makeup, so much so that when I was a child I used to make my own eyeshadows by grinding up coloured chalk sticks! Then I discovered real makeup when I was 12 (in 1980, I am that old) and have been experimenting, learning and making a few mistakes along the way ever since. Back then the only real source of information about makeup itself and application techniques was print media, mostly my mum’s magazines, and I used to lap up the articles and pictures every month when the latest issues came out. However, now we seem to be bombarded with information from all angles and I feel very overloaded and that I can only absorb so much; I find myself having to filter the information onslaught just to be able to see the wood from the trees. I think this constant information bombardment is taking the gloss off the industry and its products, that and the CONSTANT launches from some companies. Things just don’t feel special like they used to back in the days when launches were seasonal and the sense of anticipation was all part of the joy! I love your blog because you don’t seem to fall into the trap that so many others do of trying to cover way too much at the expense of quality presentation and well thought out opinions and you do seem able to edit out the white noise being produced by some particular brands!
I only really got into beauty last year and I personally am not fatigued with beauty blogs. I have noticed though the shift to lifestyle in some blogs and to be honest that’s a turn off for me. I started reading those blogs because I was interested in beauty, not exercise etc, I agree! I think it’s because the long time readers have gotten more interested in the bloggers themselves as they’ve gotten better known and want to see what they’re doing, what their lifestyles are like, etc. A bit like following celebs…
I don’t buy a beauty product just because it’s new or it’s pretty, I do my research and only buy stuff that performs well and is worth the money. This is where good blogs like yours come in, so I can make informed decisions.
Thank you Claire xx
I completely agree with this. Everything that’s coming out these days seems like it’s just another version of the same thing. For example, I can’t stand nude makeup, so every time some make up company comes out with a new nude eyeshadow palette (for instance), I shake my head in annoyance. There are only so many nude makeup colours out there! Give me something different.
As someone else said, that super colourful Urban Decay palette was a refreshing change. I love colourful makeup, and seeing what people can do with it (especially eyeliner).
I occasionally get excited about foundations, but the problem with living in Spain (at least the part that I’m in) is that none of the department stores or beauty shops have any makeup that’s light enough for my pale complexion. I’ve gone into countless shops looking for something, and come out looking like an Oompa Loompa. I think that would be one of my beauty wishes for the next school year: foundation in the right colour. And more colourful eyeliner.
Sorry if this has turned into a foundation rant. I love your blog. Long may it continue.
Thank you.. if you get L’Oreal True Match, they’re expanding their available colour shades, I do know that .. because I’m doing some work with them on it.
Hello, Jane! This is an excellent article.
As a consumer, I am definitely feeling “beauty fatigue.” I have pared down the number of blogs I read to three (you, The Lady Caroline, and Lisa Eldridge) and I am amused to note that although I am American, there is not a single American blogger on my list.
The same is true with you tube — three beauty subscriptions (down from dozens at one time) and there again, it’s Caroline Hirons, Lisa Eldridge, and the American vlogger Stephanie Nicole who is, IMO, quite amazing.
The beauty companies haven’t fared much better with me. I know what I like, and it’s definitely not rubbish “collaborations” with you tubers. While I am always interested in what’s new, the problem is that most of the “new” is the same old same old. So far, I am not excited about anything I’ve seen on the beauty horizon with the possible exception of UD’s forthcoming lip palette. You can always tell when new products are released, as all of the bloggers write about the same damn thing on the very same day. It’s boring, and a bit ridiculous, too. When I really want to know about a new release, I find myself thinking “well let’s see what the English girls think about it.” I appreciate the no-nonsense approach that you, Ms. Hirons, and Sali Hughes take. I’m too old for OMGs and emojis. Just the facts, please.
Truthfully, skin care interests me much more these days, but if a brand thinks that I’m going to buy a $100 face cream because they’ve sponsored a 20-year-old instagram “star” to tell me about it, they are on the cusp of a very rude awakening!
I adore beauty products, but at the end of the day, they’re only an amusing distraction. Here in the States it feels as if the world is falling apart. I really can’t be pushed to think too much about my winged eyeliner when there’s a possibility that Trump may be our next President. Perhaps others have similar feelings, too. Everyone is tired — of something.
Yes, you’ve hit the nail on the head with perspective re Trump! Lots of things matter more than beauty but I don’t really see the harm in being a beauty enthusiast to be honest. It’s not really hurting anyone. Actually, to add a bit of context, brands are super keen that bloggers all post at the same time so they get the maximum impact on social media so very often we really don’t get any choice on when. I’m less inclined to be part of the mass marketing campaign and if there is any possible way I can get something different to add I will do it – sometimes there is a conflict when you know you’re engaging with the machine but it’s important or interesting enough that you don’t want to not tell readers about it. Tricky choices sometimes. But, I hear you and am very grateful for your eyes on my blog :-)) x
Jane, the moment I saw your “In the Bathroom With…” video, I was smitten! I immediately went in search of your blog. You have an excellent approach to beauty and to beauty journalism, and that’s rare. As long as you keep writing, I’ll keep reading.
PS: I appreciate the fine line that beauty writers in all media have to walk. In the old days, journalists didn’t accept gifts from companies — their publications bought whatever was being reviewed. I understand that those days are long gone and even old school publications allow their writers to receive free goods now. And how could they do otherwise? Even a very wealthy person could not possibly buy everything that needs to be reviewed. But I do understand that this all comes with a price, and that make me appreciate you even more. When you write something, I believe it’s the truth. That’s everything to me and to your other readers as well, I’m sure.
You’re so kind! You’ve always contributed to the site with thoughtful and considered comments so it’s a very good time for me to say that I appreciate you!
totally sick of it all too. Only last week I went through my blog beauty bookmarks and did a severe cull. instagram is next for the chop. beauty bloggers are completely jaded too. The latest tomfoolery is acquiring a chanel handbag. Sometimes I despair of the female psyche. What is so special and precious about spending over two grand on a handbag!!Have we all lost our senses? What next? Who will be the first beauty blogger/vlogger to get an hermes birkin? Totally in agreement with previous poster catherine about rampant over consumption of cosmetics. When I see these bloggers with over 100 lipsticks it makes me sigh. Who in a lifetime could work their way through hundreds of products with a shelf life of mostly 12 months.
Well, I have to confess – and I’m going to do a post on it… that I have some Chanel bags but they have almost all come to me in strange ways! I don’t spend on designer clothes or fancy things.. but that’s my weakness wayyyyyy before I became a blogger :-))
Hello Jane,
totally agree with your piece and always love your articles about the industry.
Re: your love for Chanel bags, well…everyone has a guilty pleasure (or more than one…) but whenever you’re inclined to put down your cash, keep this comment in mind 😉
https://britishbeautyblogger.com/article/chanel-bags-hype-or-investment/
I have to say that while certain aspects of the beauty world bore me, I do love a good Chanel bag! As for which blogger/vlogger will get a Birkin first — that train left the station a LONG time ago! I think there are many who already have one (or more than one!) now. Disclosure: I have one, too. After years of saving for it, I bought it to celebrate the tenth anniversary of my business. No regrets.
I get what you are saying.. The genuine wow launches are few & far between. Mostly it’s variations on a theme that has been done so many times before.
Your blog has more than just excitement about the new “must have” product & is one of the few that i still visit daily.
thank you Minty.. very much appreciated x
Dear Jane,
ha, just for the subject you chose here I subscribe to you. Let alone the honest reviews and doubts you sometimes express about a product. And than there are the beauty news articles, which are not only interesting, but often a precursor to what you are thinking or what will be trending in the beauty world.
And yes, reading the comments and being personally honest, we all have too many products, because we fell for marketing and so many you-tubers all having something simular at the same moment.
There are a couple of solutions:
I only subscripe to you, and pick and choose from all the rest, I ignore all social media but You-Tube, I follow small independent beauty bloggers, and I tend to buy cheap brands, like Makeup Revolution, and wait for a dupe of something expensive. And yes, colour is a big thing, especially in palettes. I suppose a nude palette is cheaper to produce, so profit margins are higher, and the pushing of sponsored bloggers and vloggers will do the rest. But luckely we have you, to educate and help us choose, so please stay you.
Greetings, greetings,
Thera, Amsterdam
Thank you.. what a lovely and kind comment.. very much appreciated x
Yes, I’ve been feeling the same way for the last few years. For someone who used to spend a lot on beauty and skin care, I can’t believe how selective I’ve become. I use a few products that work – some expensive and some incredibly cheap.
I don’t care at all about new launches anymore. I don’t use serums, treatments, etc, etc – it all just looks like a waste of time, money and the earth’s precious resources. I’ve gone completely minimalist in my beauty regime, my fashion choices and in my home. I’ve got much more time for really wonderful things, theatre, concerts, reading, galleries, etc.
Increasingly, I notice I’m skipping over your beauty reviews and only reading your views on social media, your accessory Wednesdays, etc. I loved your article about the podcasts you listen too! I don’t care about a new eye shadow launch, but I am interested in hearing about your views on other things! Always grateful for the fitflop recommendation too!
Good to know! Fitflop addict here.. it’s definitely an infectious shoe! Well, I try to give a broad spectrum of the beauty industry so hopefully with that, and some nice shoes, I can keep you interested xxx
I too feel fatigued based on very similar reasons other posters have mentioned. As a person in her mid-30s, I already have a pretty keen idea of what works (on my skin tone, at my workplace, for my lifestyle, etc) and what doesn’t. So even though occasionally I’ll pick up an impulse purchase at Boots (ex. a NYX lip butter that has great formula, but in a nude colour that looks horrid on me!) ultimately I go back to my tried-and-true brand/formula/colour. Look, a tube of lipstick last a long time okay! I don’t need more, even when it’s better formula/colour/price.
I have two areas that I’m still willing to explore and purchase: eyeshadow and skincare. Eyeshadow because I have very greasy lids and a lot of brands/formula don’t work even with primer.
I spend on skincare because there are genuinely exciting innovations there. But even then … say you do a mud/exfoliating mask once a week, and a hydrating mask once a week, there’s still no huge need for so many jars of lotions and potions. I’ve definitely dialled down my purchases. When you spring for high end skincare, there’s no point letting it get lost and expire in the medicine cabinet. It’s basically a 1-in-1-out policy now.
More or less… I feel disappointed by brands giving me the same stuff year after year. I’m bored seeing the same shades parade every spring, every autumn. I feel the need to discover something new to excite me the way it did a few years ago. I have more than I can use in a lifetime of EVERYTHING and it’s becoming some sort of a burden for me. Probably this is why I started crafting and buying planners. 😀
I have recently realised that the hours I’ve spent watching youtubers apply make up is not because I’m going to repeat the whole process on my own face, I simply like watching these girls.
I feel bad for the bloggers who have decided to stick to their monthly favourites and what not and you can tell how they’re squeezing everything they can with not much enthusiasm.
Maybe it’s time we shifted our energy somewhere else?
But then again.. I would watch Ruth Crilly move the lawn if someone just let me 🙂
yes, Ruth is awesome 🙂
I love this and very much agree. I found blogs around 4 years ago and followed around 25 on Bloglovin. I used to read every single post on my feed, but over the last year I found myself reading less and less. I eventually deleted Bloglovin a few weeks ago for the same reasons stated here – I don’t need to read ten reviews of the same ‘must have’ highlighter and I’ve got more eye shadow than I could use in a lifetime and still stick to my favourite 3 shades. I now follow a select few favourites on Twitter, where I can read posts that interest me when the link is posted. I still adore this blog, Ruth, Caroline, and I was very sad when London Beauty Review ceased a few months back. As others have said, if I need a new foundation I’ll use blogs ro search for recommendations, but I don’t have the same need to read daily that I did a few years ago.
Ha, I posted a comment below saying I’d stripped back what I follow to just 3 channels… BBB, Ruth and Caroline! The beauty trifecta!
Urrgh, I dont know which is worse: how this article is written or the fact I (almost) fell for it:
http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/news/beauty/554008/how-to-bemoreyou-in-a-career-changing-moment.html?utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=referral
Following on from my comment the other day about learning about office makeup, I clicked on the above link, hoping to learn something new. However I was disappointed in that it told me nothing new, only to wear foundation, lippy and mascara. Then I reached the bottom and realised it was effectively a “sponsored” post by Max Factor and all the products mentioned were Max Factor. There’s nothing in the post itself to say it was an advert. sponsored or paid for.
Very Very disappointed.
I’m 50ish, and so much of the social media content is just Duh-rama, and mean girls( and all other genders) and ill advised trends. And when producers feel they need to buy into that to get buzz, it is tiring. Give me well researched products that don’t require a second mortgage. Give me well researched, honest blog and vlog posts. You’re doing an ad? Fine, let me know, make it interesting and you’ve got my click or view. Just be professional.
The constant influx of product, collections etc is overwhelming and just not sustainable. Maybe focus on smaller amounts of product, recyclable or interchangeable packaging (elf is doing nice things, and inglot is the king), and know that niches are just that. Cross pollination is nice, appropriation isnt.
I find it interesting that there is a lot to be learned about the world through the beauty industry, and hopefully pink skinned people like me will learn more about inclusiveness in general.
All of that said, I just got Fortune Favors the Brave, and love it.
Hi Jane. This was a really interesting read. I’m a consumer, not a blogger, but I’ve found myself unsubscribing from the vast majority of my channels because of the repetitiveness of what’s being churned out. I suppose that’s a symptom of what’s being released in beauty and not necessarily the fault of individual bloggers, but there are only so many nude eye or drugstore tutorials a girl can watch. I’ve shrunk my media circle to just three channels that I trust for their honesty (BBB included, obviously) as the amount of content that is so blatantly sponsored is also really boring. That’s a whole other discussion though! Thanks for continuing to produce honest, original content, and not just recycling old posts. It’s noticed and appreciated! Lxx
Thank you so much Laurie…. my view on sponsored is that it must be made completely clear. I’m proud to work with selected brands so just don’t get what there is to hide!
Hi Jane. I absolutely don’t have a problem with sponsored content if it’s clearly marked and well produced; you guys need to make money and wouldn’t be able to do what you do otherwise. What I hate is content that is either not flagged as sponsored or is a copy+paste from the press release. It’s so transparent!
See Ruth’s Pai post from yesterday as an example – that was a lengthy article that had clearly been written by her, and was an enjoyable read regardless of having been sponsored.
I won’t point to any specific posts or bloggers for the naff ones, I know you know what I’m talking about!
Anyway, I have digressed from the point of this particular post, so apologies for the rant. I’ll wait for your next post on it to start chuntering again 😉
I certainly do understand.. it annoys everyone and how it’s still possible is a mystery.
I’ve heard of some brands who will sponsor posts but won’t allow them to be disclosed as sponsored! So shady.
The repetitiveness is making me tune out too. I’m just a consumer, and I love blogs, but the rash of beauty blogs turning their hands to scent for the Bublé sponsored posts has really got my goat for some reason this weekend. I love perfume, and I love fragrance blogs, and it really seems to annoy me when beauty bloggers seem to think perfume falls within the realm of beauty. I mean, it does and it doesn’t, and I think there’s a whole other language to scent that a lot of beauty bloggers don’t get, but are happy to chat about if they’re being paid. It turns me right off as a reader.
Fragrance is a tricky area – I totally get what you’re saying but communication around fragrance needs to happen on many levels: it’s my understanding that most of the bloggers writing about it actually had a masterclass in it to see what really happens and how the fragrance was made which is up several levels from just an impression of the scent. But fragrance is subjective and understood with and without depth and to be honest, I’m not sure it matters at what level you enjoy it (or not) – just that you do.
I have definitely got beauty fatigue! I have been using Bloglovin’ for two years now, and have ‘collections’ grouped as lipstick, concealers, foundations etc. My particular fetish is lipsticks and I have 198 blog posts in my lipstick collection!! Which is two years’ worth, and obviously I haven’t collected every single lipstick post I’ve seen in that time. And I followed less than half a dozen bloggers during that time.
Plainly this is ridiculous and I feel overloaded with info. So I log on to Bloglovin’ much less than before, have unfollowed most bloggers and am just generally stepping back because I simply don’t have room in my brain for it all!